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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:20.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>UW Drama Presents <i>DISSOCIA </i>at Open Ears<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>This multimedia production, written by Adam Cowart, directed by Andy Houston, with music and sound by Nancy Tam, film and video design by Mark Walton, scenography and design by Scott Spidell, has emerged from the research undertaken by a group of dramaturgy students at the University of Waterloo and will be presented at 29 King Street East (downstairs) on April 28, 29, 30 and May 1 at 5pm.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>DISSOCIA</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'> examines the role that addiction plays in the ‘performance’ of everyday consumerism. The title refers to dissociative states of being and what happens when a person compartmentalizes his or her life into various activities so that addictive, abusive or other unethical activity is effectively concealed from the person's sense of self in the other compartments. This is what happens when people become addicted to gambling, shopping, sex, exercise, drugs, alcohol, work, and other activities – that become diversions from self-awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>The show focuses on digital gambling addiction, but it approaches this issue through the idea that gambling as an exploitative business is not unlike other businesses that claim to provide entertainment – for a price.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>Through the use of a soundscape and digital imagery, the play becomes part reality, part reality TV and part mythology. We see the stories of a casino owner and his son, two daughters of a gambler, and a woman who commits suicide in the washroom of the casino while a staff member tries to 'help'. There is a pronounced focus here on the root cause of addictive behaviour, mostly in the absence of loved ones or other traumatic rupture, such as the loss of a family member.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>One of the most traumatic betrayals, based in part on a true story, is that of a father whose gambling addiction leads him to exploit his youngest daughter in order to serve his addiction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>This play examines how our society is slowly becoming addicted to immediate gratification, delivered digitally to us in so many forms. This is <i>DISSOCIA</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>Seating is limited for this production, so get your tickets early. Visit or call the Open Ears Box Office at 519.579.8564 or go to www.openears.ca. Tickets are $20, $10 and $5 (eyeGO).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#2A2A2A'>The creators of <i>DISSOCIA</i> wish to acknowledge the generous support and guidance of Dr. Kevin Harrigan and the Problem Gambling Research Team at the University of Waterloo. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>