We Are Haiti
Jude Toussaint
What makes me Haitian?
That’s a great question. Well, I think I am Haitian because of the way I court women. Having lived in the U.S for a long time, I still have not abandoned this Haitian trait of mine. I still feel that writing a letter to a woman is the most romantic way to court. I have done so on a couple occasions, but failed to win the women’s heart (laugh). You know how they define insanity as doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result, well that’s me. I still feel this urge of sending a romantic letter every time (laugh). But yes, despite my accent, my work ethic, my love for konpa, courting through letters is what makes Haitian, I think (laughs).
Why Theaters?
I use theaters to express my deep emotions. Society has shaped me to be too societal. The fact that I was taught not to talk when somebody else is talking has made me a very reserved guy. I was the quiet kid in the room who would just listen, nod, and sigh. I learned to keep my emotions inside. As I grew older, I realized I was not doing myself much favor. I decided to raise my voice to fight certain taboos of our society. Then every now and then some people would come ask me to lower my criticism down a notch. They would tell me that it is not okay to challenge the authorities. I was fighting to make sure that political leaders keep their promises, or the religious leaders to stop being hypocrites. Since I did not want to be the lonely rude guy on the block, I decided to use another approach, a better one. I thought what if I could make everybody laugh, while I still challenge them? I am a born writer, and I can make people laugh through my writings. That’s how my theater venture came to life. And that’s how we now have Varriott’s Production Company.
What makes my plays unique?
My plays are unique because they talk about current issues that we are confronting, the characters are not totally fictional, and the writings break down the barrier between the real and the imaginary.
My name is Jude Toussaint, and I am Haiti!



