<html dir="ltr">
<head>
<title></title>
</head>
<body>
<p> <b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new="">PRESS RELEASE</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new=""> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new="">January 9, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">The Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">and the Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new=""> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">Proudly Announce FOOT 2015: Queer(ing) Performance<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new=""> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new="">For Immediate Release - <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new=""> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new="">TORONTO – January 9, 2015</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new=""> <b> </b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">The Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies and the Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto proudly announce this year’s Festival of Original Theatre: Queer(ing) Performance. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new=""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">Running from February 5-7, 2015 this conference and festival celebrate the achievements of queer theatre and performance. Blurring the boundaries between art and academia, the event will showcase some of Canada’s greatest queer performers and welcome local and international scholars to explore queer theory and practice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new=""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">The three-day conference begins with a theatrical event: The QueerNote Cabaret. Hosted by Belle Jumelles and Ryan G. Hinds on February 5, 2015 at the Gladstone Ballroom, it features performances by: Jess Dobkin, Lishai Peel, the Yes-Men and hip-hop artist Nari, among many others. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new=""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">Two days of panel and paper presentations will follow, as well as </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">workshops and performances conducted by leading LGBT theorists and theatre practitioners in the country, including: Shannon Bell, Tara Goldstein, Sky Gilbert and Sarah Stanley. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:" times="" new="">The conference will conclude with a film screening of original videos on queer and LGBT subject matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
" times="" new=""> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f"
stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='position:absolute;margin-left:65.6pt;margin-top:25.4pt;width:101.35pt;
height:148.1pt;rotation:-1184674fd;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-wrap-distance-left:2.88pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:2.88pt;
mso-wrap-distance-right:2.88pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:2.88pt;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;
mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;
mso-height-relative:page'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Rebecca\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"
o:title="" croptop="-4572f" cropbottom="-14699f" cropleft="-2759f"
cropright="-5518f" />
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore:vglayout;position:
absolute;z-index:251659264;margin-left:60px;margin-top:18px;width:190px;
height:230px"><br />
</span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">All events at the conference are free and open to the public, but require advance registration at </span><a href="foot2015.wordpress.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">foot2015.wordpress.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:" times="" new="">. To learn more about FOOT, email <span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:foot.graddrama@utoronto.ca">foot.graddrama@utoronto.ca</a></span>, or like FOOT on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/FOOT-2015-Queering-Performance/602835499843533"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="">Facebook.</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:" times="" new=""> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:" times="" new=""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:" times="" new=""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:
10.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1026"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Logo Masters - Color" style='position:absolute;
margin-left:522.95pt;margin-top:.45pt;width:117.45pt;height:75.9pt;z-index:251658240;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;
mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:2.88pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:2.88pt;
mso-wrap-distance-right:2.88pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:2.88pt;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;
mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;
mso-height-relative:page'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Rebecca\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"
o:title="Logo Masters - Color" cropleft="-4421f" />
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore:vglayout;position:
absolute;z-index:251658240;margin-left:697px;margin-top:1px;width:157px;
height:101px"><br />
</span><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="dclogocream"
style='position:absolute;margin-left:118.55pt;margin-top:8.35pt;width:316.1pt;
height:90pt;z-index:251661312;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:2.88pt;
mso-wrap-distance-top:2.88pt;mso-wrap-distance-right:2.88pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:2.88pt;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Rebecca\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.png"
o:title="dclogocream" croptop="12237f" cropbottom="-34690f" cropleft="-35645f"
cropright="841f" />
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore:vglayout;position:
absolute;z-index:251661312;margin-left:158px;margin-top:11px;width:421px;
height:120px"><img src="http://dramacentre.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/dclogo.jpg" width="200" height="65" align="bottom" alt="" /><img src="http://dramacentre.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Logo-Masters-Color.jpg" width="150" height="103" align="bottom" alt="" /><br />
</span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"> <img src="http://dramacentre.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Footlogo2015.png" width="150" height="191" align="bottom" alt="" /> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span lang="EN-US"> Conference Director: Laine Zisman Newman</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">Publicist: Rebecca Biason </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">Phone Contact: 647-201-2655 / 416-978-7987</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">Email: foot.graddrama@utoronto.ca </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">Website: https://foot2015.wordpress.com </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="left">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="508" height="4"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1030"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Conference Director: Laine Zisman Newman
Publicist: Rebecca Biason
Phone Contact: 647-201-2655/416-978-7987
Email: foot.graddrama@utoronto.ca
Website: https://foot2015.wordpress.com/
"
style='position:absolute;margin-left:381.3pt;margin-top:2.85pt;width:368.25pt;
height:100.5pt;z-index:251663360;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:2.88pt;
mso-wrap-distance-top:2.88pt;mso-wrap-distance-right:2.88pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:2.88pt;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Rebecca\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image009.emz"
o:title="
" />
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--> <!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</body>
</html>