Telling It Bent is back: bigger and better than ever!
Everyone is a writer and writing is everywhere
 
Coast Salish Territories, Vancouver, BC- the frank theatre company is excited to present the third iteration of its Telling It Bent creative writing and performance program for queer, trans, two-spirit and questioning youth ages 14-25. This time we are scrapping the drop-in format in order to facilitate the development and presentation of an original work, with the support of our workshop facilitators: Amal Rana, Molly Billows, and James Fagan Tait. We are also opening up the program to youth from across BC for the first time. Each successful applicant will help collectively create, edit, rehearse and publicly perform this piece over the course of the five-month program. With a focus on creating and maintaining a safer, encouraging space, Telling It Bent provides a place to meet other queer and trans artists, to express and imagine together, and to learn and nurture writing, editing, performance, and publications skills.
 
We are also running a pilot program to include youth from outside of the Lower Mainland. Out-of-town youth will use online meeting software to participate in the weekly workshops in real time, and will be brought to Vancouver for at least part of the rehearsal period and for the performance.
 
Eligibility
Participants must be:
– between the ages of 14 and 25
– identify as queer, trans, two-spirit, and/or questioning
– located in the Greater Vancouver area OR located outside of Greater Vancouver (within BC) with access to a computer, webcam, microphone and high-speed internet
 
Application deadline: Nov 25 at 11:59pm
Applicant interviews: Week of Dec 5-9
Workshop dates: Weekly on Thursdays from 6-8pm, from Jan 12 to Apr 27
Workshop location: Woodwards building in downtown Vancouver
Rehearsals: Three evening rehearsals per week from May 1-19)
Final performance: TBD (mid-late May)
Honorarium: $500, awarded upon completion of the program
 
About the frank theatre company: Formerly Screaming Weenie Productions, the frank theatre company's mission is to explore what it means to be queer, and the place of queer individuals in society, by creating, developing, producing and presenting theatrical work that places queer issues on a global canvas. These are works wherein issues of queer marginalization intersect with racism, classism, and sexism. the frank is primarily a text-based theatre company, trusting in the ability of the playwright to wrestle with these questions. For more information: thefranktheatre.com
 
Media Inquiries:
Contact: Maura Doherty
Email: admin@thefranktheatre.com
Phone: 604-558-1440

PFLAG Vancouver is pleased to announce the start of monthly meetings in Surrey. Starting on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of every month at Sunnyside United Church, 15639 24 Ave. from 7-9 p.m.

PFLAG was founded over 35 years ago in the U.S. by parents to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their non-heterosexual children. While the original acronym stood for parents, families and friends of lesbians and gays, today’s PFLAG is also inclusive of bisexual, transgender and non-binary persons. But PFLAG doesn’t exist only for the parents, family and friends; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and non-binary persons are also welcome to its meetings.

There are now over 3,500 chapters world-wide. PFLAG Canada, a charitable organization, is the national body and PFLAG Vancouver is one of its local chapters. Monthly meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month at the Roundhouse in Yaletown.

In recent months, the Vancouver meetings have been attended by a growing number of persons who live south of the Fraser River. “There is a demand for meetings closer to home," according to Lisa Salazar, a member of PFLAG Vancouver who lives in Surrey. Making the trip into Vancouver through the tunnel or over bridges, especially during the fall and winter months is a huge impediment. “We are delighted and grateful that Sunnyside United Church has opened their doors to us,” said she.

The PFLAG Canada website explains, “The ‘coming-out’ process can be a critical time for families. When the adjustment period is particularly long or painful…People cannot always rise above the challenge of accepting themselves or their family member.” PFLAG offers support for today, and hope for a better tomorrow by providing education, peer support and community building.

For more information, contact PFLAG Vancouver at info@pflagvancouver.com, attention Lisa Salazar, or call (604) 626-5667.