Dead Name Theatre (DNT) is an emerging theatre company
that uplifts and centres the voices, experiences, and talents
of trans, non-binary, and queer creatives in Toronto.
Representation
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We seek to provide more opportunities for the immensely talented theatre practitioners who have been denied opportunity because of their marginalized gender and sexual identities. DNT aims to create a rehearsal space that is populated by trans, non-binary, and queer creatives, from actors to designers, directors, stage managers, and front of house team. Besides providing opportunities, we believe this representation will inspire the next generation. We strive to be the representation we never had as youth.
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Community
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With a rehearsal space where we are the majority, we will be able to tell trans, non-binary, and queer stories from a place of authenticity and support rather than tokenism. Our representation on stage is far and few between and can often fall into stereotypes and tokenism in character portrayals of these identities. But if we create as a community, we can offer a more nuanced representation of trans, non-binary, and queer characters on stage, simultaneously reducing the toxic and harmful rehearsal practices that our community has learned to survive in. The question we are asking is, “If an actor feels affirmed by their cast, crew and creative team, what level of performance might they be able to reach?”
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Storytelling as Activism
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Storytelling as activism relates to the core of why we do theatre. We seek to add to the greater canon of trans work being created and to reclaim existing stories from the larger theatrical canon. It is more important than ever to tell trans, non-binary, and queer stories that centre growth and joy so that we can dream an affirming future into existence.
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Photo Credit: Gesilayefa Azorbo and Emery Payne
