Canadian theatre recognizes Asian artists

The Chalmers Awards and their hefty $25,000 checques were disbursed on Monday, May 24, after which the Toronto indie theatre community regrouped at Ted's Wrecking Yard for the underground 5th annual Harold Awards.

Named in honor of the ultimate small theatre fan, Harold Kandel, these awards recognize unrecognized contribution to the Toronto theatre scene -- artists, administrators, and on occasion fans such as Harold. Past recepients include Daniel McIvor, Sarah Stanley, David Duclos, Bianca Jacobs, Richard Feren, Daniel Brooks, ahdri zhina mandiela, Maxine Bailey, Alisa Palmer and Josie LeGrice.

Two artists of color were awarded Harolds this year. M. Nourbese Philips, playwright, novelist and poet. Her play Coups and Calypsos was staged last year by Cahoots Theatre Projects.

Jean Yoon was also honored to receive a Harold -- the first yellow artist to be Harolded since its inception in 1994 -- in recognition of her work at Theatre Ontario, Cahoots Theatre Projects and as an independent actor, writer and cultural consultant since 1991.

As well, the Toronto Dora Mavor Moore Awards nominations were announced yesterday. Independent dancer/choreographer YVONNE NG scored TWO nominations for Performance in Dance for _My Past Follows Like a Dragon's Tail_ and for _Tree House_.

Choreographer PETER CHIN was nominated for best New Choreography for his piece _Red Line_.

_Noran Bang: The Yellow Room_, by M.J. KANG, produced by CAHOOTS THEATRE PROJECTS, was nominated in the Independent Theatre category for best New Play/Musical.

JUMPING MOUSE, co-written by Columpa Bob and MARION DE VRIES, was nominated for Best Production in the Theatre for Young Audiences Category. de Vries dramaturged and directed the first Cahoots workshop production of Noran Bang, and also claims dramaturical and directing credits on SLIDING FOR HOME & BORDERS (Jean Yoon, Loud Mouth Asian Babes). She was the Artistic Director of Cahoots for several years and oversaw the first production of the successful comedy MOM, DAD I'M LIVING WITH A WHITE GIRL, by Marty Chan. Marion babysat the ensuing debt and saved the company several times over.

The 19th Annual Dora Awards will be handed out June 22 at the St. Lawrence Centre.

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