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Janis Rapoport
Photo credit: Fernando Miranda

Janis Rapoport received her B.A. (Philosophy major) from New College, University of Toronto, 1967. She is a poet, author, playright, editor, literary consultant, creative-writing instructor, and broadcaster.

She has been a writer-in-residence at schools and libraries. And a playwright-in-residence at such centres as Banff and Tarragon Theatre. She has travelled widely — e.g. read poems as part of the official celebrations for Dublin, 1991's European City of Culture, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in September 1991; been one of Canada's (two) official participants in the 14th franco-anglais festival de poesie, held in Paris, France in June 1991.

Current projects include a journey to Peru and Bolivia (2007), the working title of a book-length travel-literature manuscript, due in 2008; expected publication date is 2010; under contract. A monologue from Star Light Star Bright, a play, appeared in She Speaks, compiled and edited by Judith Thompson, published by Playwrights Canada Press in 2004.

Writer-in-Residence

  • North York Public Library, North York, Ontario, 1991
  • Toronto Board of Education, Toronto, Ontario, 1991
  • Dundas Public Library, Dundas, Ontario, 1990
  • Beeton Public Library, Beeton, Ontario, 1988
  • St. Thomas Public Library, St. Thomas, Ontario, 1987

Playwright-in-Residence

  • Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Summer 1976
  • Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, 1974-75

Creative-Writing Instructor

  • University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, Toronto, Ontario, 1988-
  • George Brown College, Toronto, Ontario,1989
  • Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario, 1984-86

Editorial Experience

  • Founding Editor, Ethos magazine, Toronto, Ontario, 1983-86
  • Story Editor, T.V. Drama, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Toronto, Ontario, 1973-74
  • Associate Editor, The Tamarack Review, Toronto, Ontario, 1970-82
  • Editor, Heinemann Educational Books (Canadian subsidiary), Scarborough, Ontario, 1971-73
  • Assistant Editor, Paul Hamlyn Ltd., London, England, 1969-70
  • Editorial Assistant, Which? magazine, London, England, 1968-69

Other

  • Hostess, Canadian Pavilion, Expo '67 Montréal, Quèbec Summer 1967

Self-Employment

  • Writer, Editor, Broadcaster 1975-83
  • Writer, Editor, Creative-Writing Instructor, Workshop Facilitator, Readings Participant and Organizer, Lecturer at Public and Educational Institutions across Canada and in France, England and Latin America 1973-

Education

  • B.A. (Philosophy major) New College, University of Toronto, 1967

Memberships

  • The Writers' Union of Canada
  • League of Canadian Poets
  • PEN
  • Playwrights' Union of Canada
  • The Writers' Guild of Canada

Special Activities (selected, 1991-2001)

  • Assisted, on a voluntary basis, with the Second International Women's Playwriting Conference held at York University, spring 1991
  • One of Canada's (two) official participants in the 14th franco-anglais festival de poesie, held in Paris, France in June 1991
  • Poems read, as part of the official celebrations for Dublin, 1991's European City of Culture, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in September 1991
  • World premier performance of poem "Gaia", currently being scored by an Ontario composer
  • Poems translated into Spanish for Poetas de la Nueva Pleyade, a York University Symposium, spring 1997
  • Poems presented, in Spanish, for Poetas de la Nueva Pleyade, a York University Symposium, spring 1997
  • Prepared and delivered a paper at the Encuentro de Poesia in Mexico, November 1998
  • Official Canadian participant in a poetry conference in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, November 1998
  • Official Canadian delegate to a literary conference in Lima, Peru, October 1999
  • Participant in the international literary festival Blue Metropolis Bleu in Montreal, spring 2001

For more biographical information see:

  • The Canadian Encyclopedia
  • The Canadian Who's Who
  • Colombo's Canadian References
  • Contemporary Authors
  • Dictionary of International Biography
  • International Authors and Writers Who's Who
  • International Who's Who in Poetry
  • Men and Women of Distinction
  • The World's Who's Who of Women

Janis Rapoport's works copyright © to the author.


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