Communiqué for immediate release: Montreal, April 12, 2007.
Village Scene Productions (V.S.P.) and La Fondation Émergence (F.E.) collaborate for a 3rd season:
As part of the campaign for ‘The National Day Against Homophobia’ (la Journée nationale de lutte contre l'homophobie – 17 mai, 2007) Village Scene Productions and ‘La Fondadtion Émergence’ come together for a 3rd season to collaborate on a community project utilizing the performing arts as a weapon to wield in the fight against homophobia.
V.S.P. is seeking a large array artists to perform at a public reading to be held in mid-May for two of it’s upcoming Harvest season productions. A cast of a copious amount of male, female, young, old, English, French or bilingual readers is required. If you’re looking for a new experience, exposure and an opportunity to perform this is a fun and easy gig. Exact time, date and location will be publicized in a future communiqué. Interested in helping us out and participating? Contact artistic director Davyn Ryall at V.S.P.
About the reading and awareness campaign:
In mid-May as our participation in the activities of the International Day Against Homophobia, V.S.P. will present a public reading of extracts for two texts in both English and French. This will be a part of our awareness and fund raising campaign for the training program ACTOUT. V.S.P. will also seize the opportunity to promote the productions locally to the primary and secondary schools of A Christmas Caroland the CEGEP and Universities of A Queer Carol. Also publicity material will be sent out to groups in the community to encourage their members to promote, include and attend the productions in the framework of their own activities during the holiday season.
About the productions:
Within the framework of our programming to sensitize the public with the acceptance of the LGBT communities and our fight against homophobia, V.S.P. has decided to produce the following two projects in 2007: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, his original narration for public readings, and a modern adaptation entitled A Queer Carol, by the author Joseph Godfrey (NYC). V.S.P. chose to present these productions during a period which corresponds to the season December 5 to 16 at Mainline Theatre.
About ACTOUT:
The ACTOUT program encourages the pursuit of professional development and offers acting training in performance techniques for stage production. The actors of the two productions will come partially from our professional training program ACTOUT coordinated this season by actress and instructor Jacqueline Van de Geer (Rotterdam, Holland). This program begins in mid-September for 12 weeks also at Mainline Theatre. The productions will presented in English and French (translation by Stephan Turgeon).
“Never before has the issue of homophobia been more at the forefront of our mandate. As a recent victim of a physical attack at my home I realize just how important our mission is at V.S.P. and continues to be. It is our hope that by developing and promoting more diversified theatre we will help contribute to the education of society and acceptance of all individuals regardless of sexual orientation...” states artistic director Davyn Ryall. “With a lack of public funding and government organization’s refusal to recognize of the LGBT communities as a cultural identity, we are very dependant on even the smallest contributions that we can gather throughout the year. Our relationship with the F.E. is greatly appreciated and helps to motive us in achieving our mutual goals and objectives.”
For information on V.S.P., upcoming productions and the Harvest festival visit our web site at: villagescene.com. For information on F.E. (http://www.emergence.qc.ca) and the National day against homophobia (this year’s theme sexual orientation is not a choice) and the other events and activities scheduled this year visit their web site (http://www.homophobiaday.org).
Contact:
Davyn Ryall
Artistic Director & Coordinator of
The HARVEST – Montreal LGBT Int’l. Theatre Festival
A cornucopia of diversity in the performing arts.
4th. edition Fall 2007.
Village Scene Productions
P.O. Box 142, Stn. C
Montreal, Qc.
H2L 2H0