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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Hello,<br><BR><br><BR>On the occasion of the March 27th celebrations, l’Association des théâtres francophones du Canada (<a href="http://atfc.ca">ATFC</a>), Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (<a href="http://www.pact.ca/Home.aspx">PACT</a>) and Playwrights Guild of Canada (<a href="http://www.playwrightsguild.ca">PGC</a>)
would like to wish an excellent World Theatre Day to all practitioners
and to all theatre lovers from across the country as well as to all who
allow this millennial art to still touch and delight us, whether they be
sponsors, broadcasters, patrons or others.<BR>
<br><BR>Again this year, and since 2011, our three organizations are
combining their efforts in the promotion of this day which allows us,
not only to celebrate the theatrical arts all across the globe, but also
to position them in social, aesthetic and ethical settings. The three
partners have, once again, ordered a pan-Canadian message which will be
read in French as well as in its English translation throughout Canada
during the many ceremonies held this upcoming March 27th. This year,
Acadian author Mélanie Léger, co-director of Théâtre Alacenne in
Moncton, New Brunswick will be in charge of writing this message. The
English translation will be ensured by playwright and translator <b>Chantal
Bilodeau</b>.<BR>
<br><BR>Created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), an
organization founded under the umbrella of Unesco, World Theatre Day is
celebrated all over the world on March 27th through various activities.
The most important of those is, without a doubt, the international
message commissioned to an important practitioner. This year, the author
of the international message is South African playwright, designer,
director and visual artist <strong>Brett Bailey. </strong>His message, translated into over twenty languages, is available on <a href="http://www.iti-worldwide.org/worldtheatreday.php">ITI’s website</a> (http://www.iti-worldwide.org/worldtheatreday.php). <br><BR><br><BR>
To get back to the pan-Canadian message, author Mélanie Léger
declared : "When ATFC offered me to write the Canadian World Theatre Day
message, I accepted with enthusiasm. What an honour it is for me and
what a challenge it is to reflect on your area of practice within the
context of this day of celebration! I thank ATFC from the bottom of my
heart for this gift". <BR>
<br><BR>A native of New Brunswick, <strong>Mélanie Léger </strong>is a
graduate from the Dramatic Art Department at the University of Moncton
and has a Master’s Degree from l’École supérieure de théâtre at UQAM.
She co-directs Théâtre Alacenne, a creation company in Monction, New
Brunswick. She has written a dozen plays including <em>Roger, Roger</em>, <em>Vie d’cheval</em>and <em>Je…Adieu, </em>which have been published by Éditions Prise de Parole (Sudbury). In 2011, she directed her play <em>Banane fête</em>for
the young public. She was awarded the special Suzanne-Cyr prize in 2013
from the Fondation pour l’avancement du théâtre francophone au Canada
which allowed her to intern as the artistic direction assistant at
Théâtre populaire d’Acadie. Mélanie also works as a scriptwriter for
Productions du Milieu as well as for Productions Bellefeuilles. Her
second short film, <em>Emma fait son cinéma, </em>produced by the NFB
for the Tremplin contest, recently won the TV5 prize at the Rendez-vous
du Cinéma Québécois 2014. Mélanie is currently starring in the Théâtre
populaire d’Acadie production <em>Bump! La secousse de Springhill</em>, written by Rick Merrill. She loves to tango and to travel, especially to Latin America.<BR>
<br><BR>Mélanie Léger’s Canadian message is available in French and in English on <a href="http://www.atfc.ca/index.cfm?Voir=sections&Id=18582&M=4105&Repertoire_No=-589634889">ATFC’s website</a> (http://www.atfc.ca/index.cfm?Voir=sections&Id=18582&M=4105&Repertoire_No=-589634889). A video of the author reading the text in French is also available.<BR>
<br><BR>Chantal Bilodeau is a New York-based playwright and translator
originally from Montreal. She serves as the Artistic Director of The
Arctic Cycle – an organization created to support the writing,
development and production of eight plays that examine the impact of
climate change on the eight countries of the Arctic – and the author of
the blog Artists And Climate Change. Recent awards include the 2014 Woodward International Playwriting
Prize as well as First Prize in the 2012 Earth Matters on Stage Ecodrama
Festival and the 2011 Uprising National Playwriting Competition. She is
the recipient of a Jerome Travel & Study Grant and a National
Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Productions include <em>Sila</em> (Underground Railway Theater, 2014), <em>Hunger</em> (Bated Breath Theatre Company, 2011), <em>The Motherline</em> (New York International Fringe Festival, 2009), <em>Pleasure & Pain</em>
(Magic Theatre; Foro La Gruta, Teatro La Capilla and Festival de Teatro
Nuevo León in Mexico City, 2007), and the English translations of <em>Holy Land</em> by Mohamed Kacimi (3rd Kulture Kids, 2014), <em>Bintou</em>by Koffi Kwahulé (The Movement Theatre Company, 2010) and <em>Abraham Lincoln Goes to the Theatre</em> by Larry Tremblay (Alberta Theatre Projects, 2010). <a href="http://www.cbilodeau.com" title="www.cbilodeau.com">www.cbilodeau.com</a>
<BR> <BR>
Happy World Theatre Day to all!<BR><br><BR>Cheers,<BR><br><BR>Rebecca<BR>--<br><BR><font style="" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:14.0px"><br></span></font><BR><font style="" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:14.0px">Rebecca Burton<br>
Membership and Professional Contracts Manager<br>
Playwrights Guild of Canada<br>
401 Richmond Street West, Suite 350<br>
Toronto, ON<br>
M5V 3A8<br>
Tel: 416-703-0201<br>
Fax: 416-703-0059<br>
Email: rebecca@playwrightsguild.ca<br>
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