Post-colonial drama by black Canadian women: the plays of Djanet Sears, Lorena Gale, and M. NourbeSe Philip
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Contemporary Canadian theatre is influenced largely by a White, male perspective that was introduced to the country by colonial powers. Consequently, Black women playwrights have faced exclusion from Canadian theatre. The Black Canadian playwrights Djanet Sears, Lorena Gale, and M. NourbeSe Philip are marginalized for their colour, which is compounded by their gender. Their plays reflect the diverse experiences of Black Canadian women, yet the three playwrights share a common goal of resisting the forces of colonization by redefining and centralizing the portrayal of Black women in their plays. Chapter One, "Reclaiming Black Canadian History," explores dramatic responses to historical interpretations that privilege the dominant group; Chapter Two, "Counter-Canonical Discourse," considers plays that interrogate the power of canonized theatrical works; and Chapter Three, "Belonging in the Black Diaspora," examines the dramatization of the issues of displacement, place, identity, and belonging that stem from colonization, affecting Black people throughout the Diaspora.