The Baillie Theatre season is underwritten by:
Wine in the Wilderness
He tried to paint her. She transformed the canvas.
Harlem, 1964. As riots unfold outside, painter Bill Jameson is inside his apartment putting the final touches on a portrait series about Black womanhood. When Tommy is brought in to model, her presence begins to reveal the quiet hierarchies shaping the evening. As drinks are poured and conversation loosens, the group is forced to reckon with how easy it is to repeat the very judgments they hope to rise above.
By turns funny, intimate, and piercingly intelligent, Wine in the Wilderness is a landmark work. Directed by Jordan Laffrenier, whose searing production of Slave Play was a highlight of last season, this revival brings fresh urgency and emotional precision to Alice Childress’ razor-sharp portrait of seeing and being seen.
Wine in the Wilderness: Black Out Night Performance
September 29, 2026
Join us for a special Black Out Night performance of Wine in the Wilderness—an opportunity for Black audiences to experience work by Black artists together in a shared, celebratory space.
Black Out performances were first launched in 2019 by Jeremy O. Harris and Dominique Morisseau during the Broadway run of Slave Play and have since expanded internationally. These events create opportunities for Black audiences to gather around work made by Black artists while supporting a more diverse, accessible and equitable theatre culture.
Black Out Night will feature:
- Pre-show entertainment with Enchanted Strings
- Drinks at the bar from Mascot Brewery
- Post-show talkback hosted by danjelani ellis, Artistic Producer of Obsidian Theatre Company, with Wine in the Wilderness director Jordan Laffrenier and members of the cast
- A post-show party in our lobby
Tickets are $25 + HST
Black Out Night is intended to create a welcoming space for Black audience members to experience the performance together. It is not exclusionary or prescriptive, and everyone is welcome.
Wine in the Wilderness runs at Canadian Stage from September 19–October 4.
Tickets ON SALE Now!
In keeping with our commitment to accessibility, Canadian Stage offers a range of affordable ticket options, including Arts Worker and C-Stage programs. We welcome conversations with our staff about the event’s purpose and intentions.
Talkbacks
Looking for some bonus programming to go with your ticket to Wine in the Wilderness? We've got you covered! You're invited to attend:
- Thursday October 1st post-show talkback at the Berkeley Street Theatre
- With Director Jordan Laffrenier and members of the cast after the 7:30 PM performance
- Wednesday October 7th post-show talkback at the Berkeley Street Theatre
- Join Julie Crooks and Jason Cyrus of the Art Gallery of Ontario and Wine in the Wilderness director Jordan Laffrenier for a post-show conversation on October 7 inspired by Alice Childress's provocative play and the AGO exhibition Sunday Best: The Power & The Glory of Black Style.
- Together, they will explore Black style, beauty, representation and self-definition, from the portrait on the canvas to the power of choosing how we present ourselves to the world.
- Join Julie Crooks and Jason Cyrus of the Art Gallery of Ontario and Wine in the Wilderness director Jordan Laffrenier for a post-show conversation on October 7 inspired by Alice Childress's provocative play and the AGO exhibition Sunday Best: The Power & The Glory of Black Style.
