<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span
style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<span style="">
</span>March
12, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><span
style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">Irish
Theatrical
Diaspora Project<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">in
association
with <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">The
Graduate
Centre for Study of Drama and the Celtic Studies Program, <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Toronto</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">presents:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div align="center"><b style=""><span
style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></b><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style=""><span style=""><b
style=""><span
style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif"; font-variant: small-caps;">Canada</span></b></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span
style=""><span style=""><b style=""><span
style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif"; font-variant: small-caps;">,
Irishness and Performance:
Opening the Debate<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span>
<span style=""></span><span style=""></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span
style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">The 8th Annual
Irish
Theatrical Diaspora Conference<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span
style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">Graduate Centre for
Study of
Drama, University of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Toronto</st1:place></st1:City>,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span
style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">April 15-16, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<big><big><big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">The
history of Irish diasporas in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is rich and diverse, and the Irish have contributed significantly to
the
creation of Canadian cultural phenomena, yet the study of Irish theatre
in
terms of Canadian diasporic identities has not produced an equally rich
body of
literature.<o:p></o:p></span></big>
<br>
<big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></big>
<br>
<big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">With
this scholarly lacuna in mind, this conference aims to address the
scope and
character of Irish influence on performance in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
with particular attention
to the ideas of multi- and inter-culturalism. ‘Performance’ in this
case
includes theatre, dance, spectacle, and all aspects of the performing
arts, as
well as extra-theatrical activity – such as parades and community
gatherings –
that foreground ‘Irishness’ in some way. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region>
has a well-established multicultural identity, whereas <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is just
beginning to negotiate a civil society that is constituted by a variety
of
residents from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. How does Irish
performance fit into the Canadian cultural ‘mosaic’? Furthermore, what
kinds of
Irish plays are being produced in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and how do these
performances negotiate the relationship between Irish culture and
Canadian
culture? How is ‘Irishness’ performed in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and from this, what
can we
learn about the mechanisms and character of cultural exchange? <span
style=""> </span>Please join our conference to find out, and if
you choose, participate in the debate!<o:p></o:p></span></big>
<br>
<big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></big>
<br>
<big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">The
conference features a host of engaging presentations from scholars and
theatre
and dance practitioners, as well as two exciting keynote events. On
Friday
evening, <b style="">Jackie Maxwell</b>, Artistic
Director of the Shaw Festival, will be interviewed on stage by <b
style="">Ann Saddlemyer</b>, Professor Emeritus at <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Toronto</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> and former Master of
Massey
College. On the Saturday afternoon, <b style="">Lisa
Fitzpatrick</b>, <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Ulster</st1:PlaceName> at <st1:place
w:st="on">Derry</st1:place>,
will deliver a lecture titled “Invisible<span style="">
</span>Interculturalism? Performing <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region> on the Canadian
Stage.” <b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></big>
<br>
<big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></big>
<br>
<big><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></big></big></big>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">Canada,
Irishness and Performance: Opening the Debate<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">April
15-16, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">Robert
Gill Theatre, 214 College St.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">Registration
$40/$20 students and seniors. Members of the public welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong><i
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif"; font-weight: normal;">Jackie
Maxwell in Conversation with Ann Saddlemyer<o:p></o:p></span></i></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong><i
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif"; font-weight: normal;">Friday
April 15 at 6pm – Admission FREE<o:p></o:p></span></i></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong><i
style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif"; font-weight: normal;">Alumni
Hall Room 400, 121 St. Joseph St.</span></i></strong><i style=""><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">For
program, registration and location information: <a
href="http://www.irishtheatricaldiaspora.net/toronto2011/">www.irishtheatricaldiaspora.net/toronto2011/
<span style=""> </span></a><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";">For
interviews or conference queries: <a href="mailto:ITD2011@gmail.com">ITD2011@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro","serif";"><span
style=""> </span><b style="">Sponsored
by the Celtic Studies Speakers Series, the Graduate Centre for Study of
Drama, Massey
College, The British Academy, The School of English at Trinity College
Dublin,
and the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
</body>
</html>