Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Name	Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
City	Toronto
Country	Canada
Opened	1979
Capacity	199
Type	Theatre

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is a Toronto-based performing arts organization founded in 1979 that focuses on queer theatre, cabaret, and experimental performance, and is recognized for its influence on LGBT arts in Canada. The company has been associated with numerous playwrights, directors, festivals, venues, and cultural institutions across Toronto, Ontario, Canada and internationally, contributing to debates about censorship, diversity, and artistic innovation. It operates within a network that includes other theatres, festivals, artists, and funding bodies that shaped late 20th- and early 21st-century Canadian performance.

History

The company's origins trace to the late 1970s Toronto arts scene involving activists and artists who intersected with San Francisco Mime Troupe, Nightwood Theatre, Factory Theatre, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and grassroots collectives. In the 1980s the organization navigated the AIDS epidemic (1981–1996), collaborating with artists linked to ACT UP, Gran Fury, and advocacy groups, while staging works alongside institutions such as Harbourfront Centre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, and participating in events like the Toronto International Film Festival and Pride Toronto. During the 1990s and 2000s the company engaged with national networks including Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Conference of the Arts, PLAYWRIGHTS’ Workshop Montreal, Factory Theatre Company, and festivals such as Fringe Festival (Edinburgh) and Fringe Festival (Toronto), expanding its profile through collaborations with international artists from New York City, London, Berlin, and Sydney. Controversies over funding and programming connected the company to debates involving Heritage Canada, City of Toronto, Toronto Artscape, and media outlets like The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star.

Artistic Vision and Programming

The organization's aesthetic emphasizes queer narratives, experimental dramaturgy, queer cabaret, and political performance, positioning itself alongside movements embodied by figures associated with Caryl Churchill, Tony Kushner, Pedro Almodóvar, Damien Hirst, and ensembles like Split Britches and Hot Peaches. Programming choices have spanned solo shows, ensemble pieces, festivals, and co-productions with companies such as Coal Mine Theatre, Soulpepper, Canadian Stage, Factory Theatre, and touring partners including Royal Court Theatre, La Mama Experimental Theatre Club, St. Ann's Warehouse, and The Public Theater. The company curated annual festivals and seasons that engaged with playwrights and directors like Brad Fraser, Holly Cole, David Sereda, Sky Gilbert, Ruth Madoc, and institutions such as University of Toronto, Ryerson University, York University, and Concordia University through residencies, workshops, and conferences. Grants and patronage from organizations like Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, and private donors influenced commissioning, outreach, and touring strategies.

Notable Productions and Premieres

The company premiered and produced landmark works by Canadian and international writers, presenting premieres alongside collaborators like Sky Gilbert’s ensembles, producing plays by Brad Fraser and hosting festivals that featured artists connected to Tim Robbins, John Waters, Tennessee Williams, Oscar Wilde, and contemporary playwrights such as Jordan Tannahill, Colin Thomas, Wajdi Mouawad, and Marlene Nourbese Philip. It mounted revivals and new works that intersected with musical artists and composers from networks including Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, k.d. lang, and performance-makers associated with Blue Rodeo and The Tragically Hip in multidisciplinary collaborations. International co-productions linked the company to venues such as TATE Modern, Sydney Opera House, The Barbican, and festivals like Perth Festival and Festival d'Avignon.

People (Artistic Directors, Key Artists)

Key artistic leaders and collaborators have included figures from Toronto and beyond associated with Sky Gilbert, D. A. Pennebaker, Brad Fraser, Jordan Tannahill, Molly Johnson, Daniel MacIvor, Ken Gass, Christopher Newton, David Mirvish, Martha Henry, Colm Feore, and other artists active in Canadian theatre and film. Administrative and creative teams interfaced with funders and policymakers tied to Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, City of Toronto, Heritage Canada, and universities including University of Toronto and Ryerson University, while guest directors and designers came from networks around New York University, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and National Theatre School of Canada.

Community Engagement and Education

The organization ran outreach, mentorship, and training programs partnering with community groups and non-profits such as PFLAG, Rainbow Health Ontario, Black Lives Matter Toronto, The 519 Church Street Community Centre, and educational partners like George Brown College, Seneca College, and OCAD University. Youth and artist development initiatives were coordinated with festivals and training programs connected to Fringe Festival (Toronto), Young People's Theatre, Factory Theatre's Ignite, and university theatre departments at York University and University of Toronto. The company also engaged with archives and research institutions including Leslieville Historical Society, Toronto Reference Library, Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, and policy forums linked to GLAAD and Human Rights Campaign.

Facilities and Architecture

The company operated in Toronto venues and spaces that linked it historically to buildings and organizations such as Toronto Metropolitan University (Ryerson), Harbourfront Centre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Factory Theatre, and performance venues on Queen Street West, Kensington Market, and Church and Wellesley neighbourhoods. Its physical spaces underwent renovations and fit-outs coordinated with organizations like Toronto Artscape, Heritage Toronto, City of Toronto Planning Division, and cultural capital funders such as Trillium Foundation and Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. Architectural and design collaborators have included firms and consultants associated with projects at Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and adaptive-reuse initiatives elsewhere in Toronto and Canada.

Category:Theatre companies in Toronto