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.