Sandra Shamas
Encyclopedia
Sandra Shamas is a Canadian
comedic actress and writer.
The oldest of three children born to Lebanese
immigrants, Shamas left home at age 17 and moved to Toronto
, where she held a variety of jobs before a workshop at The Second City
inspired her to pursue a career in performing arts. She acted with Second City and Theatresports
, and worked as a puppeteer on the children's series Fraggle Rock
before deciding to strike out on her own.
In 1987, she applied to the Edmonton Fringe Festival
to perform her first show, My Boyfriend's Back and There's Gonna Be Laundry. The show, a mixture of personal stories drawn from her own life and observational humour about dating and relationships, was accepted and became the smash hit of the festival, and soon Shamas was on tour performing the show across the country.
In 1989, Shamas began performing the sequel, My Boyfriend's Back and There's Gonna Be Laundry II: The Cycle Continues. A third show, Wedding Bell Hell, dealing with wedding rituals such as the bridal shower and selection of the wedding rings and dress, made its debut in 1991.
In 1993, Shamas took Laundry to the Old Vic
Theatre in London for her first performance outside Canada, and was well received by the British audience and critics. The following year, she took the show to San Francisco, but was sued by the producer of that show after a number of events outside of her control interfered with the opening.
Shortly after the failed San Francisco show, Shamas' husband Frank — the titular boyfriend of the Laundry trilogy — filed for divorce. After some time away from the spotlight, Shamas returned with a new series of shows, Wit's End.
Shamas has been nominated for the Governor General's Award
and the Stephen Leacock Award for the Laundry trilogy. She won a Gemini Award
in 1991 for Best Performance in Comedy, and won the Best Theatre Award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in March 2003.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
comedic actress and writer.
The oldest of three children born to Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
immigrants, Shamas left home at age 17 and moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where she held a variety of jobs before a workshop at The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
inspired her to pursue a career in performing arts. She acted with Second City and Theatresports
Theatresports
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre, which uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Opposing teams can perform scenes based on audience suggestions, with ratings by the audience or by a panel of judges...
, and worked as a puppeteer on the children's series Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
before deciding to strike out on her own.
In 1987, she applied to the Edmonton Fringe Festival
Edmonton International Fringe Festival
The Edmonton International Fringe Festival produced by the Fringe Theatre Adventures is an annual event held every August in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada....
to perform her first show, My Boyfriend's Back and There's Gonna Be Laundry. The show, a mixture of personal stories drawn from her own life and observational humour about dating and relationships, was accepted and became the smash hit of the festival, and soon Shamas was on tour performing the show across the country.
In 1989, Shamas began performing the sequel, My Boyfriend's Back and There's Gonna Be Laundry II: The Cycle Continues. A third show, Wedding Bell Hell, dealing with wedding rituals such as the bridal shower and selection of the wedding rings and dress, made its debut in 1991.
In 1993, Shamas took Laundry to the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
Theatre in London for her first performance outside Canada, and was well received by the British audience and critics. The following year, she took the show to San Francisco, but was sued by the producer of that show after a number of events outside of her control interfered with the opening.
Shortly after the failed San Francisco show, Shamas' husband Frank — the titular boyfriend of the Laundry trilogy — filed for divorce. After some time away from the spotlight, Shamas returned with a new series of shows, Wit's End.
Shamas has been nominated for the Governor General's Award
Governor General's Award
The Governor General's Awards are a collection of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, marking distinction in a number of academic, artistic and social fields. The first was conceived in 1937 by Lord Tweedsmuir, a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction who created the Governor...
and the Stephen Leacock Award for the Laundry trilogy. She won a Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
in 1991 for Best Performance in Comedy, and won the Best Theatre Award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in March 2003.