Alicia Keys’ music came alive on a Toronto stage last week as “Hell’s Kitchen”, the Broadway musical inspired by her life and catalogue, brought a powerful mix of music, family, Black identity and coming-of-age drama to the Ed Mirvish Theatre. Built around Keys’ songs and lyrics, with a book by playwright Kristoffer Diaz, “Hell’s Kitchen” […]
For more than five decades, Philip Akin has built a career around challenging Canadian theatre to make more room for Black voices. Now, the veteran actor and director is embracing an unusually provocative description of that work: radicalizing the next generation of Black artists. In the interview, Akin discusses his directing philosophy, his belief that […]
By Neil Armstrong Acclaimed guitarist and vocalist Maurice Gordon has been so inspired by the work of Jamaica’s late cultural ambassador, Louise Bennett-Coverley, fondly known as Miss Lou, that every year he organizes events that celebrate the icon of Jamaican culture. Bennett-Coverley was born on September 7, 1919 in Kingston, Jamaica, and passed away in […]
At first glance, the photographs in Dawoud Bey’s Material Histories, Living Landscapes depict quiet stretches of forest, water, fields and sky. But now on view at the Art Gallery of Ontario, these landscapes reveal themselves as places marked by slavery, migration, resistance and survival. The exhibition opened July 24 and is presented at the AGO […]
How Carnival Evolved Across Centuries and Continents Carnival is celebrated today as one of the world’s best-known festivals, but its history stretches back centuries and reflects a blend of religious observance, ancient customs and cultural transformation. While many associate the event with the Christian calendar, historians say its origins are more complex, with traditions that […]
Toronto Welcomes Global Black Women Dance Festival Toronto will host the third edition of the YENSA Festival from August 20 to 23, bringing together Black women dance artists from around the world for four days of performances, workshops and community events. The international biennial festival will take place at the Betty Oliphant Theatre at Canada’s […]
Miss Tania Lou Earns Prestigious Creator Award By Neil Armstrong Tania Hernandez, affectionately known as Miss Tania Lou, is one of the recipients of the Creator Awards which will be presented by the City of Hamilton at its 2026 Arts Awards ceremony and celebration on July 9. The Creator Awards recognize living artists or artistic […]
Danse Macabre Celebrates Carnival Through Powerful Theatre by Canute Lawrence Last Friday evening, the Tarragon Theatre was the venue for the premiere performance of Danse Macabre, written and directed by Trinibagonian-Canadian playwright and director, Rhoma Akosua Spencer. Last December, Spencer’s Danse Macabre was the winner of the Toronto Fringe Festival 2026 New Play Contest, securing […]
Healthy Aging Starts with Brain Health Awareness Maintaining social connections, staying physically active and addressing dementia without fear were among the central messages shared at a brain health forum for Black seniors in Hamilton. Hosted by the Afro Canadian Caribbean Association, the event brought together researchers, health professionals and community members to discuss ways of […]
Play explores the immigrant experience By Neil Armstrong In her play, “Sincerely, E,” now on at the Toronto Fringe Festival until July 11, Toronto playwright and director, Neisha Pierre, explores the Caribbean Canadian experience through a story of migration, identity, and belonging. Describing it as a love letter to Toronto’s Caribbean pioneers, she said their resilience, […]
