Theater critic, writer and actor Jerry Wasserman is that this 12 months’s winner of the Max Wyman Award in Crucial Writing.
The annual award acknowledges crucial commentary on the visible, performing and literary arts within the province of British Columbia.
It goals to have fun knowledgeable and compelling writing that stimulates crucial considering, promotes ongoing dialogue in regards to the position of arts and tradition in up to date society, and demonstrates the worth of inventive commentary in our understanding of the world round us.
The winner will obtain a $5,000 prize and a gold and emerald pin designed by Vancouver artist Robert Chaplin. A mentee, named by the laureate, will obtain a $1,000 prize. This 12 months’s mentee is Angie Rico, an rising author and media artist.
The award was established in 2017 by philanthropist Yosef Wosk to honor the profession and lifelong contributions of Vancouver writer, artwork critic and commentator Max Wyman. It acknowledges writers who’ve amassed a major physique of labor. Matters of criticism included embody the visible arts, structure and design, theatre, literature, dance, music, movie and tv, in addition to extra basic cultural commentary.
Jerry Wasserman started working as a theater critic on nationwide radio CBC within the mid-Nineteen Eighties and broadcast weekly critiques on Vancouver radio. The Afternoon Present from 1987-2003. He has since served as a theater critic The province and presently the Vancouver Solar. About 400 of his articles and critiques have appeared in these newspapers. Since 2004, his web site, www.vancouverplays.com, has been visited greater than 1.6 million instances. He taught English and Theater on the College of British Columbia for greater than 4 a long time and was head of the Division of Theater and Movie from 2007 to 2012. His performing resume consists of appearances for the Arts Membership, Playhouse, Metropolis Stage, Westcoast Actors, New Play Centre, United Gamers and Western Gold Theatre, and greater than 200 movie and TV appearances, from The X-Information, look who’s right here To speak And Empathize Disagreeable Me, Robotic, Guardians And The final of us.
The jury quotation reads: “Jerry Wasserman’s outstanding profession in some ways embodies the objectives of this award. His a long time as a trainer and as a performer give his writing in regards to the theater a sympathetic and considerate understanding expressed in language that’s energetic, direct and deeply knowledgeable. The jury was unanimous in appreciating how he has inspired and strengthened a broader appreciation for the wealth of Vancouver’s arts scene and the skills of those that make that wealth potential – each by way of his print and media critiques and thru his web site, which is a constant supply of data and significant context on all issues theater in Vancouver.”
Yosef Wosk famous, “Jerry Wasserman’s voice has been a gentle and trusted supply of data and context in regards to the Vancouver theater scene for many years. He views criticism and commentary as an integral a part of the cultural cloth, and sees the position of the critic not as an antagonist of the performer and creator, however as a collaborator. I’m very joyful that he can obtain this award.”
Earlier winners of the Wyman Prize embody Dorothy Woodend, arts editor of the net journal The Tyeefreelance artwork critic Robin Laurence and writer, critic and former UBC gallery director Scott Watson.
