Theatre grads take home the Siminovitch
The Ryerson Theatre School has reason to feel proud, as two alumni recently received a “huge symbolic boost.”
Camellia Koo, who graduated from Ryerson University with her BFA in 1999, was named one of two protégés by Siminovitch Prize Winner Dany Lyne. This is the second time in the past month that Ryerson BFA grads have received national recognition.
“We feel proud of the students,” said theatre school Production and Operations Manager Peter Fleming, “But the faculty and staff share in the triumph.”
Fleming, who remembers Camellia Koo as a student describes her as a wonderful alumni, who hasn’t changed despite her post-graduate success. He worked alongside her this fall when she designed the costumes and sets for the school’s staging of The Caucasian Chalk Circle.
Koo remains humbled by the prestigious opportunity.
“I am very honoured that Dany Lyne considered me as one of her protégés,” she said. “I've learned a lot from working with her because I really love how she approaches narrative and design. And she is not afraid to be bold and to challenge audiences.”
The Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre is Canada’s largest annual theatre award. Along with the joy of being named by the winner of this award as a “designer whose work and commitment I admire very much,” Camellia Koo receives a $12,500 award.
But aside from the money and the apparent honour, what does being a protégé mean? Think of it as a formal recognition for being a superb sidekick, describes Koo.
“I worked very closely with Dany, doing everything from research to model building to drafting to working with the production staff in the shops to realize Dany’s designs,” she explained.
In working closely with the award winning designer, Koo demonstrated meticulous attention to detail, qualities that were noticed by Peter Fleming, as well. But Fleming, who is as proud as a parent would be, remains level-headed about the school’s involvement.
“Good people come in and good people come out,” he said. “The school doesn’t make them great.”
But he credits the university with giving them opportunities and contacts -- both of which Koo benefited from, as she was giving design calls despite not being in a design school.
Koo, for her part, credits the school with seeing her potential, especially her first-year teacher, the late Tony Abrams.
As the name implies, the young protégé shows no sign of slowing down. With works at Soulpepper Theatre on stage now, and shows with George Brown Theatre Company and Singkil with Fu-Gen Asian Canadian Theatre Company at Factory Theatre upcoming, Koo will be at least as busy as she was as a student.
Also honoured with Koo was another former student, Jun-Hye Kim, a 2006 RTS graduate, who received an honourable mention.
“It’s important for the outside world to know what kind of people Ryerson is putting out,” says Fleming.
Now anyone who knows what a Siminovitch Prize is, will be sure to know.
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