Diane Flacks

Diane Flacks is a Canadian comedic actress, screenwriter and playwright.

Diane Flacks
Born
Lachine, Quebec
NationalityCanadian
OccupationWriter, actor
Children2
WebsiteDiane Flacks

Early life and education

Flacks was raised in the Jewish faith. Her early education took place in Jewish parochial schools.[1][2] Flacks studied drama at Leah Posluns Institute in Toronto.[3] At twenty seven years old, she came out as a lesbian.[2]

Career

Flacks began her acting career as a child, in a touring production of Cinderella where she played both the wicked stepmother and fairy godmother.[4] As an adult, she has worked in Canadian and U.S. television, radio, news, and film before becoming an independent performance artist, playwright, and writer.

Theater

It appears that Flacks started her official career in media with theater. Flacks' early works include three one-woman stage shows that she wrote and performed herself: Myth Me (1991), By a Thread (1997),[5] and Random Acts (1997).[6] She co-created the Chalmers Canadian Play Award-nominated Theory of Relatives with Daniel Brooks, Leah Cherniak, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, and Allan Merovit.[7] She wrote Gravity Calling (1995) directed by Richard Greenblatt,[8] co-wrote Sibs (2000) with Richard Greenblatt,[9] and wrote Waiting Room (2015) directed by Richard Greenblatt.[10] In 2000, Flacks performed in Smudge, a play in one act written by Alex Bulmer and directed by Alisa Palmer.[11]

In 2009, Flacks wrote and performed in the play based on her book Bear With Me, directed by Kelly Thornton.[12]

In 2012, Flacks wrote the award winning play Luba, Simply Luba for Ukrainian Canadian comedian Luba Goy.[13] In 2017, she wrote and performed in Unholy (2017).[14]

Flacks has regularly performed at the Tarragon Theatre and the collective feminist Nightwood Theatre in Toronto.[15][16] She served twice on the Nightwood Theatre board of directors.

Film

Flacks' best known performance is in the leading role of the lesbian film Portrait of a Serial Monogamist (2015).[17] Prior to this, Flacks had performed as the main character's guardian angel in the sex comedy Too Much Sex (2000).[18]

Television

In the 1990s Flacks wrote for The Kids in the Hall and was twice nominated for an Emmy for her work. Flacks began acting on television in 2001 in the comedy series The Broad Side. She has co-written and starred in numerous television series since then, including P.R., Behind the Scenes and Listen Missy. In 2016, Flacks wrote six episodes for the Baroness Von Sketch Show.[19] She has also acted in episodes of Walter Ego and Moose TV.

Writing

In 2005, MacMillan Stewart published Flacks' first book Bear With Me, about Flacks' personal experience with pregnancy and new motherhood. In 2007, Flacks became a featured columnist with the Toronto Star.

Radio

Flacks is a regular contributor for the CBC Radio show Definitely Not the Opera. For almost eight years she has also worked as a CBC Radio National Parenting columnist.[20]

Recurring themes

In her own works, Flacks explores themes of Jewish identity, the relationship between women and religion, lesbian relationships, pregnancy, serious medical issues, and motherhood.

Awards and honors

Personal life

Flacks was married to Janis Purdy and is now divorced. They have two children.[2] Her older son received a Jewish education.[23][24]

References
  1. Flacks, Diane (January 20, 2017). "Is Religion Open to Women?". Intermission. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  2. Ghert-Zand, Renee (December 3, 2010). "Writer and Actress Diane Flacks on How "It Gets Better"". Forward. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  3. "Diane Flacks Biography". International Movie Database. 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  4. "Bad Time Buddies: Diane Flacks". NOW Toronto. November 1, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  5. "By a Thread: Diane Flacks". 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  6. Friedlander, Mira (December 20, 1997). "Random Acts". Variety. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  7. Chapman, Geoff (March 8, 1994). "One-man show in running for Chalmers play prize". Toronto Star. p. F5 – via ProQuest.
  8. "Gravity Calling". Tarragon Theatre. 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  9. "Sibs". Marquis Literary. 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  10. "Waiting Room". Tarragon Theatre. 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  11. Crew, Robert (December 10, 2000). "Smudge". Variety. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  12. Lawrence, Mark Andrew (January 7, 2009). "Nightwood Offers Toronto Premiere of 'BEAR WITH ME' 1/7". Broadway World. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  13. Fein-Goldbach, Debbie (May 17, 2012). "Luba, Simply Luba: simply fine". NOW Toronto. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  14. Maga, Carly (January 19, 2017). "Unholy a passionate debate about women and religion: review". The Star. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  15. Scott, Shelley (1997). "Collective creation and the changing mandate of Nightwood Theatre". Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches Théâtrales Au Canada. 18 (2).
  16. Garebian, Keith; Kareda, Urjo (September 3, 2008). "Tarragon Theatre". Historica Canada. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  17. Salazar, Jade (February 9, 2016). "Portrait of a Serial Monogamist: A Coming-of-Middle-Age Film We Can All Relate To". taggmagazine. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  18. "Too Much Sex". International Movie Database. 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  19. "Baroness Von Sketch Show". International Movie Database. 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  20. "Diane Flacks: Radio". Diane Flacks. 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  21. "Diane Flacks". The Emmys. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  22. Leslie Ferenc (March 6, 2014). "Luba Goy wins Kobzar Literary Award". The Star. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  23. "Lesbian actor and Orthodox rabbi address the elephant in the room". CBC Radio. September 15, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  24. Goldberg, Susan (March 12, 2012). "Same-Sex, Interfaith and Procreating". Interfaith Family: Supporting Interfaith Families Exploring Jewish Life. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
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