The Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is located at 12 Alexander Street in Toronto.
The sign is triangular shaped with
"BUDDIES
IN BAD TIMES"
in pink neon at the top and the initials "BIBT" in elaborate Gothic graffiti lettering below the neon.
The Theatre's website (
visit link) has this to say about itself:
"Established in 1979, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is a professional Canadian theatre company dedicated to the development and presentation of queer theatre. Over the past 30-something years, it has evolved from a small production company into the largest facility-based queer theatre company in the world. The theatre sits in the heart of downtown, adjacent to Toronto's Gay Village, and its primary constituencies are the city's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities, and an urban alternative theatre-loving audience, both LGBT and straight.
Artistic Mission StatementBuddies in Bad Times Theatre strives to be the leading alternative, facility-based theatre in Toronto. We are committed to work that challenges the boundaries of theatrical and social convention. As a company, we celebrate difference and question assumptions. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre strives to achieve theatrical excellence through its play development programs, strong volunteer base, youth-mentorship initiatives and ever increasing wealth of Canadian Queer Talent.
MandateBuddies in Bad Times Theatre is a not-for-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to the promotion of Queer Canadian Culture.
In 2004, Buddies' mandated was rearticulated around the term "Queer." The term is invoked in the mandate to express its commitment to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities, on the one hand, and to foster challenging and innovative theatre performance, on the other.
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is mandated to developing, producing and supporting original work that speaks to the following criteria:
1.QUEER - referring to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered identity - encapsulates the core of our organization. Buddies is committed to representing the LGBT community by supporting LGBT artists and by telling LGBT stories.
2.QUEER - referring to anything outside of the norm - represents the nature of the work presented at 12 Alexander Street. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is dedicated to work that is different, outside the mainstream, challenging in both content and form."