Centre for Indigenous Theatre facts for kids
| Abbreviation | CIT |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1974 |
| Location |
|
|
Staff
|
Celeste Sansregret (managing director), Rose C. Stella (Artistic Director) |
|
Formerly called
|
Native Theatre School (1974–1994) |
The Centre for Indigenous Theatre (CIT) is a special school in Toronto, Ontario. It's a non-profit group, which means it uses its money to help its cause, not to make a profit. This centre teaches about performance art and theatre, focusing on the rich cultures of Indigenous communities.
The main goal of the Centre is to create and run programs that help people understand Indigenous Theatre. They also want to give the best possible arts training to Indigenous students from all over Canada.
Contents
History of the Centre
The Centre for Indigenous Theatre was started in 1974 by James H. Buller. It was first called the Native Theatre School. He created it with a group called the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts.
James H. Buller was a famous opera and musical comedy singer. Before he started the school, he was in the Royal Canadian Navy. He was also a popular boxer known as "Gentleman Jim". He really wanted to see Aboriginal actors, playwrights, and directors succeed across Canada. He also hoped to help create many Aboriginal theatre groups.
The school changed its name to the Centre for Indigenous Theatre in 1994. At first, the Centre offered a one-year program. Later, this program grew into a two-year course. By 1998, students could even choose to study for an extra third year.
How the Centre Gets Money
The Centre for Indigenous Theatre gets money from all levels of government. This helps them keep their programs running. Other groups also give money to support the Centre. These include the Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Management Board and The McLean Foundation. The Molson Companies Donation Fund and the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team also help out financially.
People at the Centre
Many talented people have been part of the Centre for Indigenous Theatre.
Famous Students
Students who want to join the Centre must be over 18 years old. They also need to be of Aboriginal descent. Here are some well-known people who studied there:
- Gary Farmer – started in 1974
- Graham Greene – started in 1974
- Billy Merasty – started in 1984
- Tina Louise Bomberry – started in 1988
- Jennifer Podemski – started in 1992
- George Leach – started in 1996
- Lucie Idlout – started in 1997
Talented Teachers
The Centre has also had many skilled teachers and cultural leaders. Here are some of them:
- Columpa Bobb
- Margo Kane
- Jani Lauzon
- David Ley
- Lee Maracle – was the cultural director from 1998 to 2000
- Muriel Miguel
- Daniel David Moses
- Drew Hayden Taylor
- Paul Thompson
- John Turner (Mump and Smoot)
- Tomson Highway
- David Calderisi
- August Schellenberg
James Buller Awards
The James Buller Awards for Aboriginal Theatre Excellence were created in 1995. These awards celebrate the amazing work of Aboriginal people in the arts.
