Toto Bissainthe

Toto Bissainthe April 2 1934 June 4 1994 was a Haitian actress and singer known for her innovative blend of traditional Vodou and rural themes and music with contemporary lyricism and arrangements Born in CapHaïtien in 1934 she left Haiti at an early age to pursue her acting studies abroad Her career started in theatre with the company Les Griots of which she was a founding member in 1956 Les Griots was at the vanguard of négritudeinspired cultural institutions in France and was the first African theatre company in Paris and the first to perform of Jean Genets play Les Nègres She also worked with playwright Samuel Beckett played a costarring role in Raoul Pecks Lhomme sur les quais and worked with other directors such as Roger Blin and performed in several films