Tim Toyama
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Tim Toyama was born in 1952 in Chicago, IL. He is a Sansei playwright and producer living in Los Angeles, CA.
His plays have been produced at The Complex, in Los Angeles, and The Road Theatre Company, at the Lankershim Arts Center in North Hollywood, California. Among them his best-known work is Visas and Virtue, inspired by the heroic saga of Holocaust rescuer Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara - known as "The Japanese Schindler." Adapted to the big screen by actor/director Chris Tashima, the 26-minute cinematic tribute to the heroic diplomat received the Academy Award® for Live Action Short Film in 1998.
In addition to serving as the film's executive producer, to bring Visas and Virtue to the screen he co-founded Cedar Grove Productions, along with Tashima and producer Chris Donahue. By engaging audiences with high-quality dramatic films, intended not only as entertainment but also for educational use, Cedar Grove Productions has broadened audience perspectives to include Asian American stories, history and issues either glossed over in textbooks or omitted by the media. Cedar Grove Productions "remains dedicated to developing and producing projects that boldly defy mainstream Hollywood by giving Asian Americans the spotlight on stage, and the close-up on screen."
His more recent play, Independence Day, was also brought to the screen by Cedar Grove Productions, this time as a half-our television special for PBS. Inspired by his own father "Zip" Toyama's World War II experience in a U.S. concentration camp for Japanese Americans, Day of Independence received a Regional Emmy® Nomination in 2006, from the NATAS Northern California Chapter, in the category of Historical/Cultural - Program/Special. He co-wrote the screenplay, and again served as executive producer on the program, which in addition to its PBS broadcast, has been shown at over sixty international film and video festivals, and has garnered twenty-five awards.
He has served on the Artistic Board at The Road Theatre Company as well as the Literary Committee at East West Players theatre. He has been honored with awards from various community organizations, including the "Japanese American of the Biennium," awarded by the National JACL, a Community Award from the Japanese American Service Committee, of Chicago, Special Recognition from the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, of Los Angeles, a Visionary Award from East West Players, and a Humanitarian Award from The "1939" Club, a Holocaust Survivors' organization.
[edit] Trivia
- He has made cameo appearances in several independent films including Day of Independence, Stand Up For Justice, The First Battle, Americanese, American Zombie and Mamo's Weeds.
