Staff

Artistic Director

Mumbi is an acclaimed theatre creator and director raised in Kenya and Victoria, BC and based in Toronto. She is the Artistic Director of Obsidian Theatre, Canada’s leading creator for Black Art as well as Founder/Artistic director for the experimental theatre company IFT (It’s A Freedom Thing Theatre) Theatre.

Selected directing credits, Three Sisters (Obsidian/Soulpepper), Is God Is (Obsidian/Canadian Stage/Necessary Angel) Cast Iron (Obsidian/Factory), 21 Black Futures (Obsidian/CBC Arts), Trout Stanley (Factory Theatre), Sizwe Banzi is Dead, The Brothers Size, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Soulpepper Theatre),  Post Democracy (Tarragon Theatre), We are Proud to Present (UofT Scarborough), and Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape for (Obsidian Theatre/Soulpepper).

Upcoming: Flex (Obsidian/Crows)

Mumbi is also the recipient of many awards including a Canadian Screen Award, a Dora Award, a Toronto Theatre Critics Award, a Pauline McGibbon Award and a Mallory Gilbert Protege Award.

General Manager

Michael feels like he is coming home, having stage managed Obsidian’s first show, Djanet Sears’s ‘Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God’ plus several other shows for Obsidian over the years. He now joins the company as our new General Manager. Prior to a career in stage management, Michael worked as an accountant and so he brings a strong financial background to the job. He is well versed in theatre from one end of the country to the other.

Michael is looking forward to marrying the administrative and the production elements in the theatre community and all the challenges that they present. This is what Obsidian does best; we give our community the tools and craft to help people make those major career moves.

Artistic Producer

danjelani ellis is a Tkaròn:to-based artist and artsworker raised in Jamaica by a village of theatre artists, poets, and educators. His art practice is Afrocentric and celebratory, working in performance-installation, playwriting, dub poetry, and acting. danjelani is especially passionate about arts-based community organizing for social justice. When producing, he is grounded in Afrocentrism, mentorship, reciprocity, and joy. As a Black queer immigrant he is committed to celebrating those of us who live within the margins.

Prior to landing in the Artistic Producer role, danjelani was Obsidian’s Metcalf Artistic Director Intern for the 21.22 and 22.23 seasons. Before being welcomed to Obsidian, he was Artistic Programs Manager at Paprika Festival, overseeing program delivery and community outreach. danjelani presently also steers Groundwork Redux – an ever-evolving gathering of artists and projects – creating original art, performance, and community activations.

Graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, danjelani has been resident artist at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and BAND (Black Artists’ Network in Dialogue) Gallery and Cultural Centre, and is currently in residency at The Theatre Centre. He is a proud Siminovitch Theatre Foundation Emerging Artist grant recipient in playwriting.

Marketing and Development Officer

Cherise Solomon, a versatile artist, dance instructor, actor, and marketing expert, has left her mark on grassroots non-profits and prestigious dance organizations alike. With a dynamic career that includes acting and dance in commercials and TV/film, she also imparts the culture of Hip Hop dance to young minds. Now, Cherise eagerly anticipates elevating Obsidian’s brand and expanding its reach to new communities. Her blend of artistic talent, marketing expertise, and dedication to education make her a true force in the world of arts and entertainment.

Associate Artistic Director/ Company Dramaturg

Natasha Mumba is a Zambian-born, Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist whose work is shaped by her unique perspective as a Zambian-Canadian. Her practice is rooted in international collaboration and the exploration of Black identities across global contexts.

She trained under Nina Lee Aquino at Factory Theatre through the prestigious Metcalf Foundation grant, with a focus on artistic leadership, dramaturgy, directing, and arts facilitation. Natasha also developed her directing practice through Why Not Theatre’s ThisGen program (2021), and was selected for the Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE) dramaturgical program in Bloemfontein, South Africa, studying under Nike Jonah and Erwin Maas.

As a dramaturg, Natasha has collaborated with institutions across the country, including Soulpepper Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, Persephone Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, and The Howland Company. She is recognized as one of Toronto’s most sought-after dramaturges, with a growing portfolio spanning devised work, new play development, and musicals. Her work consistently emphasizes the specificity and nuance of Black experiences in theatre—an artistic conviction she is excited to keep deepening through her role at Obsidian Theatre.

Select Directing & Dramaturgy Credits: Balance (Driftwood Trafalgar), Vierge (Factory Theatre), The Water Gun (YPT), Three Sisters (Assistant Director, Obsidian/Soulpepper), Lady Sunrise (Assistant Director, Factory Theatre), and Co-Lead Dramaturg/Programmer for the AfriCanadian Playwright Incubation (b current), Facilitator of Factory Theatre’s Training Enhancement Program (2020–2021).

Natasha is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Acting Program and a Dora-nominated actor, working across theatre, film, and television.

Select Screen Credits: The Last of Us (HBO), Y: The Last Man (FX), Matlock (CBS), The Handmaid’s Tale (MGM), The Abandons (Netflix).
Select Theatre Credits: Welkin (Soulpepper), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian), Henry V (Shaw Festival).

Playwrights Unit Facilitator