Theatre brings diverse community

Arts Collective Theatre’s new show is bringing together a diverse group of people to tell what they call a relevant story.

Arts Collective Theatre is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the well-being of the Windsor Essex community through theatre education and bringing awareness to social justice issues.

Their next show, Memphis, is a musical about an African American woman getting her big break with the help of a white radio DJ. The musical, set in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1950s mixes romance with a message. 

Grace Momah is a member of the cast, and said she thinks the relevance of the show is what makes it important.

“I think it’s important in general because it really talks about issues that are going on,” said Momah. “This was back in the 1950s and you can relate the problems that were happening to what is happening today.”

Courtlin Ducre, who is also a cast member, has been in two previous productions with ACT. He said he hopes a lot of people will come out to see it because of how much he enjoys the stage.

“I think it is important to show diversity as well as certain race relations shows in the city just to get people aware of it,” said Ducre. “Windsor and Essex County have a large black history that almost nobody knows anything about. So maybe if this is something that inspires somebody to look into that history and learn a little more, that’s always a plus in my book.” 

Artistic director for ACT for the last five years, Chris Rabideau, said their previous successes with The Wiz and Dreamgirls brought opportunities to the diverse Windsor community. He said he hopes other directors will also include a diverse cast in their shows.

“I look at shows not through the lens of what has already been but what it could be,” said Rabideau.

All of the cast members are hoping their April 17 to 26 show at the Capitol Theatre Windsor will bring the community together.