RIOT is an annual "off-the-wall" comedy revue which was first produced in 1950 and which involved members of the general Ryerson community. An acronym for the University's original name (Ryerson Institute of Technology), RIOT helped promote Ryerson in its early years, thanks in part to the innovative advertising done by students throughout the city. As the (incomplete) list of information below indicates, RIOT was held at various times during the academic ear. Its main venue was Ryerson although it was held off-campus during certain years. Today, RIOT is produced at Ryerson, in February of each year. In 1958, RIOT was cancelled, apparently as a result of a decision by the Alumni Federation Committee to cancel Homecoming Weekend (RIOT was to have been a part of the planned activites --Ryersonian 30Sep58). In 1962, the RIOT production was not well-received because of objectionable content and poor taste. Because of the problems and criticisms it encountered, there was talk of abandoning the show in 1963. However, RIOT survived after it was decided to place it under the jurisdiction of a special Student Administrative Council (SAC) committee. In 1964, the RIOT production, slated to be held in the Fall of 1963, was postponed to the Spring of 1964 because of the construction of a new auditorium (the Ryerson Theatre). However, RIOT '64 was never held. The annual RIOT production continued regularly until 1976 when it was cancelled due to a lack of student spirit and involvement. The revue was revived in 1980. At some point in time, RIOT ceased to involve the general Ryerson community and, as is the case today, became a production of students in the Radio and Television Arts Program. -------------------------- RIOT Productions RIOT '50 Spring 1950 Ryerson RIOT '51 Spring 1951 Ryerson RIOT '52 Spring 1952 Ryerson RIOT '53 Spring 1953 Leaside High School RIOT '54 Spring 1954 Leaside High School RIOT '55 Spring 1955 Central Technical School RIOT '56 December 1955 Northern Vocational School RIOT '57 November 1957 Ryerson RIOT '58 ----------------Not held------------------ RIOT '59 March 1959 Ryerson RIOT '60 November 1959 Riverdale Auditorium RIOT '61 November 1960 Lansdowne Theatre RIOT '62 November 1961 Lansdowne Theatre RIOT '63 November 1962 Ryerson RIOT '64 ----------------Not held------------------ RIOT '65 January 1965 Ryerson RIOT '66 November 1965 Ryerson RIOT '67 January 1967 Ryerson RIOT '68 January 1968 Ryerson RIOT '69 February 1969 Ryerson RIOT '70 February 1970 Ryerson RIOT '71 February 1971 Ryerson RIOT '72 February 1972 Ryerson ------------------------- The RIOT Collection contains: scripts, programmes, budgets, reports, posters, notices, photographs, slides, videos, films, audio reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes, a phonograph record, artifacts, button, newspaper clippings, etc. Originally, the RIOT Collection was organized by year as documentation files in filing cabinets. These files included both secondary-source and primary-source material. When the documentation files were re-organized, it was decided to transfer the RIOT files to a newly-formed RIOT record group and maintain them in their original format, on an indefinite basis (collection record 215-1). With the donation of 1.2 meters of RIOT memorabilia by Ryerson alumni for the special RIOT reunion in 1995 (see collection record 215-3), new sub-series were established for certain materials by combining the newly-received items with similar items in 215-1. Other primary-source records such as programs, tickets, correspondence, notices and photographs remain in 215-1. Eventually, these records will be removed from 215-1 and placed in their own sub-series. It is also planned to establish a master finding aid which will indicate whatrecords