Difference Engine Initiative presents results!

Monday October 3rd, 7pm
Ballroom of the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street W.)
Free

The first round of the Difference Engine Initiative, a six week gamemaking incubator for women, is nearly over and we will be presenting the games that they made at this Hand Eye Society Social for the community to play!

Most of the creators will be in attendance and Mare Sheppard, co-coordinator of the DEI, will be hosting the evening. In addition to the usual drinking and chatting, this Social also features a special guest from Chicago, Erin Robinson, who will be doing a presentation touching on her experiences as a game developer (including Puzzle Bots and the freeware Nanobots) as well as her role helping highschool girls make games.

The first and second rounds of the Difference Engine Initiative are part of the OMDC-funded TIFF Nexus.

Contact Contemporary Music Sept. 18

Mary-Katherine Finch, violoncello

Wallace Halladay, saxophone

Sunday, 18 September 2011

8pm

Gallery 345

345 Sorauren Avenue

www.gallery345.com

www.contactcontemporarymusic.ca

With

Ryan Scott, vibraphone

Allison Wiebe, piano

Chang, Dorothy Walk on Water (2004)

Canada/USA, b. 1970

Lemay, Robert Tie-break (2011) * world premiere

Canada, b. 1960

Denisov, Edison Sonata for alto saxophone and violoncello (1995)

USSR/Russia, 1929-1996

Vustin, Alexander Musique pour l’ange (1995)

Russia, b. 1943

Oehring, Helmut Leuchter (aus: kurz in Müll gestochert) (1994/2011)

Germany, b. 1961

Karassikov, Vadim Casus in terminus (1994)

Russia, b. 1972

Contact Contemporary Music members Mary-Katherine Finch and Wallace Halladay curate a concert of music for saxophone and violoncello. From beauty to vulgarity, and from the sacred to the profane, these two virtuoso musicians present an intimate programme at Gallery 345.

One of the Soviet composer Edison Denisov’s last works highlights the lyrical qualities of the two instruments. As Denisov said, "Beauty is the principal factor in my work. This means not only beautiful sound…but beautiful ideas as understood by mathematicians.” The programme includes the works of Russian followers of Denisov: the religious transcendence of Vustin (with guest percussionist Ryan Scott), and the stoic expressionism of Karassikov (with CONTACT pianist Allison Wiebe).

The music of German Helmut Oehring is some of the most interesting to emerge from East Berlin – with late training in classical music, this electric guitarist explores sound and vulgarity in his musical description of Fred Leuchter - Holocaust denier and designer of instruments of capital punishment. Allison Wiebe will spend the intermission preparing the piano to join the duo again.

Vancouver-based composer Dorothy Chang’s Walk on Water provides the title for the concert, and fellow Canadian Robert Lemay was inspired to write this dynamic duo a work for this occasion.

Saxophonist Wallace Halladay captures the qualities of the modern virtuoso, being at home in numerous styles, from the traditional to jazz and beyond. A specialist in the performance of contemporary music, he has commissioned and premiered numerous works. A soloist with the Vancouver Symphony and Esprit Orchestras, he also inaugurated the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony's "Intersections" Series. He recently worked with Philippe Leroux on the North American premiere of his saxophone concerto in Montréal. He recorded the two saxophone Sequenzas of Berio and the Colgrass concerto for NAXOS and is in demand as a performer with new music groups across Canada and the US. Wallace holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music, and studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Arno Bornkamp. Wallace was the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Virginia Parker Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts, the first woodwind player to be awarded in its 25-year history. Wallace is a Conn-Selmer Artist and plays Selmer (Paris) saxophones.

Cellist Mary-Katherine Finch holds both Bachelor and Master degrees in performance from the University of Toronto. She performs frequently in recital with pianist Ron Greidanus. Playing an authentic baroque cello, she has appeared with Aradia, Baroque Music Beside the Grange, Grand River Baroque Festival and Toronto Masque Theatre. In the area of new music, she regularly collaborates with the ensembles Toca Loca and Ergo, and has premiered several chamber works of Canadian composers. Mary-Katherine frequently plays with the larger ensembles of the Mendelssohn, Isler, Amadeus and Elora Festival Choirs.

Sept 11 Burlesque fundraiser for Fringe Show "Infinitum"

ELEFANT II

On Saturday September 10th, The Cheshire Unicorn will be hosting a Burlesque and Fashion Show Fundraiser to help raise money for their upcoming production, Infinitum.

Along with inspirational BURLESQUE and AERIALS SILKS performances by their talented and sexy cast, attendees can witness and participate in an exciting INFINITY AUCTION and cutting-edge THAI TEXTILE FASHION SHOW, all bought directly from the seamstresses themselves. In addition, there is promises of CHEAP DRINKS, MUSIC and DANCING!

Special guest burlesque performers include: RED HERRING as well as BILLIE BLACK from Les Coquettes!

So come out and support local theatre—it will be a night you won’t want to miss.

$10 for admission.
Show starts 8PM sharp.
Happy hour from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm!
19+ only.

Annex Theatre - 730 Bathurst Street

Of interest to northern ON theatre artists and students

IMPACT THEATRE (Sioux Lookout)
is pleased to announce another great workshop in

Acting, Writing, and Directing for Film happening in Sioux Lookout, September 30-October 2, 2011.

We welcome all established and emerging artists between the ages of 13 to Adult within Northwestern Ontario to participate!

The goal of this workshop is to build the skills and regional connections needed to make a film adaptation of A ROUGH TRANSLATION- an original theatre production IMPACT Theatre created that addresses boundaries within dating relationships, identity and hope . To accomplish our goals we have invited the Actors Training Centre of Manitoba to provide intensive training related to acting, writing and directing for film. Our thanks to the Ontario Arts Council for the funding that has made this professional level workshop possible!

Mark these dates on your calendar!

Advanced Acting, Writing, & Directing for Film

Date: Sept 30 (6:30-9pm), Oct 1 (9-4), Oct 2 (9-4)

Instructors: Jeff Skinner & Nicholas Burns, Actors Training Centre of Manitoba

Location: Sioux Lookout, Queen Elizabeth High School (To be confirmed)

Who: Ages 13- Adult

Fee: Early Bird (by Sept 16): $50 Regular: $60

We we would be happy to provide billeting for out of town guests!

Just contact us to let us know what you need!

Workshop Description:

In this advanced level workshop participants will work with a professional film writer/editor to learn techniques to effectively tell a story through film. Using the story of A ROUGH TRANSLATION as a spring board for discussion participants will be introduced to different ways to address challenging subject matter and then given the opportunity to practice those techniques. With the coaching of a professional director and acting instructor participants will learn advanced acting techniques that bring a story to life ! Participants will have the chance to further their skills in the areas that interest them most including writing, storyboarding, acting, and directing. Through this workshop IMPACT Theatre hopes to connect with regional artists who might take part in the film adaptation of A ROUGH TRANSLATION, however all artists are welcome to attend.

* It is assumed that participants have some prior experience or training in acting, writing and/or film.

Artist Biographies:Jeff Skinner’s artistic career is very diverse and includes acting, writing, directing and producing in theatre, film and television. He has performed in over close to a hundred theatrical productions, films and television shows including The Big White with Robin Williams, Falcon Beach for Global and Scared Silent with Penelope Ann Miller. He is currently a partner in Two Lagoons Entertainment and enjoys sharing his skills and experience as an acting Instructor/Coach with the Actors Training Centre of Manitoba.

Nicholas Burns works as a freelance writer and artist creating storyboards using conventional and computer media. He has written many scripts for educational and mainstream comics, radio plays, short films, TV movies and feature films. He has storyboarded dozens of feature films, TV movies and music videos and has become well know in the industry as a “script doctor” with the ability to help writers and tell their stories. He has also written, produced and directed a mocumentary, Snoring, which was a winner at MocDocs and was broadcast nationally.

Register Early as Spaces are limited! See Attached Registration Form.

If you have any questions or want to learn more, contact:

Erin (EJ) Horvath, Director IMPACT Theatre
807-737-0019

impacttheatre@hotmail.ca

Beside Myself @ Artscape Wychwood Barns Sept 6-11

Artscape Wychwood Barns

601 Christie Street, Toronto, ON (Christie just below St. Clair) Meet in Barn 2 Covered Street

Toronto, ON

New collective, Tones of Voice in association with the Goethe Foundation Toronto, is pleased to announce the debut of besidemyselfworld, a multi-disciplinary solo piece based on the autobiographical writings of the German autistic mute teenager, Birger Sellin. besidemyselfworld uses an emotionally powerful radiophonic soundtrack along with evocative light and imagery to convey the story of a young autistic man reaching out to the world through the once-impermeable walls of his autism.

besidemyselfworld is adapted by Mark Cassidy of Threshold Theatre and Darren Copeland of New Adventures in Sound Art, from Sellin’s groundbreaking book Ich will kein Inmich mehr sein (i dont want to be inside me anymore). German actor Sebastian Schäfer plays the narrator/technician who seeks to understand autism and the autistic element that exists in the creative personality. Media artists Katie Kehoe and Peter O’Neill equip Schäfer with a repertoire of portable multi-media devices to transform both theatrical and everyday environments into highly immersive worlds of sound, light, and abstract imagery.

The production marks the launching of Tones of Voice, a new company created by Copeland and Cassidy to present and develop stage and media works which merge sound and spoken word in innovative ways. Tones of Voice aims to reach an international audience by producing touring performances, digital media and online presentations.


Dates: September 6 to September 11, 2011
Tue-Sat @ 8 PM and Sun @ 2 PM
NOTE: September 9th performance in German
Tickets: Regular $10, Students $5, available only at the door.
To reserve, email: tonesofvoice@gmail.com

Pam McConnell on Toronto's Libraries

Councillor McConnell's message (in response to an email I sent her earlier) is clear and takes a stand against library cuts AND the whole direction of Mayor Ford. She does not believe that we should be "participating in a race to the bottom."!

Way to go, Pam! You have my vote!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thank you for your message on the library system and your concerns about its future because of the recent reports by KPMG.

The consultants' reports have clearly demonstrated that the vast majority of City services are either essential or mandatory, and that there is very little waste that can be trimmed to balance the budget. As a result, KPMG only had a few non-legislated services and functions to be considered as frills. It is entirely unacceptable that our library system be considered as non-essential and an option for service cuts.

I am extremely critical of the options presented by the consultants, and I do not believe that we should be participating in a race to the bottom. Our library system is of vital importance to our community, whether it is the student doing school work, the new Canadian accessing learning tools and a social circle, or the family enjoying reading and learning. The success of our library system is testament to its importance in our community.

I consistently hear from residents that they want our city to maintain and improve our services. I heard this throughout the recent municipal election, at the meetings I have hosted and attended in the community, and in the calls and e-mails my office has received. I remain committed to defending the services and programs that make our city and our neighbourhoods desirable places to live, work, and play - from our libraries to the Riverdale Farm, our child care system to our long-term care homes, from our affordable housing program to our parks and recreation facilities.

Thank you, once again, for your message and your support for the libraries and city services. I hope that you will talk to your friends and neighbours about the city you want to live in and encourage them to make their voices heard.

Sincerely,

Pam

Stratford Festival announces Michael Langham Workshop

Call for submissions from Canadian directors for 2012

The Michael Langham Workshop
for Classical Direction
a director training program with emphasis on classical text

Michael Langham - Artistic Director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1956·1967
"Michael Langham was a cherished mentor and leacher, the intellectual architect of the
Stratford Shakespeare Festival and a master of his art. His visionary approach to
Shakespeare laid the foundation for the Festival's creative practice. The Michael
Langham Workshop for Classical Direction works to ensure that future generations of
artists have access to the same tools that Michael himself used to create rich and resonant
theatre; I am honoured that we can pass on his gifts to our country's finest emerging
directors."

Des McAnuff, Artistic Director, Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Des McAnuff, Artistic Director and Antoni Cimolino. General Director announce that the
Stratford Shakespeare Festival will continue to offer The Michael Langham Workshop
for Classical Direction in 20 12. The program is overseen by David Latham, Theatre
Training Consultant and Dean Gabourie, Assistant Artistic Director. The program's
inaugural year was 2010. Participants in 201 1 were:

• Eric Benson (Halifax) -1st yr
• Sharon Bajer (Winnipeg) - 2nd yr
• Dian Marie Bridge (Toronto) - 2nd yr
• Heather Davies (London) - 1 st yr
• Alan Dilworth (Toronto) - 1 st yr
• Varrick Grimes (Stratford) _1 st yr
• Thomas Morgan Jones (Toronto) - 2nd yr
• Rachel Peake (Vancouver) - lst yr
  
• Andrew Shaver (Montreal) - 1st yr
• Ral.:hel Slaven (Brooklyn) - 2nd yr
• Lezlie Wade (Niagara-on-thc-Lake) - 2nd yr

This call for submissions is for theatre directors, from emerging to mid-stages of careerbuilding,
who have some experience working with the classics, but not at a theatre of the
complexity and scope of the Festival. Their primary task will be assistant directing.
The Festival 's playbill includes a broad range of work from classics, musicals, contemporary
Canadian, British and American plays. Participants will be matched to one of these works. The
2012 season begins in February and ends in October. Assistant directors are usually required for 8- 16 weeks within that timeframe. See the 2012 press release:http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/education/training.aspx?id=5767

Selected participants will be given the opportunity to choose 12 minutes of classical text
presented over two Directors' Workshop Presentation evenings in the Studio Theatre in
October of 20 12. Resources include actors, rehearsal space, venue, costumes and set pieces from our warehouse, product ion support and formal feedback plus travel and an honorarium.
Participants will join in existing classes in text, voice, movement and other disciplines regularly
held by the Festival 's Theatre Training Department as well as specialized classes taught by the
Theatre Training Consultant, Festival coaches and invited instructors exploring specific text,
vocal and physical skills for use in the rehearsal process of a classical play.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is an institution rich in resources and hi story and this
program will include, as part of the networking component: tours, complimentary ti ckets to
shows, invitations to special events, access to archives and libraries, chats/dinners both formal
and informal with senior staff and guest directors.

Workshop participants will be paid a fee plus a travel and accommodation subsidy.
Please submit a resume, a letter of recommendation and a personal letter highlighting why
you would like to participate. Final matching of Assistant Directors to plays is entirely at the
discretion of the Festival creative team.

Please send your package by mail or email to:
Bonnie Green
Assistant Producer
Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Box 520, 55 Queen St
Stratford, ON Canada N5A 6V2
519-27 1-4040 ex 2290
bgreen@stratfordshakespearcfcstival .com

Submissions must be postmarked or emailed by August 15,2011 but we appreciate
receiving your submission ASAP.

Final decisions for 2012 will be made no later than December of2011.
This program is partially funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Diab update from TASC

Despite incredibly "Weak Case," Hassan Diab Forced to Keep Resisting Extradition to France

report from Matthew Behrens of the Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada, tasc@web.ca

July 12, 2011 – Dr Hassan Diab is a Canadian university professor fighting for his freedom, and for his life. The French government wants him to face trial for what they allege is Dr. Diab’s involvement in a 1980 bombing that killed four people. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

There’s only one problem. Dr. Diab’s fingerprints don’t match the suspect’s. His palm prints do not match. The physical description does not match. The handwriting does not match. The allegations against him have been found “weak”, “suspect,” and “confusing” by a Canadian judge. That same judge concluded June 6 that “the case presented by the Republic of France against Mr. Diab is a weak case; the prospects of conviction in the context of a fair trial, seem unlikely.” With such a strong defence, one would think Dr. Diab would be breathing easy. Instead, he is strapped to a GPS monitoring bracelet for which he must pay $2,000 a month (a new version of the Dickensian debtors’ prison, in which your freedom is now dependent on your ability to pay the state’s surveillance costs), barred from leaving his home without a court-approved monitor, and faced with a curfew worse than that imposed on most 10-year-olds. He cannot teach, his home is frequently invaded by RCMP agents, and he lives with the unimaginable stress that he might spend the rest of his life in a small French jail cell.

PRESUMPTION OF GUILT

How could such an outrage occur? Under Canada’s extradition law, the duty of a Canadian court and the Minister of Justice is, first and foremost, to the government seeking an individual. That individual no longer enjoys the rights that are supposed to be accorded everyone else in this country facing the deprivation of their liberty. Canadian standards of evidence are thrown out the window. The case against the individual is presumed to be reliable, regardless of how many inaccuracies, errors, omissions, and contradictions are contained within it. One cannot present evidence to show one’s innocence, and the requesting state need not present any evidence of that innocence.

The deck is clearly stacked yet, as the Supreme Court of Canada has found, extradition is, in the end, not a legal issue, but a political decision: is the government of Canada willing to risk its relations with one of its extradition partners, or is it willing to sacrifice one of its citizens (or a refugee or permanent resident who is also sought) in the name of maintaining happy diplomacy?

In all extradition cases, the argument goes, an individual sought by another country can “sort out the mess” upon their arrival in a foreign jail. It is a process fraught with danger: a foreign government can carry out a persecution by proxy using the extradition law, claiming it has a case against a political pain in the neck living in Canada, presenting what amounts to a “prima facie” case without needing to vouch for the case’s accuracy.

In the Diab case, the French government seems intent on “solving” the mystery of the 1980 bombing at any cost, even if that means nabbing someone who appears to be the victim of mistaken identity. Their main piece of evidence is an “expert” handwriting report by someone who has a degree in biology and forensics and who only took 21 hours of training in expert handwriting analysis.

QUESTIONABLE FRENCH METHODS

What was known as the Bisotti report was subject to a great deal of scrutiny during the extradition hearing, including three blistering critiques by internationally renowned handwriting experts. Indeed, the government of Canada declared that the case all came down to the handwriting, though it took numerous kicks at the can in coming to this very weak conclusion. In fact, both France and the Attorney General withdrew previous handwriting reports when it was revealed that they were based on handwriting samples that were not even written by Dr. Diab..

“Although I could not conclude it was manifestly unreliable, it was nonetheless highly susceptible to criticism and impeachment,” Judge Maranger wrote of the handwriting evidence. Indeed, he went on, “evidence presented on behalf of the person sought has largely served to substantially undermine the French report; it has been shown to be evidence that is susceptible to a great deal of criticism and attack.

“The Bisotti report has been shown to be based on some questionable methods and on an analysis that seems very problematic. The use of two completely separate signatures, i.e. Hassan Diab’s and an illegible fictitious signature, as a means of doing handwriting comparison analysis seems illogical…I found the French expert report convoluted, very confusing, with conclusions that are suspect. Despite this view, I cannot say that it is evidence that should be completely rejected as “manifestly unreliable”.

It’s not just the weak handwriting evidence that is problematic. Maranger wrote that he accepted the Canadian government position that “there is no responsibility upon a requesting state to provide full disclosure of all of its evidence.” Hence, 10 witnesses can testify that an individual was not at the scene of the crime, but someone’s life in Canada could be uprooted and ruined because of the fact that the French, or any other government, can cook up a case that suits their needs and exclude exonerating evidence.

Maranger also notes that the Record of the case (ROC) as originally presented by France — in French, a language Dr. Diab does not speak – was “replete with seemingly disconnected information….while providing some conventional evidence, [it] also contained a great deal of argument, hypothesis, conjecture, and references to information received, without describing the source of that information or the circumstances upon which it was received.”

This, in essence, is secret, “unsourced” information. Where did it come from? Was torture involved?

The ROC also includes information that it gleaned from “a series of reports and newspaper articles,” hardly the stuff that would normally be accepted in a court (but which is normally included against individuals stigmatized by the Canadian government, such as refugees and, in the past decade, Muslims facing secret hearing security certificates and Tamils fleeing genocide.)

MAJOR MISREPRESENTATIONS

Diab’s lawyers raised nine specific issues of misrepresentations including omissions, inaccuracies, and contradictions in the French case, all of which they said amounted to an abuse of process. Maranger found there was an “air of reality” to the arguments put forward by Diab’s legal team, but in the end, he again dismissed them.

Indeed, Maranager bends over backwards to honour the French case, despite making statements such as “Although it was a blatant error requiring an explanation, I cannot find that it constitutes a complete failure of due diligence,” and concluding elsewhere that a problem in the record “was an inadvertent error.” How would he know? And more importantly, how can such problems be so easily dismissed in favour of the requesting state? In another instance, Maranger says “this was clearly a mistake on the part of the requesting authority that should have been corrected.” But it wasn’t. Verbal slap on the wrist to the French, an extra set of leg irons for Dr. Diab.

Under extradition law, Maranger says, there is “a presumption that evidence contained in the ROC is reliable.” So much for the presumption of innocence that is supposed to belong to the person sought.

Maranager found Diab’s defence was “compelling, and forcefully argued,” but that in the end, this did not matter, adding “to use standards of admissibility derived from Canadian criminal law…runs afoul of the governing statute.”

And so, like an Alabama judge convicting Rosa Parks for sitting in the front of the bus (the old “the law is the law and we cannot stray from it” approach that has sustained too many injustices to recount here), Judge Maranger offered up Hassan Diab as a sacrificial lamb on the altar of good relations with the French government. While washing his hands of any responsibility for this decision, he attempted to temper the view of him as a rubber stamp by stating that although he believes that the case was weak, “it matters not that I hold this view. The law is clear that in such circumstances a committal order is mandated.”

But Maranager’s bold statement is not backed up by the facts or the law, and contradicts the quotation he borrows from the Chief Justice of Canada’s Supreme Court, who wrote in the leading extradition case: “I take it as axiomatic that a person could not be committed for trial for an offence in Canada if the evidence is so manifestly unreliable that it would be unsafe to rest a verdict upon it. It follows that if a judge on an extradition hearing concludes that the evidence is manifestly unreliable, the judge should not order extradition.”

Hence, Maranger on the one hand says there is a strong likelihood that the French, in a fair trial, would not secure a conviction given a fair trial – and there is clearly no guarantee of a fair French trial for Dr. Diab – but on the other, draws a conclusion that is completely opposite to a higher court judge’s direction in extradition cases. If the case for “manifest unreliability” is that a conviction would likely not be registered, it is difficult to understand how Maranger can say that the case against Dr. Diab – which he admits is too weak for a conviction – is not manifestly unreliable.

UNEVEN CANADIAN STANDARDS

In addition, as Diab’s lawyer, Donald Bayne, pointed out subsequent to the ruling, if the case had been heard in British Columbia, Diab would be a free man today, for their courts rule differently than Ontario courts on extradition cases.

“The British Columbia Court of Appeal decided there ought not to be an extradition if that is the nature of the extradition case, so Dr. Diab today would be walking a free man in Vancouver had this case been conducted there and in Ontario he is behind bars,” Bayne said. “That is a situation that is simply untenable in Canada, that Canadians are subjected to totally different standards depending on where they live. I would suspect that would attract the attention of the Supreme Court of Canada.”

While some have asked why Dr. Diab doesn’t simply throw in the towel and go to France and “sort out the mess,” the answer is simple: France has been criticized by the international community and is currently before the European Court of Human Rights for violating Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights – the fair trial right –for running terrorist trials based on secret, anonymous intelligence.” In addition, why should someone give up their life in Canada and risk spending years fighting in another country, especially given the slipshod "case" against them?

The Diab case is a wake-up call for everyone in Canada, for the ease with which an everyday regular life can be disrupted by such a case is frightening. While Dr. Diab is launching an appeal that could very well go to the Supreme Court, he and his partner, Rania Tfaily, have a long struggle ahead of them.

Individuals concerned about the ease with which basic human rights can so suddenly disappear in these cases can get involved on many levels:

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Write to the Minister of Justice, Robert Nicholson, and urge him to stop Dr. Diab's extradition. Email: rob.nicholson@parl.gc.ca

2. Help ease the huge financial burden carried by Hassan and Rania. We are seeking 100 individuals who can pledge $20 or more a month for the rest of the year to help pay the cost of the GPS monitoring. If you are willing to be a proud supporter of Hassan's right not to be subject to detention if he cannot afford the cost of state surveillance, please email us at diabsupport@gmail.com OR visit http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/donate

3. Sign the statement "A Shock to Our Conscience and an Affront to Liberty" (located at http://stopextradition.diabpetition.org/

To sign, simply send an email to diabsupport@gmail.com letting us know that you wish to sign

4. Help organize an event in your community about Hassan's case and the extradition law.

5. Post details about the injustices in Hassan's case on your facebook or myspace

6. Write to newspapers and to journalists about Hassan's case and the unfairness of Canada's extradition law

More info: Justice for Hassan Diab committee

(report from Matthew Behrens of the Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada, tasc@web.ca

Pollinators Festival, Saturday June 25th

Calling all artists who love the birds and bees!

The Pollinators Festival is coming to Evergreen Brick Works on Saturday June 25^th, 2011. The Festival is in honor of International Pollinator Week and seeks to raise awareness and appreciation for the birds, bees, flies and butterflies that pollinate our fruits, veggies and flowers.

We want to integrate the arts into the festival and will do so by hosting a community art exhibit. We are looking for any pollinator-inspired artwork (poetry, paintings, photographs, etc) to share with the public. If you have any existing work of anything pollinator related, send it to us. If you don’t have anything yet, go outside and make something! Please email a jpeg of your work to Madeleine.lavin@gmail.com by June 15^th, 2011. We will print a copy of your masterpiece and hang it up at Evergreen Brick Works during the Festival. With your permission, we will sell the work and donate all of the proceeds to Pollination Canada.

Help us spread the word and pass this on to your artist friends. The exhibit is open to all!

Here are the details about the festival (see attached flier for more):

Saturday June 25, 2011

9 am-2 pm

Evergreen Brick Works (map)

Join us on Facebook here.

Sabrina

Toronto Fringe Festival launches Creation Lab

It’s More Than Just a Theatre Festival:

Toronto Fringe Launches Creation Lab!

TORONTO – On May 5 Toronto Fringe Executive Director Gideon Arthurs announced an exciting new development to Toronto’s theatre scene – The Fringe Creation Lab at the Centre for Social Innovation Annex. The Fringe Creation Lab features over 3,000 square feet of creation space and a quickly growing list of resources that will accommodate rehearsals, workshops, readings, seminars and intimate special events for Toronto’s theatre & dance community. The Fringe Creation Lab stems from the Fringe Festival’s founding values of access to creative opportunity.

Arthurs explains, “The Toronto Fringe has been a launching pad for Canada’s most successful theatrical ventures, but too often independent ‘Fringe’ artists aren’t given access to resources they need to have their creative endeavours succeed”. The Fringe Creation Lab was born out of roundtable conversations that identified problems facing the independent theatre community. While much of the community’s immediate response was a lack of funding, the Fringe identified common needs and is offering the Fringe Creation Lab as a pooled resource for stage artists in the GTA.

Arthurs continues, “The Fringe Creation Lab will be a home base for independent artists, thinkers and arts enthusiasts to foster their creative spirit and entrepreneurship. By creating a hub for this diverse community, we can elevate our craft, share resources, and reach new heights together”. The Fringe Creation Lab is an extension of the Fringe Festival’s founding values of access to opportunity and is available to artists at pro-bono and subsidized rates on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration to book space will be announced in the fall.

CSI Executive Director Tonya Surman says, “We are absolutely thrilled having the Toronto Fringe as an anchor tenant at CSI Annex. The Toronto Fringe – and the Creation Lab – are precisely what the Centre for Social Innovation is all about: creativity, opportunity, and community driven solutions that strengthen our future”. The Centre for Social Innovation is a social enterprise with a mission to catalyze social innovation in Toronto and around the world. Operating two sites in downtown Toronto CSI provides a home to over 300 social change organizations. The Fringe Creation Lab will be CSI’s largest space dedicated to one tenant, however it will be shared by hundreds of theatre artists each year. CSI creates community workspaces, incubates emerging enterprises, and develops new models and methods with world-changing potential.

The Fringe Creation Lab marks Toronto Fringe’s last step in its year-round transformation (at least until the next surprise from the home of the unexpected). In 2008 Toronto Fringe began this transformation when it launched The Next Stage Theatre Festival, a second festival in the wintertime. An impressive roster of outreach programs benefiting artists and youth have launched as well, including distributing up to $10,000 to Fringe artists remounting their shows through the Fringe Evolution Fund and handing out 1,000 passes each summer for priority youth to attend the Fringe Festival free of charge.

But wait, there’s more!

‘Da Kink In My Hair is one of the biggest success stories to start at the Toronto Fringe. The show was picked up by David Mirvish and went on to tour the world and later be developed into a show for Global Television. Trey Anthony, the show’s creator, joined today’s celebration announcing the launch of a new award to recognize and promote culturally diverse Fringe artists. To whom much is given.... 'da Kink award will give $500 to two shows at this year’s festival that are written by a person of colour or a cast featuring people of colour.

Today’s announcement also marked the launch of a new partnership for the Toronto Fringe with Toronto’s NOW Magazine - Canada’s leading alternative news and entertainment weekly since its inaugural issue in 1981. Alice Klein, NOW’s Editor and CEO, says "We are so delighted to be working with the Toronto Fringe as it settles into a new home and takes its last step in a transformation from annual event to a truly year-round arts organization. Looking forward to this summer’s Toronto Fringe Festival, NOW's passionate theatre-adoring readers and the Fringe's surprise-filled excitement are as natural a combo as "love" and "first sight". This year’s Fringe Festival will run July 6 – 17.

Individuals looking to donate to the Fringe Creation Lab can visit

www.fringetoronto.com or call 416-966-1062

Creation Lab Media Contact:

Adam Kirkham, Development & Communications Manager, development@fringetoronto.com, 416.966.1062

Toronto Fringe Festival Media Contact:

Heather Ervin, Festival Publicist, media@fringetoronto.com, 416.966.1062

Young Artists: Leadership Training in Mural-making

Youth Artists are invited to apply for

Off the Wall: Leadership Training in Mural Making – 2011

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

A free training program for leadership development in mural art production and project management.

For youth mural artists

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, 2011



Class schedule: May & June – Tuesdays, 4pm – 6pm. Start date May 10

June/July - Saturdays, 11am – 4pm

Total = 60+ hours of classroom and hands-on instruction

LOCATION: The Hub, 2660 Eglinton Avenue East (at Brimley) for in class instruction.

Onsite and hands-on class locations will be confirmed later.



This course is free for qualifying youth artists who show a serious interest in furthering their knowledge and skills in mural art.



To qualify, you must:

· Be 16 years or older;

· Have completed a minimum of Grade 11 art class or equivalent

· Demonstrate interest in large scale outdoor painting and community public art

· Be prepared to commit to completing the full Leadership Training in Mural Making Course

· Have previous experience working in mural art or similar visual art

· Attend an interview on May 3, between 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

How to submit an application:

1. Fill in the application form

2. Send completed form with resume & some images of your work; or link to images of your artwork

by email to: program@muralroutes.com or

deliver to: Mural Routes, 1859 Kingston Road, Scarborough, ON M1N 1T3

or to : Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, The Hub, 2660 Eglinton Avenue East, Scarborough, ON M1K 2S3

3. Write “LEADERSHIP TRAINING APPLICATION” in the subject line of an email, or on the outside of your submission.

4. Applications must be received by: 5:00 pm, Tuesday, April 26, 2011

What you can expect from the Course:

A specialized curriculum designed to cover all of the basics of mural art production
Training to improve your knowledge and skills to obtain work in the field
Instruction by qualified artists and instructors
Opportunities for summer mural artist apprenticeships
Assistance with future work placement
Mural Production: Resource Handbook
Course material / Leadership in Mural Art training manual
A Mural Routes Certificate of Achievement
Class size: 15 – 20

Curriculum includes:

· Budget and Project Management

· Client and community relations

· Mentoring, Health & Safety and Equity Training

· Drawing & Painting

· Hands-on instruction; working with different materials;

· Independent Study assignment

For complete course outline please see www.muralroutes.com

Course Supervisor: Karin Eaton, Executive & Artistic Director, Mural Routes

Course Leader- Program Manager: Rob Matejka, Artist/Educator

Questions? Contact Karin Eaton at 416-698-7995 karin@muralroutes.com

Or Rob Matejka at robmatejka@hotmail.com



This program is produced by Mural Routes in partnership with Arts for Children & Youth, Big Brother Big Sisters of Toronto, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, Action for Neighbourhood Change and Urban Arts.



We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Government of Ontario through the Programs and Services Branch of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the City of Toronto through the Innovation, Opportunity & Prosperity Program

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APPLICATION FORM

Off the Wall: Leadership Training in Mural Making – 2011



NAME:

ADDRESS:

POSTAL CODE:

PHONE:

EMAIL:

AGE:



LIST PREVIOUS ART CLASSES, WORKSHOPS OR OTHER RELEVANT TRAINING:



PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN MURAL OR VISUAL ART WORK:



BRIEF STATEMENT - WHY I WANT TO ENROLL IN “LEADERSHIP TRAINING IN MURAL MAKING” COURSE:



Don’t forget to include a resume and samples of your work or a link to images of your art work.




Karin Eaton
Executive Director
Mural Routes
416-698-7995
karin@muralroutes.com
www.muralroutes.com
http://muralroutes.wordpress.com/
http://thebridgingproject.blogspot.com/

Celebrating the Life of Cayle Chernin Apr. 25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday April 11, 2011

Celebrating the Life of Cayle Chernin Toronto, ON…

Join us for an evening of memories and entertainment honouring the life and work of celebrated Canadian actress, Cayle Cherin. In support of the newly founded Cayle Chernin Memorial Fund and hosted by David Gale and Deb Filler, this celebration will play for one night only, Monday, April 25 at 8:00 p.m. at the Bloor Street Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W. The evening will include musical performances, spoken word and dance, with performances by Tabby Johnson, Rosie Shuster, Steve Shuster, Spirit Synott, Jillian Rees Brown & Women of the Rock, Susan Gross, Kirsten Bishopric, Theresa Tova, Vladimir Jon Cubrt & Aidan Devine, Jayne Eastwood, Stanley Endersby, Keith McKie, Michael Fonfara, Johnny Wright, Robbie Rox and others (performers are subject to change).

Personal and professional anecdotes, photos and film clips will shared by Cayle’s closest friends and family and her loving husband, actor Dwight McFee.An online auction has been launched in support of the Cayle Chernin Memorial Fund and includes great gifts, exciting nights out, one-of-a-kind art and more. There will be plenty to bid on including autographed film and television memorabilia, singing lessons and photographic services; theatre tickets to Soulpepper, Tarragon, Factory Theatre and passes to Hot Docs, the Female Eye Film Festival and the Bloor Cinema. Don’t miss out on great items including clothing, jewellery, art and home decor from Dreamboat Lucy, 72 Jem Street, Theodore 1922, Tulips and Sunflower, McKenna Photography and Gift Certificates for Pineapple Kensington, Bungalow, Crema, Crush Wine Bar, The Lakeview Lunch and much, much more. The auction will run from April 12th to April 26th only. To sign up and bid on great items, visit http://vonality.com/caylecherninmemorial/.

A special thanks to Vonality for hosting the auction.

The Cayle Chernin Memorial Fund was created to commemorate the nurturing spirit of actress Cayle Chernin. The fund will award an annual cash prize to an emerging female artist in the performing arts, alternating yearly between theatre and film/digital media performers. The fund will and is administered by the Creative Arts Savings and Credit Union.

Cayle Chernin, actor, documentary filmmaker, teacher, mentor, and star of Don Shebib’s classic Canadian film Goin’ Down the Road and its recently completed sequel Down the Road Again, passed away on February 18th. Cayle was known for her talent, generosity, imagination, intellect and incredible smile. She was also valued for her commitment to women's issues. Her career spanned more than four decades in film, on stage and developing new works and encouraging up and coming artists.

This is a Free Event, with donations being accepted for The Cayle Chernin Memorial Fund. Special thanks to Equity Showcase Theatre, The Creative Arts, Bloor Cinema and Paupers Pub, for their support of this event.

Find us on Twitter @caylesmemorial, and visit our Facebook page at Friends of Cayle.

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Media Contact: Zoe Carter, Producer Cleopatra’s Needle Productions 416-346-0467 / cleopatrasneedle@bell.net

Making Paper Movies Event April 15

Making Paper Movie - A workshop with Ron G. Davis, founder of the San Francisco Mime Troupe www.sfmt.org Friday, April 15, 2011 11:00 – 1:00 Palmerston Ave & Bloor St. Picture storytelling is a practice and tradition that finds roots in China and other Asian nations going back over hundreds and hundreds of years. Our contemporary cinema finds surprising picture storytelling precursors in medieval German bankelsang (literally singing banners), Italian cantastoria (sung stories), and even 12th Century Japanese Buddhist kamishibai (literally "paper scrolls"). Ron G. Davis, found of the San Francisco Mime Troupe has practiced numerous forms of popular theatre including the production of "paper movies" - moving scrolls of paper in which stories are illustrated and brought to life with witty and pointed scripts. In this workshop Ron will share some of his experience and he will lead some thinking, research, writing and production of a paper movie (likely to focus on the global production, marketing, distribution and consumption of the tomato; bring with you everything you know about tomatos). Registration is Pay What You Can & you can get some guidance about Catalyst Centre’s fee policy here: http://www.catalystcentre.ca/a-school-of-activism/fees-policy and to register, please RSVP by e-mail to chris@catalystcentre.ca and to get the workshop location address We invite you to participate in a potluck lunch after the workshop

Magnetic North seeks new Artistic Director/Curator

Capitalism and Culture in the Junction, opening this Thursday, Feb. 3

Kim Jackson, Community Arts Practice associate and Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate student at York University, is coordinating a community exhibition, Capitalism and Culture, in the Junction, opening this Thursday, Feb. 3, 7 - 10 PM, at 3109 Dundas Street West at Clandenan.

See poster below for details.

Explaining an Arts Non-Profit

This video would be funny if it weren't so sadly true. I have had this conversation so many times, not only with audience members but regrettably with too many arts board members.

Odyssey — a Wind Ensemble Concert

Silverthorn Symphonic Winds Presents Odyssey — a Wind Ensemble Concert
Featuring Artist in Residence Peter Stoll


Silverthorn Symphonic Winds (SSW), under the direction of Andrew Chung, presents "Odyssey — a Wind Ensemble Concert" featuring 2010/2011 Artist in Residence Peter Stoll, who will perform as soloist on clarinet and saxophone. Join us for a musical journey from the banks of Newfoundland to the streets of Harlem, from the rhythms of the Middle East to the melodies of Russia, from Celtic simplicity to Parisian sophistication. Featured soloist Peter Stoll will perform Rossini’s “Introduction, Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Band,” Hagen’s “Harlem Nocturne” for saxophone and band, and Morrissey’s “Interlude for Clarinet and Band.” Compositions by Copland, Hazo, Cable, Reed, and Ellerby will complete the programme.

The concert takes place on Sunday, December 5 at 2:00 p.m. at the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON. Ticket prices are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors, and can be purchased online at www.rhcentre.ca or by phone at 905.787.8811.

The SSW Artist in Residence Program, established this year, offers an opportunity for ensemble members and the general public to benefit from the expertise of an established, professional musician. The 2010/2011 Artist in Residence, Peter Stoll, will be the featured soloist and host at the two Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts concerts, and will offer a free public masterclass (date to be announced) for adult and high school aged clarinetists. Throughout the season, he will attend six SSW rehearsals to provide coaching for woodwinds and to offer general feedback to the ensemble as a whole. In addition to enhancing the skills and musicality of ensemble members, Peter’s solo performances and engaging manner will be a delight for audiences.

Known for his virtuoso energy on stage, Peter Stoll was a prizewinner in the International Clarinet Society Competition, Solo Clarinetist with the World Orchestra of Jeunesses Musicales in Berlin and Vienna, and has been a guest clarinet soloist with orchestras in Canada, the U.S., and Russia. He has performed as a saxophone soloist with the Toronto Philharmonia, the Orillia Wind Ensemble, and with choirs in the Toronto and Ottawa area. A frequent performer of new music, Peter has traveled to Germany, New York City, Finland, and Lithuania with the ERGO ensemble. He is a core member of the Talisker Players, Principal Clarinetist of the Toronto Philharmonia, and a member of the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. More information can be found on his website at: www.peterstoll.ca.

Founded in September 2006, Silverthorn Symphonic Winds brings classical and contemporary repertoire for wind ensemble to audiences in Toronto and York Region. The all-volunteer ensemble is characterized by exceptional dedication and a commitment to the highest possible level of performance. The musicians, who are all chosen by audition, range from highly accomplished amateurs to semi-professional musicians. Silverthorn Symphonic Winds is supported by a generous grant from The Ontario Trillium Foundation. For more information, visit: www.silverthornsymphonicwinds.ca.

Necessary Angel 2010-11 Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media refer: Dianne Weinrib / DW Communications 416.703.5479 dw@dwcommunications.net

NECESSARY ANGEL ANNOUNCES AMBITIOUS 2010-2011 SEASON

Toronto, October 28, 2010 – The 2010-2011 Necessary Angel season is the company’s most ambitious to date. The season offers two shows premiering in June 2011 at Luminato, Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity; a new multi-disciplinary collaboration between two seminal Canadian artists; a tour to Ottawa; and the debut of Michael Ondaatje’s first play in over two decades.

Artistic Director Daniel Brooks, along with Associate Artists Brigitte Haentjens and Graham McLaren, collaborate with some of Canada’s finest writers and creators — Peggy Baker, Evie Christie, Louise Dupré, Michael Healey, Daniel MacIvor, and Michael Ondaatje — to continue to create astonishing and thought-provoking theatre.

Divisadero: a performance, a new collaboration between Daniel Brooks and Michael Ondaatje, debuts this winter. Brooks then teams up with recent Walter Carsen Prize winner Peggy Baker and Governor General’s Award winner Michael Healey for Are You Okay, produced by Peggy Baker Dance Projects in association with Necessary Angel. In June, the company’s two Associate Artists, Graham McLaren (director of last season’s multiple-Dora-nominated Hamlet) and Brigitte Haentjens (incoming artistic director of the National Arts Centre’s French Theatre) premiere two new works commissioned by Luminato: McLaren directs a daring new adaptation of Racine’s Andromache, written by Canadian poet and novelist Evie Christie, while Haentjens brings to Toronto the English-language premiere of her acclaimed creation Tout Comme Elle, featuring a diverse cast of 50 women. Finally, completing the season is a tour of Daniel MacIvor and Daniel Brooks’ This Is What Happens Next to Ottawa’s Great Canadian Theatre Company in May/June where it will be part of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival.

THE 2010-2011 NECESSARY ANGEL SEASON

Divisadero: a performance

Text: Michael Ondaatje

Direction: Daniel Brooks, Necessary Angel Artistic Director

Performers: Liane Balaban, Maggie Huculak, Tom McCamus, Amy Rutherford and Justin Rutledge

Songs: Justin Rutledge

Produced in association with The Film Farm

February 8-20, 2011, opening date to be determined

Theatre Passe Muraille’s Mainspace, 16 Ryerson Avenue, Toronto.

For tickets, call 416-504-7529

Michael Ondaatje’s adaptation of his novel Divisadero marks the author’s return to Necessary Angel after a lengthy absence. Following sold-out workshop presentations last fall (with the working title When My Name Was Anna), Ondaatje teams with director

Daniel Brooks for Divisadero: a performance. Ondaatje’s story explores themes of memory, identity, love and the grip of the past on the present; and tells of how a single event powerfully shapes the lives of two sisters. The production features original music written for the piece and performed by singer/songwriter Justin Rutledge. The ensemble cast also features Liane Balaban, Maggie Huculak, Tom McCamus and Amy Rutherford. Divisadero: a performance is designed by Andrea Lundy, Alexander MacSween, and John Thompson, and is stage managed by Crystal Salverda.

Are You Okay

Written by Michael Healey

Choreographed by Peggy Baker

Directed by Daniel Brooks

Featuring Peggy Baker and Michael Healey

Produced by Peggy Baker Dance Projects in association with Necessary Angel

Previews March 1-3, 2011, opens March 4, 2011, and runs until March 13, 2011

Factory Studio Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, Toronto.

For tickets, call 416-504-9971

A new creative partnership for Necessary Angel: the company teams up with Peggy Baker Dance Projects for Are You Okay, created and performed by Peggy Baker and Michael Healey, and directed by Daniel Brooks. Born out of Baker and Healey’s attraction to – and curiosity about – each other’s work, Are You Okay is a “mutual autobiography” that asks, “Is there enough room on a small stage for a solo dance concert and an actor’s monologue to be performed simultaneously?” It explores themes of physical mastery, physical innocence, creation, destruction, re-creation, recreation, and the brutal humour of time. Are You Okay features lighting design by Rebecca Picherack and composition and percussion by Debashis Sinha.

Andromache

By Jean Racine, Adapted by Evie Christie

Directed by Graham McLaren, Necessary Angel Associate Artist

Featuring Christine Horne, Arsinée Khanjian, Steven McCarthy and Christopher Morris

Commissioned and presented by Luminato

Previews June 10, 2011, opens June 11, 2011, and runs until June 19, 2011

The Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto.

For tickets, TBA

Graham McLaren brings his visceral, action-based approach to Andromache, a new version of the rarely produced Racine play, written by poet and author Evie Christie. McLaren describes Christie’s bold, provocative poetry as having the ability to “thrill us in the way the 17^th Century French might have felt about Racine’s ‘diamond-edged’ language.” Christie’s Andromache is a modern adaptation set in a war-torn land where obsessive love and lust lead people to do unspeakable acts. Andrea Lundy, whose lighting design for last year’s Hamlet won the Dora Mavor Moore Award, teams with McLaren again for this production. Andromache features Christine Horne, Steven McCarthy, Christopher Morris, and Arsinée Khanjian in the title role. Crystal Salverda is the stage manager.

Tout Comme Elle

Written by Louise Dupré, Translated by Erín Moure

Directed by Brigitte Haentjens, Necessary Angel Associate Artist

Featuring a diverse cast of 50 women

Produced in association with Sibyllines

Commissioned and presented by Luminato

Previews June 13, 2011, opens June 14, 2011, and runs until June 18, 2011

Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front Street East, Toronto.

For tickets, TBA

The English-language premiere of Siminovitch Prize-winning director Brigitte Haentjens’ Tout Comme Elle is the largest production of Necessary Angel’s season as well as in its thirty-two year history. Tout Comme Elle is an exploration of the painful separation, and yet inextricable connection, between mother and daughter. Mirroring the cultural diversity of the city of Toronto, a cast of 50 actresses – representing all backgrounds, ages, and types – perform the piece that combines song and movement with a rich poetic text in a powerful expression of the female voice. A daring piece of theatre about the inevitability of loss and the eternal nature of love, Tout Comme Elle is written by acclaimed Québecoise poet Louise Dupré and translated by Governor General’s Award-winning poet and translator, and Griffin Prize nominee, Erín Moure. Kate Porter is the stage manager.

This Is What Happens Next

Created by Daniel MacIvor and Daniel Brooks

Written and Performed by Daniel MacIvor

Directed and Dramaturged by Daniel Brooks

Previews May 24, 2011, opens May 26, 2011, runs until June 12, 2011

Great Canadian Theatre Company, 1233 Wellington Street West, Ottawa.

To purchase tickets, call 1-613-236-5196

After a successful run at the prestigious Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina this past summer, Daniel MacIvor and Daniel Brooks’ This Is What Happens Next tours to Ottawa’s Great Canadian Theatre Company where it will be part of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival. The show is the most recent collaboration between one of the most potent and influential partnerships in Canadian theatre. It has been called “a genius... high-octane blend of autobiography, anecdote, philosophical musing and fairy-tale fantasy,” by the Montreal Gazette, while the Toronto Star calls it “a very rich piece of theatre that will keep you guessing till the last second…MacIvor is going into new and uncharted territory.” Rob Harding is the stage manager.

About Necessary Angel:

Founded in 1978 and based in Toronto, Canada, Necessary Angel has been an influential and original presence on the national and international theatre scene for over 30 years. Having produced over 50 productions, including 27 world premieres and 10 North American premieres, the company is considered to be one of English Canada's most important original creation and touring organizations. Necessary Angel tours its work to prominent theatres and festivals across Canada and internationally. The company’s plays have been nominated for and have won numerous Governor General’s Awards for Drama, Chalmers Awards for Outstanding New Play, and countless Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Over the years, Necessary Angel has welcomed the participation of outstanding literary icons, including Michael Ondaatje and Timothy Findley, while also developing new work with some of Canada’s leading playwrights, including Daniel MacIvor, John Mighton, Colleen Murphy, Jason Sherman, Colleen Wagner and David Young, whose works have become acclaimed on stages around the globe.

Daniel Brooks, Artistic Director of Necessary Angel since 2003, is a prolific and versatile artist whose innovation and risk-taking have made him a leader within the Canadian cultural landscape. He has been recognized with accolades and awards throughout Canada and around the world including the inaugural Elinore and Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre.

For more information, visit the Necessary Angel website at www.necessaryangel.com.

About Luminato: For 10 extraordinary days in June, Toronto’s stages, streets, and public spaces are illuminated with arts and creativity. Luminato is an annual multi-disciplinary celebration of theatre, dance, music, literature, food, visual arts, fashion, film, and more. The fifth anniversary edition of Luminato will take place from June 10-19, 2011. Programming announcements will be made in early 2011. For details, please visit www.luminato.com.

About Peggy Baker Dance Projects: Led by one of Canada's foremost modern dancers, Peggy Baker Dance Projects is dedicated to the partnership of movement and live music to enrich the art of dance, and has performed with many outstanding musicians. Peggy Baker Dance Projects’ objective in creating, producing and touring its repertoire is to reach a broad public, offering audiences a deeper appreciation of the unique beauty and power of modern dance. For details, please visit www.peggybakerdance.com.

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Media refer: Dianne Weinrib / DW Communications 416.703.5479 dw@dwcommunications.net

Luminato Media refer: Laura Barron McDowell 416-368-3100 x242 lbarron@luminato.com

Necessary Angel

401 Richmond St W

Suite 392

Toronto, Ontario

M5V 2A8

p: 416.703.0406

f: 416.703.4006

info@necessaryangel.com