The National Black Theatre (NBT) was a theatre company run by a small group of Aboriginal people based in the Sydney suburb of Redfern which operated from 1972 to 1977. The original concept for the theatre grew out of political struggles, especially the land rights demonstrations, which at the time were being organised by the Black Moratorium Committee. The centre held workshops in modern dancing, tribal dancing, writing for theatre, karate and photography, and provided a venue for new Aboriginal drama. It also ran drama classes under Brian Syron, whose students included Jack Davis, Freddie Reynolds, Maureen Watson, Lillian Crombie, and Hyllus Maris.

The company ran the Black Theatre Arts and Culture Centre from 1974 to 1977.

History

Precedents Bob Maza and others got involved in community theatre in Melbourne after Maza had travelled to the United States and been impressed by political theatre being staged by African Americans and Native Americans. Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) licence. Along with Jack Charles, Maza co-founded the first Aboriginal theatre company, Nindethana, at the Pram Factory in 1971.

After working in the United States as a director and actor, Brian Syron returned to Sydney and held acting classes in 1969 for Indigenous actors, including Gary Foley and Denis Walker at the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs.'Aboriginal actor makes good' in New Dawn April 1972 Paul Coe, a law student, approached Jenny Sheehan (aka Jenni(e) van de Steenhaven), a non-Aboriginal drama student, to run classes for young people in 1971. They were given a grant of to continue the workshops and play readings in February 1972.

Street theatre was organised by the Aboriginal community in Redfern by 1972 as a form of political action. Informal and formal theatrical performances were staged to raise awareness about the Aboriginal tent embassy, land rights demonstrations, and to support the establishment of a legal service.Casey (2004). pp. 44–45Bostock, Gerry 'Black theatre', in J Davis and B Hodge, eds, Aboriginal writing today, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra 1985, pp 67–70

An art workshop was involved in the printing of posters (including those for the N'ingla a-na rallies) and in ceramics, sculpture, carving, etc. The documentary Ningla A-Na (1972), directed by Alessandro Cavadini, highlighted the land rights movement and Aboriginal activism, including the theatre as examples of the growing movement for self-determination.Alessandro Cavadini and Carolyn Strachan N'ingla a-na Sydney Filmmakers Co-op, 1972. (16mm film, 72 minutes). Distribution booklet

Carole Johnson, an African-American dancer, toured Australia with the Eleo Pomare Dance Company in February and March. They witnessed the media coverage of the tent embassy, and the attempts to remove it, and understood the human rights issues.Robinson pp 15–20 Johnson stayed in Sydney and, with an Australia Council for the Arts grant, started a dance workshop in May, using St Luke's Church hall by the end of the year. Participants included Euphemia Bostock (born 1936, aka Phemie), her daughter Tracey, Wayne Nicol, Norma Williams (Ingram), and Elsie and Joanne Vesper.Robinson p 26. The dance workshop was documented in the short film Sharing the dream (1974), and led to the formation of NAISDA and the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre.

Beginnings Coe, Foley, Sheehan, and Lester Bostock (brother of Gerry Bostock) formed a theatre group that they called the National Black Theatre, and Coe and Sheehan applied on behalf of "Black Theatre" for funding from the Australia Council for the Arts for training and to expand the drama workshops. They were refused due to their inexperience.Paul Coe interview in N'ingla a-na quoted by Casey, p 47

In mid-1972 Maza was invited to come to Sydney, to share his experience, which had included some time working and studying with the National Black Theatre of Harlem, New York City, and experience writing his own material.Eckersley. M.(ed.) 2009. Drama from the Rim: Asian Pacific Drama Book. Drama Victoria. Melbourne. 2009. (p7-9) His "professional" status attracted the funding that was needed, and was granted by the Australia Council.Casey p 52 They rented a house at 174 Regent Street, and for workshops were given use of the hall named Murawina behind a church by Wayside Chapel and the Aboriginal Women's Action Group who operated the children's breakfast program. Maza ran the workshops when Coe and Sheehan had to resume their studies.

When Johnson went to south-east Asia in September to continue her investigation of dance cultures, Phemie Bostock, assisted by Wayne Nicole, took over the co-ordination of the Dance Group. Carole proposed an Aboriginal Community Arts – Education Centre to the Aboriginal Arts Advisory Committee, encapsulating the needs and wants of the community. Social outlets, and cultural and training programs were needed in Redfern.Robinson pp 34–36

First performances

The first formal and publicly acknowledged performance by Black Theatre was street theatre in 1972 to publicise the Black Moratorium and the Gove land rights claim against Nabalco (now Rio-Tinto Alcan). This was broadcast nationally by This Day Tonight.Bostock, Lester 'Black theatre in New South Wales' in New Dawn September 1973 [possibly a paper from the first National Seminar on Aboriginal Arts]

The next performance was to lead the Aboriginal land rights demonstration, held on 14 July across the countryIn Sydney Bob Maza of Nimrod Street Theatre conducts a street theatre workshop at Redfern. It performed in Sydney on 14 July. 'Rediscovering Aboriginal arts' in New Dawn Sept 72; Robinson p 29 on NAIDOC Day. The Pitjantjatjara expression N'ingla-a-na, meaning "We are hungry for our land", became the rallying call.Goodall, Heather Invasion to embassy; land in Aboriginal politics in New South Wales 1970–1972 St' Leonards; Allen & Unwin, 1996 quoted in Robinson p 30Lester Bostock Black theatre in New South Wales

Six days later, on 20 July,Aboriginal Tent Embassy Chronology the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra had been removed. At the re-erection of the tent embassy, on 30 July 1972, the Black Theatre performed the Dance of the Embassy, also called The Challenge,Robinson p 28 which was a symbolic re-erection of the tent embassy but portrayed the whole history of Aboriginal / European conflict and gave powerful expression to the emotions of that event.

On 7 September, the dance group performed a public concert at the Friends' hall in Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. It was a presentation of class work, works in progress and students' material. The Embassy dance, called Awakening, was revised to include traditional Aboriginal movements.Robinson p 32McCarthy, Anne Performance by National Black Theatre – Dance Groupe Report for AAAC:5.1.12, 6 October 1972 quoted by Robinson pp 32–34, Appendix pp9-10

Basically black

When Maza came to Sydney, he undertook an apprenticeship program for directors and actors with the Nimrod Theatre Company. In the absence of a performance space, the political revue Basically Black was performed at the Nimrod Theatre Company's Stables Theatre, directed by Ken Horler. The cast included Aileen Corpus, Gary Foley, Zac Martin, Bob Maza and Bindi Williams. The revue was a biting satire, continuing the response to the High Court ruling against a traditional claim to land ownership.Brisbane The future is black and white Currency Press Premiering 27 October, a successful season of five or six weeks ran until 3 December 1972.

The final performance coincided with a federal election and the famous ALP / Gough Whitlam victory after two decades of conservative rule. The cast, crew and audience gathered in the theatre foyer to party and watch the results of the Federal election come in on specially installed TV sets.Foley, Gary Black power in Redfern in The Koori History Website 2001

Also at this time, certain advertising agencies began offering work to local Aboriginal people. This interest led to the formation of Ebony Profile, a part of NBT established as a black casting agency that provided people with a grounding in advertising, television and films.'Basically black' in New Dawn December 1972

By the end of 1972 NBT, as it was known, was based at 181 Regent Street, an umbrella organisation for a range of groups.

1973 The Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council was established at the Black Theatre in 1973, illustrating its value as a community hub.Aboriginal organisations in Sydney in Barani

Basically black tour and television production

Proving popular with Aboriginal people, Basically Black toured the eastern states the following year. The show was invited to the Innisfail Festival in Queensland. Trusting the assurances of funding, the Black Theatre troupe set off on tour – visits to missions and reserves considered important as there was a range of human rights issues in that state.It was a white bus, and on the side of it had Black Theatre and Basically Black underneath it. And in those days we had a lot of looks and stares of people wondering what all these blackfellas in this bus here ... [Ted Maza, Bob Maza's nephew, was involved in the music side]Bob Maza [and family] on Messagestick 2004

However, the promised funding from the Council for the Arts did not arrive, which put a lot of pressure on the shoestring budget. A new production had been planned for March, a musical, Millingurri. Thirteen out of the fourteen songs were original, and some were recorded.'Basically black' in New Dawn However NBT did not continue operating. Lester Bostock carried on as administrator after the tour, followed by Tony Coorey. Funds were frozen for some time.Robinson p 50

After the cast reunited for the ABC Television production of Basically Black, at a 1993 Aboriginal Medical Service meeting Gary Foley said:"The first black television show by the ABC, which was a version of Basically Black, had some scripts culled by non-Aboriginal scriptwriters from the original production". Foley

The foundations were laid for a broad range of initiatives that followed – the possibility of Aboriginal-initiated theatre had been opened up. What was needed next, was a performance space.Casey

First National Seminar on Aboriginal Arts

The first National Seminar on Aboriginal Arts was held in Canberra in May 1973, sponsored by the Aboriginal Arts Board (AAB) of the Australia Council. Coe, Syron, Foley, Oodgeroo Noonuccal, her grandson Denis Walker, and other delegates discussed possibilities. A number favoured outreach work with mobile productions and workshops touring. Syron suggested a black theatre in each state, as a supplement, not a replacement, to traditional forms.McGuinness, Bruce A time to dream [film)] 1974, quoted by Casey A group presented a program of short sketches on topical issues.Australia Council for the Arts First annual report 1973 North Sydney: Australian Council for the Arts, 1974 p36 quoted by Casey

Carole Johnson returned in November to take up a consultancy position with the Urban Theatre Committee (UTC), a sub-committee of the AAB. This meant she worked more with helping to find a building for Black theatre than with dance workshops.Robinson p 48

For the first time, a theatre company used Aboriginal people to play Aboriginal people. Sydney Theatre Company produced The Story of Bennelong. Boddy's The Cradle of Hercules played at the Sydney Opera House Old Tote theatre.Johnson, quoted by Robinson Appendix pp. 70–77 scheduled November December 1973, reviewed 4 March p74

1974