East West Players Instructor Leslie Ishii Wins 'Teachers Making A Difference' Award

East West Players (EWP), the nation's premier Asian American Theatre, is proud to announce that Leslie Ishii is one of the winners of the Cherry Blossom Festival 2010 Teachers Making A Difference Award. Ishii is a long-time instructor for EWP, currently teaching Fundamentals of Acting, Voice and Speech, and Studio Lab Project.

Ishii has been an instructor at East West Players for over 18 years, where she has acted, taught, and developed curriculum that empowers Asian American artists. From 1998 to 2007, she taught Drama at University of California, Irvine. Today, she also serves as a teaching artist with Center Theatre Group's Young Audiences program.

The Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates and recognizes teachers by honoring them with this prestigious award. The 2010 Teachers Making A Difference Award is given to teachers who go the extra mile and make a difference in their students' lives. Teachers being honored are also able to effectively interact and communicate with parents, their colleagues and the community.

"Leslie's work with students here at East West Players is transformative. I've witnessed it in many a student," says Marilyn Tokuda, EWP's Arts Education Director. "Her work in voice and speech stems from her desire to empower her students, particularly Asian Americans, by giving them the tools to have strong voices of their own."

Ishii also has a successful acting career, most recently recurring on LOST as Lara Chang and in The New Generation FAME film, through which she portrays strong female characters serving as a positive role model.

The Award Ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 12:30 p.m. at the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Angeles.

As the nation's premier Asian American theatre organization, East West Players produces outstanding works and educational programs that give voice to the Asian Pacific American experience. For more information on East West Players and the Arts Education Program, please contact 213.625.7000 or www.eastwestplayers.org.

Photo Courtesy of Leslie Ishii

 

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