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<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=2>For those in the Winnipeg area
interested in attending the launch, information is provided below.</FONT></H1>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG>Cheers,</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG>Rebecca</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></U> </H1>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>For
Immediate Release</FONT></U></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right"
align=right><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times"><SPAN
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</SPAN></SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">October 10,
2006<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right"
align=right><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Adding It Up: The Status of Women in Canadian
Theatre<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">A launch of
the Report on the Phase One Findings of </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Equity in
Canadian Theatre: The Women’s Initiative</SPAN><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 84.75pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Winnipeg,
MB-</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">
In 1982 <B>Rina Fraticelli</B> published her report "The Status of Women in the
Canadian Theatre," which exposed disturbing inequities on the nation’s stages.
Over twenty years later the report was re-opened by a national committee of
women theatre artists and academics who were unsatisfied with the stagnant
numbers and inequities revealed by recent polls of the theatre industry.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The Equity in Canadian Theatre initiative is co-chaired
by <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Hope McIntyre</B> (Artistic Director
of Winnipeg’s Sarasvàti Productions and President of the Playwrights Guild of
Canada) and <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Kelly Thornton</B> (Artistic
Director of Toronto’s Nightwood Theatre) who have conducted forums, panels and
discussions with women across Canada over the last four years. In 2005 a survey
was sent out to over two hundred theatres in Canada and Main Researcher, <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Rebecca Burton,</B> started collecting
research materials to write an all-encompassing report on women’s current status
in Canadian theatre.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Rina Fraticelli’s initial study findings showed
participation of female playwrights at 10%, female directors at 13% and female
artistic directors at 11%. A straw poll conducted in 2004/05 indicated that the
figures for female artistic directors had risen to a paltry 19% and female
playwrights to 20%. “Canadian society in general seems to feel that we have
gained so much ground in terms of gender equity, but when you look at the
numbers it just doesn’t add up.” Says study Co-Chair Hope McIntyre, “The fact
that we have been unable to improve the status of women in our arts and cultural
industries certainly does not reflect well on
Canada.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0.2pt 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Winnipeg will host the official launch of this new
report. FemFest 2006 seemed like the opportune time to release the statistics.
<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">At the FemFest opening night on 20
October 2006, beginning at 6pm at the Contemporary Dancers Studio (211 Bannatyne
Avenue), a line-up of special guests will present the report’s findings and
discuss their relevance</B>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Rebecca
Burton will be traveling to Winnipeg from Toronto for this special event and
Winnipeg’s La Femme Fiscale will make a special appearance, along with other
surprise guests.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0.2pt 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Following the event, a highlight summary and the complete
report will be available in pdf format.<I><o:p></o:p></I></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-outline-level: 5"
align=center><B><U><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Adding It
Up<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Friday, October 20<SUP>th</SUP>, 2006
6pm<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-outline-level: 4"
align=center><B><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Contemporary Dancers Studio (211
Bannatyne)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-outline-level: 6"
align=center><B><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">As part of FemFest 2006: Breakin’ Out,
running October 20-29<SUP>th</SUP><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">www.sarasvati.ca<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; tab-stops: .5in center 3.0in right 6.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">For more information or
interview:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0.2pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: .5in center 3.0in right 6.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Hope McIntyre <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; tab-stops: .5in center 3.0in right 6.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">(204) 586-2236<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; tab-stops: .5in center 3.0in right 6.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">hope@sarasvati.ca<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center; tab-stops: .5in center 3.0in right 6.0in"
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">- 30 -</FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>