Andy Thompson (theatre professional)

Andy Thompson
Born
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
NationalityCanadian
EducationStudio 58
Occupation(s)The Virtual Stage artistic director, actor, playwright, filmmaker

Andy Thompson (born 1970) is a Canadian actor, theatre artist, filmmaker and teacher.

Thompson was born and raised in Chilliwack, British Columbia. He received his theatre arts diploma in acting from Studio 58 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1993. He is the founder of the multi-media theatre company The Virtual Stage.[1]

As a theatre and film producer, director and writer, Thompson has won several awards. The Virtual Stage and Electric Company Theatre's 2008 production of No Exit, which Thompson co-produced and performed in, garnered rave reviews and won Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards for Outstanding Production as well as the Critics' Choice Innovation Award before touring across North America.[2][3] He co-produced, co-wrote and performed in the short film The Provider, which won the 2010 Bloodshots 48-Hour Horror Filmmaking Competition before going to the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it was given a "Coup de Coeur" distinction as one of the best short films from Canada.[4] Also in 2011, his entry into the international Film Racing Grand Prix short film competition, the super-hero spoof Repair Man, won 3rd place overall, and was the top-ranking Canadian film of the contest.[5][6]

In 2013, Thompson's sci-fi musical comedy Broken Sex Doll was hailed in the press[7][8][9] and described as the biggest hit of the Vancouver theatre season "and maybe the Next Big Thing in Canadian theatre."[10] The show went on to garner seven Jessie Richardson Theatre Award nominations, including Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction for Thompson.[11]

Thompson is the creator of The Zombie Syndrome, an acclaimed annual, site-specific, interactive, theatrical event in Vancouver in which audience members with smartphones are endowed as elite agents on a mission to save the world from a deadly zombie plague. The event, produced by The Virtual Stage, began in 2012 under the original title The Zombie Syndrome.[12] It went on to be nominated for two Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards: "Critics' Choice Innovation Award" and "Significant Artistic Achievement: Outstanding Logistical and Technical Innovation".[13][14] In 2013, a sequel called The Zombie Syndrome: On Death Island took place on Granville Island and was praised by critics.[15][16]

Thompson is an accomplished actor who has appeared in a range of popular films and television shows. He is known for his ability to bring humor and wit to his on-screen performances. Some of his notable TV appearances include roles on shows such as Supernatural, Riverdale, A Million Little Things, Yellowjackets, and Upload, where he has acted alongside Jared Padalecki, KJ Apa, David Giuntoli, Christina Ricci, and Robbie Amell, respectively. Thompson has also been featured in horror films like Antlers, where he acted opposite Keri Russell. With his ability to seamlessly switch between comedic and dramatic roles, Thompson has established himself as a versatile character actor in the industry.[17]

  1. ^ 'A balanced brain; Chilliwack's Andy Thompson merging tradition with technology inside the world of theatre'(subscription required) Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine, Chilliwack Times, March 18, 2011.
  2. ^ "FFWD - Calgary Arts - Theatre - Organizing and improvising". Archived from the original on 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  3. ^ http://www.nowtoronto.com/stage/story.cfm?content=172355 [dead link]
  4. ^ http://www.vancourier.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Blood+filled+weekend/5585523/story.html [dead link]
  5. ^ "Home | the Province Home Page | the Province".
  6. ^ "Repair Man | The Virtual Stage".
  7. ^ http://www.vancourier.com/entertainment/Broken+Doll+full+rude/8124769/story.html [dead link]
  8. ^ "There's not a weak link in the cast of Broken Sex Doll". 15 March 2013.
  9. ^ "Review // Virtual Stage's Broken Sex Doll | Sad Mag". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  10. ^ https://theprovince.com/Broken+Doll+breakout+season/8106809/story.html[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Lederman, Marsha. (May 21, 2013). "Merry Wives of Windsor leads the way in Vancouver's Jessie theatre award nominations". The Globe And Mail. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  12. ^ Handly, Gen. (October 24, 2012). "Zombies roam free on streets of Vancouver" WE Vancouver Archived April 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2013-10-18
  13. ^ Smith, Janet. (May 21, 2013). "Nominees for 2013 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards announced" Georgia Straight Retrieved 2013-10-18
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-10-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ Thomas, Colin. (October 16, 2013). "The Zombie Syndrome: On Death Island is a suspenseful good time" Georgia Straight Retrieved 2013-10-18
  16. ^ Grams, Zoe. (October 7, 2013). "Reviewed: The Zombie Syndrome" Vancouverscape.com Retrieved 2013-10-18
  17. ^ D'Agostino, Nate (2023-03-24). "Why Larry The Hotel Manager From Yellowjackets Looks So Familiar". Looper.com. Static Media. Retrieved March 28, 2023.