Black Theatre Workshop to Celebrate Black History Month With VIERGE by Rachel Mutombo

 Black Theatre Workshop (BTW), Canada's longest-running Black theatre company, will present Vierge, a compelling new play by award-winning Montreal playwright Rachel Mutombo. This production delves into the intricate dynamics of a Congolese-Canadian community, exploring themes of respectability politics, sexuality, spirituality, and belonging through the experiences of four teenage girls. Vierge will run from February 12 to March 2, 2025, at the Segal Centre's Studio in Montreal. In line with its mission to promote and produce outstanding theatre that educates, entertains, and inspires, BTW invites audiences to engage with this thought-provoking narrative that challenges societal norms and fosters cross-cultural understanding.

Rachel Mutombo is an award-winning actor and writer. An acting graduate of The National Theatre School of Canada, she has had the great pleasure of acting on screen and stages across the country. As a freelance writer, Rachel has had essays and articles published including by CBC and Intermission Magazine.

Vierge is Rachel’s first full-length play, it was awarded 1st prize in Infinitheatre’s Write-On-Q playwriting competition as well as recently being shortlisted for the QWF Prize for Playwriting. She has various other projects in development with theatre companies across the country including Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon and bcurrent in Toronto. Rachel is also developing a theatre for young audience play at Young People’s Theatre, Homeroom, (2021 winner of Playwright’s Guild of Canada Tom Hendry TYA award). Most recently, Rachel was awarded the Canadian playwright prize from the Jon Kaplan Legacy Fund.

As an alumni of Black Theatre Workshop’s artist mentorship program, Rachel is incredibly honoured to see Vierge having its Montreal premiere with a theatre company so near and dear to her heart.

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