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Marty Chan
Raised in Morinville – a
small town north of Edmonton, Alberta – Marty Chan is a playwright, radio writer, television
story editor, and young adult author. Marty graduated from the University
of Alberta in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (English Major/Drama
Minor). He fell into improv comedy when he joined Edmonton Theatresports,
but his paralyzing stage fright resulted in “penguin arm” acting,
forcing him to abandon performing and take up writing.
His signature play, Mom,
Dad, I’m Living With A White Girl, has been produced across Canada,
published three times, and broadcast as a radio drama. The stage play
won an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Best New Work and the Adams
Chinese Theatre Award at Harvard University. In October 2004, the play
had a successful Off Broadway run in New York.
Marty was a regular contributor
to CBC Radio Edmonton from 1994 to 2000. His weekly commentary series,
“The Dim Sum Diaries,” recounted his misadventures as the only Chinese
kid in a small prairie town. These weekly commentaries were adapted
into a half-hour television program (“The Orange Seed Myth”) which
won a Gold Medal for Best Television Pilot at the Charleston World Film
and Television Festival, and earned Marty a Gemini nomination for best
writing in a children’s program.
In 2004, Thistledown Press
launched Marty’s first young adult novel, The Mystery of the Frozen
Brains, which has become a hit with young readers across Canada.
Resource Links magazine rated listed it as one of the Best Books
of 2004 for grades 3 to 6.
Marty was the first playwright
in residence at the Citadel Theatre. He also served as Chair of the
Edmonton Arts Council and taught playwriting at the U of A. He received
an Arts Achievement Award and a Performance Award from the City of Edmonton.
He also earned a Horizon Award from the University for his contributions
to theatre.
Currently, Marty resides in
Edmonton with his wife Michelle and their two cats, Buddy and Max.
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