Norman Yeung
Represented by: Meaghan Denomme- Bio
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Bio
Norman is a writer, actor, and visual artist whose work is devoted to creating opportunities for underrepresented people. Current screenwriting projects include the feature screenplay Rowds, which was workshopped at the Loughborough Lake Writer’s Retreat (Mongrel Media/Crow’s Theatre) and is currently being adapted into a series; creating and developing the series Blood Rush (The Black List’s Top List, quarterfinalist for WeScreenplay Diverse Voices); and adapting his award-winning play Theory into a feature film.
Films he has written and directed include Anne Darling, Hello Faye, Marnie Love, and Light 01, which have screened at international film festivals, on Movieola Channel, Mini Movie International Channel (Europe), and on Air Canada. He was Second Unit Director on The Tracey Fragments, a feature film directed by Bruce McDonald and starring Elliot Page. Awards for his filmmaking include the Norman Jewison Filmmaker Award and Jack Kuper Award for Filmmaking.
His play Theory premiered at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto and had an American premiere by Mosaic Theater Company of Washington, D.C. Theory won The Voaden Prize, was nominated for the Carol Bolt Award, and is published by Playwrights Canada Press. Pu-Erh received four Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations, including Outstanding New Play, and was a finalist for The Voaden Prize. Other plays and performance pieces include The Zoonotic Story (Stratford Festival/National Arts Centre), I Know I’m Supposed to Love You (Touchstone Theatre), Deirdre Dear (LaBute New Theater Festival, St. Louis), In this moment. (Scotiabank Nuit Blanche), and Black Blood (Tapestry New Opera Showcase, with composer Christiaan Venter). Theory and Ms. Desjardins were recorded as audio dramas for PlayME/CBC Podcasts. He is Playwright in Residence at Outside the March to write Eunuch X Pirate (winner of a Tyrone Guthrie Award at Stratford Festival) and is writing a new work under commission by Crow’s Theatre. He has been a member of playwright/creator units at Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, fu-GEN Theatre Company, Tapestry Opera, and Canadian Stage.
As an actor he has performed at Stratford Festival, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Calgary, Citadel Theatre, Touchstone Theatre, Theatre Orangeville, Drayton Entertainment, Thousand Islands Playhouse, LA Opera, Theatre Conspiracy, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, Firehall Arts Centre, Gateway Theatre, and more. Among many roles in film and TV, favourites include a supporting role in Resident Evil: Afterlife and a series regular role in Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.
A graffiti writer since 1993, his urban art could be found under bridges, on freight trains, behind warehouses, in transit tunnels, and on living room walls, from New York City to Brisbane. He has exhibited his paintings and drawings in such venues as FRCP/Galerie Youn (Montreal), Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), Art Gallery of Mississauga, Board of Directors (Toronto), and curcioprojects (New York City). Painting and illustration clients include LVMH, Bruce Mau Design, National Film Board of Canada, MTV, CBC, Eye Weekly, Rice Paper Magazine, and many more. He was featured on CBC Radio 3’s “MAKE: Next Generation Canadian Creators”, CBC’s ZeD TV, MuchMusic, MTV, and in numerous publications and documentaries.
Norman’s work as an actor and writer is featured in the books Reading Wide Awake: Politics, Pedagogies, and Possibilities by Patrick Shannon, and Voices Rising: Asian Canadian Cultural Activism by Xiaoping Li. Speaking engagements include New York University about his play Theory, Central Technical School (Toronto) about urban art, Lord Byng Secondary School (Vancouver) about a career in the arts, and The Humanitas Festival (Toronto) about inclusivity in media. He received a Toronto Clean and Beautiful City Appreciation Award for his mural work. He was a playwriting mentor for the Paprika Festival (Toronto) in 2011 and 2015.
Norman was a finalist for the Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, and has received multiple grants from Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council. He holds an Honours BFA in Film from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a BFA in Acting/Theatre from University of British Columbia. Norman was born in Guangzhou, grew up in Vancouver, and is based in Toronto.
Resume
SCREENWRITER
IN DEVELOPMENT
ROWDS
Series/feature film
Workshopped at Loughborough Lake Writer’s Retreat (Mongrel Media/Crow’s Theatre)
BLOOD RUSH
Series
The Black List’s Top List and Coverfly’s Red List; Quarterfinalist for WeScreenplay Diverse Voices
THEORY
Feature film adaptation of the award-winning play
WRITER & DIRECTOR (selected)
ANNE DARLING (2016)
Director / Writer / Actor
Soho House Film Festival – Toronto, 2017; DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival – Washington, DC, 2016; Asians On Film Festival, 2016 – Best Cinematography (Catherine Lutes); NSI (National Screen Institute) Film Festival – Canada, 2016
HELLO FAYE (2006)
Director / Writer
Mini Movie International Channel – Europe, 2009 (Television Premiere); Vancouver Asian Film Festival, 2007; Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, 2007 (Premiere); Norman Jewison Filmmaker Award; William F. White Production Grant; Kodak Canada Film Stock Grant
MARNIE LOVE (2005)
Director / Writer
Air Canada on-flight entertainment, 2008; Movieola: The Short Film Channel, 2007 (Television Premiere; Student Shorts Film Festival – Toronto, 2006; Moving Pictures Film Festival – Canadian National Tour, 2005/2006; Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, 2005; Vancouver Asian Film Festival, 2005
Calgary International Film Festival, 2005 (Premiere); Jack Kuper Award for Filmmaking; Technicolour Award for Cinematography (Sarah Kolasky); Jury Honourable Mention, Vancouver Asian Film Festival 2005
PLAYWRIGHT
FULL-LENGTH PLAYS
Untitled
New work-in-progress commissioned by Crow’s Theatre
EUNUCH X PIRATE
Work-in-progress; Ontario Arts Council Playwright in Residence at Outside the March; Tyrone Guthrie Award at the Stratford Festival; OAC Recommender Grants from fu-GEN Theatre, Modern Times, Outside the March, Soulpepper; Tarragon; toronto Arts Council Grant
THEORY
Productions:
Atlas Performing Arts Center (Washington, DC, 2019) – Produced by Mosaic Theater Company of Washington, DC / Directed by Victoria Murray Baati
Tarragon Theatre (Toronto, 2018) – Produced by Tarragon Theatre / Directed by Esther Jun
Tremors Festival (Vancouver, 2018) – Produced by Rumble Theatre / Directed by Mily Mumford
PlayME/CBC (2016) – Audio Drama – Produced by Expect Theatre / Directed by Esther Jun
FireWorks Series (Toronto, 2013) – Produced by Alumnae Theatre / Directed by Joanne Williams SummerWorks Performance Festival (Toronto, 2010) – Produced by Public Radio & Camera Assembly / Directed by Joanne Williams
Staged Readings:
Studio 180, directed by Esther Jun (Toronto, 2018); Safe Words Festival, directed by Jiv Parasram (Toronto, 2017); Soulpepper/Tiger Bamboo Festival, directed by Esther Jun (Toronto, 2016); Queen’s University/The Voaden Prize, directed by Esther Jun (Kingston, 2016); Alumnae Theatre/New Ideas Festival, directed by Joanne Williams (Toronto, 2010)
Awards:
Published by Playwrights Canada Press
The Voaden Prize – First Prize
Carol Bolt Award – Nominee
Safe Words New Canadian Play Award – Finalist
SummerWorks/National Theatre School Award for Set Design (Camellia Koo) – 2010 production
PU-ERH
Productions:
Theatre Passe Muraille (Toronto, 2010) – Produced by k’Now Theatre / Directed by Keira Loughran
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (Richmond Hill, 2010) – Produced by k’Now Theatre / Directed by Keira Loughran
SummerWorks Performance Festival (Toronto, 2005)
Produced by Stage One Productions / Directed by Keira Loughran
Staged Readings:
fu-GEN Theatre Company/Potluck Festival, directed by Keira Loughran (Toronto, 2008); Harbourfront Centre/Dim Sum Festival, directed by Nina Lee Aquino (Toronto, 2005); Factory Theatre/CrossCurrents/ Potluck Festival, directed by Keira Loughran (Toronto, 2005)
Awards:
Dora Mavor Moore Award – Nominee: Outstanding New Play (Norman Yeung), Outstanding Direction (Keira Loughran), Outstanding Male Performer (John Ng), Outstanding Lighting Design (Arun Srinivasan)
The Voaden Prize – Finalist
ONE-ACT AND SHORT PLAYS
I KNOW I’M SUPPOSED TO LOVE YOU
Seismic Shift (Vancouver, 2020) – Produced by Touchstone Theatre / Directed by Daniela Atiencia
THE ZOONOTIC STORY
The Transformations Project (2020) – Audio Drama – Produced by Stratford Festival & National Arts Centre / Directed by Sadie Berlin
UBER FOR MICAH
Fearless (Toronto, 2019) – Produced by fu-GEN Theatre Company
MS. DESJARDINS
PlayME/CBC (2017) – Audio Drama – Produced by Expect Theatre / Directed by Laura Mullin & Chris Tolley
DEIRDRE DEAR
Neil LaBute Theater Festival (St. Louis, 2015) – Produced by St. Louis Actors’ Studio / Directed by Patrick Huber
Potluck Festival (Toronto, 2014) – Produced by fu-GEN Theatre Company / Directed by Andrew Cheng
YOU CAN ASK ME HOW I’M DOING
New Ideas Festival (Toronto, 2015) – Produced by Alumnae Theatre / Directed by Meg Moran
Potluck Festival (Toronto, 2014) – Produced by fu-GEN Theatre Company / Directed by Jiv Parasram
IN THIS MOMENT.
World Theatre Day (Toronto, 2014) – Directed by David Yee
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche (Toronto, 2012) – Produced by Theatre Local / Directed by Norman Yeung
BLACK BLOOD
Tapestry New Opera Showcase (Toronto, 2012) – Produced by Tapestry Opera / Directed by Michael Mori; Composed by Christiaan Venter
Paprika Festival (Toronto, 2012) – Produced by Tapestry Opera / Directed by Michael Mori; Composed by Christiaan Venter
OOLONG
Potluck Festival (Toronto, 2010) – Produced by fu-GEN Theatre Company / Directed by Nina Lee Aquino
MANDY PANDA
Over the Top Festival (Toronto, 2009) – Directed by Norman Yeung
The Tranzac Club (Toronto, 2007 – Produced by Birdtown & Swanville / Directed by Norman Yeung
LICHTENSTEIN’S AN 8
Rhubarb Festival (Toronto, 2008) – Produced by Buddies in Bad Times Theatre / Directed by Norman Yeung
JASMINE
SummerWorks Performance Festival (Toronto, 2007) – Produced by Public Radio & Camera Assembly / Directed by Keira Loughran
GRANTS
Ontario Arts Council Playwright in Residence at Outside the March (Toronto, 2021)
Canada Council for the Arts (multiple)
Ontario Arts Council (multiple)
Toronto Arts Council (multiple)
William F. White Grant
Kodak Canada Grant
AWARDS / WORTHY OF MENTION
Tyrone Guthrie Award Winner at the Stratford Festival
Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize Finalist
Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition (The Voaden Prize) First Prize for “Theory”
Carol Bolt Award Nominee for “Theory”: Best work by a Playwrights Guild of Canada member that has premiered in the past year
Safe Words New Canadian Play Award Finalist for “Theory”
Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominee for “Pu-Erh”: Outstanding New Play
Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition (The Voaden Prize) Finalist for “Pu-Erh”
Norman Jewison Filmmaker Award
Jack Kuper Award for Filmmaking
Jury Honourable Mention at Vancouver Asian Film Festival for “Marnie Love” (writer/director)
TRAINING
BFA Film Studies (Honours) – Toronto Metropolitan University
BFA Acting/Theatre – University of British Columbia
Member of Stratford Festival Playwrights Retreat, 2019
Member of Tarragon Theatre Playwrights Unit, 2017-2018
Member of fu-GEN Theatre Company Playwrights Unit, 2013-2014, 2009-2010, 2004-2005
Tapestry New Opera – Composer-Librettist Laboratory (LibLab, for libretto), 2011
Member of Canadian Stage’s BASH! Artist Development Program, 2006-2007
