We are thrilled to announce our 2025/2026 Young, Gifted and Black Cohort!

Abigail Whitney, Ghislan Sutherland-Timm, Nála Simone Lendor and Stephon Smith.

Young, Gifted, and Black is Obsidian Theatre’s arts training program dedicated to supporting Black theatre practitioners in non-performance disciplines. This four-month intensive explores Black diaspora theatre and performance aesthetics.

Through masterclasses and a creation residence led by d’bi.young anitafrika, this cohort will explore Black diaspora theatre and performance aesthetics through a decolonial and intersectional lens.

This cohort will gain hands-on training by apprenticing with the creative team of How to Catch Creation, a co-production with Soulpepper and Nightwood Theatre. The apprenticeship will help bridge the gap between theory and industry practice.

This ensemble will then create, direct, and design a production to be presented in May at Factory Theatre!