Diane Flacks

{{Short description|Canadian comedic actress, screenwriter and playwright}}

{{Infobox person

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| name = Diane Flacks

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| birth_place = Lachine, Quebec, Canada

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| occupation = Writer, actor

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| children = 2

| nationality = Canadian

| website = {{URL|https://www.dianeflacks.com/}}

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

Early life and education

Flacks was raised in the Jewish faith. Her early education took place in Jewish parochial schools.{{Cite web|url=https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/artist-perspective/religion-open-women/|title=Is Religion Open to Women?|last=Flacks|first=Diane|date=2017-01-20|website=Intermission|access-date=2018-06-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://forward.com/sisterhood/133620/writer-and-actress-diane-flacks-on-how-it-gets-bet/|title=Writer and Actress Diane Flacks on How "It Gets Better"|last=Ghert-Zand|first=Renee|date=2010-12-03|work=Forward|access-date=2018-06-30}} Flacks studied drama at Leah Posluns Institute in Toronto.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0280817/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm|title=Diane Flacks Biography|date=2018|website=Internet Movie Database|access-date=2018-06-30}} At twenty seven years old, she came out as a lesbian.

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.{{Cite news|url=https://nowtoronto.com/buddies/bad-times-buddies-diane-flacks/|title=Bad Time Buddies: Diane Flacks|date=2017-11-01|work=NOW Toronto|access-date=2018-06-30}} 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 theatre. Flacks' early works include three one-woman stage shows that she wrote and performed herself: Myth Me (1991), By a Thread (1997),{{Cite web|url=https://www.dianeflacks.com/by-a-thread|title=By a Thread: Diane Flacks|date=2018|access-date=2018-06-30}} and Random Acts (1997).{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/legit/reviews/random-acts-1117340116/|title=Random Acts|last=Friedlander|first=Mira|date=1997-12-20|work=Variety|access-date=2018-06-30}} She co-created the Chalmers Canadian Play Award-nominated Theory of Relatives with Daniel Brooks, Leah Cherniak, Richard Greenblatt, Leslie Lester, and Allan Merovit.{{Cite news|last=Chapman|first=Geoff|date=1994-03-08|title=One-man show in running for Chalmers play prize|page=F5|work=Toronto Star|via=ProQuest}} She wrote Gravity Calling (1995) directed by Richard Greenblatt,{{Cite web|url=http://www.tarragontheatre.com/show/gravity-calling/|title=Gravity Calling|date=2018|website=Tarragon Theatre|access-date=2018-06-30}} co-wrote Sibs (2000) with Richard Greenblatt,{{Cite web|url=https://mqlit.ca/plays/sibs/|title=Sibs|date=2018|website=Marquis Literary|access-date=2018-06-30}} and wrote Waiting Room (2015) directed by Richard Greenblatt.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tarragontheatre.com/show/waiting-room/|title=Waiting Room|date=2015|website=Tarragon Theatre|access-date=2018-06-30}} In 2000, Flacks performed in Smudge, a play in one act written by Alex Bulmer and directed by Alisa Palmer.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2000/legit/reviews/smudge-2-1200465900/|title=Smudge|last=Crew|first=Robert|date=2000-12-10|work=Variety|access-date=2018-06-30}}

In 2009, Flacks wrote and performed in the play based on her book Bear With Me, directed by Kelly Thornton.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/Nightwood-Offers-Toronto-Premiere-of-BEAR-WITH-ME-17-20090107|title=Nightwood Offers Toronto Premiere of 'BEAR WITH ME' 1/7|last=Lawrence|first=Mark Andrew|date=2009-01-07|website=Broadway World|access-date=2018-06-30}}

In 2012, Flacks wrote the award-winning play Luba, Simply Luba for Ukrainian Canadian comedian Luba Goy.{{Cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/stage/theatre/luba-simply-luba/|title=Luba, Simply Luba: simply fine|last=Fein-Goldbach|first=Debbie|date=2012-05-17|website=NOW Toronto|access-date=2018-06-30}} In 2017, she wrote and performed in Unholy (2017).{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2017/01/19/unholy-a-passionate-debate-about-women-and-religion-review.html|title=Unholy a passionate debate about women and religion: review.|last=Maga|first=Carly|date=2017-01-19|work=The Star|access-date=2018-06-30}}

Flacks has regularly performed at the Tarragon Theatre and the collective feminist Nightwood Theatre in Toronto.{{Cite journal|last=Scott|first=Shelley|date=1997|title=Collective creation and the changing mandate of Nightwood Theatre.|url=https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/tric/article/view/7129/8188|journal=Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches Théâtrales Au Canada|volume=18|issue=2}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tarragon-theatre/|title=Tarragon Theatre|last=Garebian|first=Keith|last2=Kareda|first2=Urjo|date=2008-09-03|website=Historica Canada|access-date=2018-06-30}} 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).{{Cite web|url=https://taggmagazine.com/portrait-of-a-serial-monogamist/|title=Portrait of a Serial Monogamist: A Coming-of-Middle-Age Film We Can All Relate To|last=Salazar|first=Jade|date=2016-02-09|website=taggmagazine|access-date=2018-06-30}} Prior to this, Flacks had performed as the main character's guardian angel in the sex comedy Too Much Sex (2000).{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0216292/|title=Too Much Sex|date=2018|website=Internet Movie Database|access-date=2018-06-30}}

= 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4919930/fullcredits|title=Baroness Von Sketch Show|date=2018|website=Internet Movie Database|access-date=2018-06-30}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dianeflacks.com/radio|title=Diane Flacks: Radio|date=2018|website=Diane Flacks|access-date=2018-06-30}}

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 honours

1994-1995 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program for the television show The Kids in the Hall{{Cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/bios/diane-flacks|title=Diane Flacks|website=The Emmys|access-date=2018-06-30}}
2014 Kobzar Literary Award in collaboration with Andrey Tarasiuk and Luba Goy for the play Luba, Simply Luba{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2014/03/06/luba_goy_wins_kobzar_literary_award.html |title=Luba Goy wins Kobzar Literary Award |work=The Star |author=Leslie Ferenc |date=March 6, 2014 |access-date=May 28, 2014}}

Personal life

Flacks was married to Janis Purdy and is now divorced. They have two children. Her older son received a Jewish education.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/tapestry/reconciling-religion-and-sexuality-1.4291548/lesbian-actor-and-orthodox-rabbi-address-the-elephant-in-the-room-1.4291566|title=Lesbian actor and Orthodox rabbi address the elephant in the room.|date=2017-09-15|work=CBC Radio|access-date=2018-06-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.interfaithfamily.com/relationships/gay_relationships/same-sex_interfaith_and_procreating/|title=Same-Sex, Interfaith and Procreating|last=Goldberg|first=Susan|date=2012-03-12|website=Interfaith Family: Supporting Interfaith Families Exploring Jewish Life|access-date=2018-06-30|archive-date=July 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701072154/https://www.interfaithfamily.com/relationships/gay_relationships/same-sex_interfaith_and_procreating/|url-status=dead}}