It's been a busy year for Laura Lussier, bilingual actor, director and theatre workshop facilitator. While taking ACI's The Art of Managing Your Career in spring 2011, she was chosen as a member of the French-Canadian delegation for l'Association des théâtres francophones du Canada's training program on creating theatre for young children 1 to 3 years old. Along with some 13 other Canadian and European theatre artists, Laura travelled to international theatre festivals in France, Québec and Belgium to watch and learn from international artists specializing in theatre for very young audiences. This incredibly enriching and prejudice-shattering experience led to Laura travelling to Ottawa in September to receive the Power Corporation of Canada Prize 2011 from La fondation pour l'avancement du théâtre francophone au Canada for a new creation entitled La chasse aux étoiles. The funds from the prize will allow her to go to Montréal to work with puppeteer Julie Desrosiers and to collaborate with Manitoban dancer and choreographer Andrée Lavergne, among other local artists who will be involved in the project.

Currently, Laura is appearing in the role of Janet Hawkins in Boeing Boeing at Le Théâtre Cercle Molière until December 10, 2011. The Winnipeg Free Press gave the production 4 out of 5 stars, hailing Laura as ''... a major focus of comic energy.'' When not performing, she travels to schools across the province, teaching theatre workshops to students from grades 6 to 12 for la Division scolaire franco-manitobaine and Le Théâtre du Grand Cercle du Cercle Molière. She is also in rehearsals for Marc Prescott's new bilingual creation Les Disparus which will run at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre from January 26 to February 4, 2012. Watch out for Laura on screen in the role of Stephanie-Faith in Episode 209 of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (Space, MuchMusic, Comedy) which will air in late December.

2012 is already packed with exciting projects for Laura! Film shoots, acting gigs, three directing projects and over 50 theatre workshops in schools across Manitoba are in the works.

For full details about this local artist, visit www.lauralussier.com