World’s Oldest LGBTQ Theatre Company Presents International & Canadian Works for WorldPride 2014 Toronto

Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) April 08, 2014

WorldPride 2014 Toronto (WP14TO) announced a new partnership with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre that will see two exciting international theatre works come to Toronto as part of North America’s largest arts and culture festival taking place this summer from June 20 – 29, 2014.

First up, on June 22, a reading of Ugandan playwright ADONG Lucy Judith’s vital work, Just Me, You and The Silence, staged in partnership with Obsidian Theatre and WorldPride 2014 Toronto. Later that week, on June 25, a reading of Lady Hamlet – a play by renowned author and activist Sarah Schulman, who will be in attendance at this Canadian premiere.

The events will be presented as part of Buddies’ Queer Pride Festival, which runs from May 31 – June 29, 2014,

“Since 1979, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre has played an essential role in sharing the stories of our LGBTTIQQ2SA communities through provocative theatre and performance art,” says TK, Arts and Culture Manager, Pride Toronto. “Buddies has been a key source of arts and culture programming to our community, and we are very excited that this partnership will present international and Canadian works to a global audience coming to Toronto this year.

Other highlights of Buddies’ Queer Pride Festival include:

• The celebration of Buddies’ 35th birthday with 35 Years & Counting, a wild night that celebrates the theatre’s incredible history and the people who have made it all possible
• PrideCab, a multi-disciplinary cabaret created by members of Buddies’ Queer Youth Arts Program that explores what it means to be young and queer today
• Queer comedy with perennial favourites Bitch Salad and Homo Night in Canada showcasing the talents of Drew Droege, Dawn Whitwell, Lindy Zucker, Katherine Ryan, The Cheeto Girls, Shawn Hitchins, and Elvira Kurt. Toronto sensations Gavin Crawford and Sharron Matthews will also be joining forces on stage for the first time.

“Buddies is thrilled to partner with WorldPride 2014 to present these important international works.” says Brendan Healey, Artistic Director, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. “This partnership is a much-welcomed and significant addition to our festival, that for an entire month, we will see a stellar line-up of Toronto’s most exciting queer entertainers in our theatre.”

The full schedule is available at http://www.buddiesinbadtimes.com/media.

About WorldPride 2014 Toronto
WorldPride 2014 Toronto (WP14TO) is an international celebration taking place from June 20 – 29, 2014 that incorporates activism, education, and the history and culture of global LGBTTIQQ2SA* communities. WorldPride 2014 Toronto is presented by Pride Toronto, producer of Canada’s largest annual festival of LGBTTIQQ2SA culture and human rights, under license from InterPride. Pride Toronto is the not-for-profit organization that hosts the city’s Pride Festival, an annual event in downtown Toronto during the last week of June and one of the premier arts and cultural festivals in Canada. It is also one of the largest Pride celebrations in the world with an estimated attendance of over one million people. It celebrates the history, courage, diversity and future of Toronto's LGBTTIQQ2SA* communities. See more at:
http://www.worldpridetoronto.com.

*LGBTTIQQ2SA is an abbreviation used to represent a broad array of identities such as, but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited, and allies. - See more at: http://www.worldpridetoronto.com/news/worldpride-welcomes-country-artists-and-metis-story-tellers#sthash.43PfwTbG.dpuf

About Buddies in Bad Times
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre creates vital Canadian theatre by developing and presenting voices that question sexual and cultural norms. Built on the political and social principles of queer liberation, Buddies supports artists and works that reflect and advance these values. As the world’s longest-running and largest queer theatre, Buddies is uniquely positioned to develop, promote, and preserve stories and perspectives that are challenging and alternative. Buddies achieves artistic excellence through its mainstage season programming, artist-residency program, and youth-based initiatives. Buddies serves a broad segment of the population who share a passion for theatre that celebrates difference.

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For more information, please contact:

Trevor Hampden
Communications Manager
WorldPride 2014
647.465.6718
trevor(at)pridetoronto(dot)com

Lisa Amerongen
Publicist
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
416.975.9130 x 35
industry(at)buddiesinbadtimes(dot)com