Andrew is an award-winning writer who writes for the page, stage, and screen. He is based in Red Deer, Alberta
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Andrew is the author of Ten Silver Coins: The Drylings of Acchora (Xulon). His latest work includes Disappointed by Hope: Migrants and Refugees in Search of a Better Country which features 26 original new short stories, God/he a collection of poetry released in a limited edition hand-crafted book, She Has A Name a full-length play for the stage, and a mission’s biography written with career missionary Kel Steiner. Andrew is an avid blogger and writes regular articles on the web, a weekly poetry feature called Fridge for Thought, and conducts frequent interviews with bold thinkers, artists, and activists. His writing has been published around the world and translated into ten languages.
published and award-winning writing
Andrew’s play She Has A Name, which has its world premiere February of 2011 in Calgary, Alberta, was given the 2009 Scripts at Work / Alberta Playwright Network Award. His Fridge for Thought poem “I Who Am Entering” was selected for the 2009 Utmost Christian Writers contest. His short story “Nazar“ was awarded the 2004 Hobson Foundation Prize for Fiction. In the same year, select poems from God/he were awarded Third Prize in the 2004 Utmost Christian Poetry Contest. Poems from his book-length work of prose and verse entitled Joseph, a discourse on the Biblical name, appeared in Rock and Sling (Volume 1, Issue 1, 2004) as did excerpts from God/he.
Poetry from his book length manuscript The Gospel Writers Meet has also appeared in Rock and Sling (Volume 3, Issue 2, 2006).
In 2006, fourteen of Andrew’s short stories about gender-based injustice were published in the English version of 30 Days of Prayer for the Voiceless, a publication which has since been translated into Japanese, Korean, Urdu, Russian, German, Spanish and Dutch. Andrew wrote four more stories for a new edition of the booklet for the German edition in 2009.
Andrew’s poetry, short stories, and articles have also been featured in The Red Deer College Notebook, Bohemian Alien, SaveAfricaNow Online, EyeSee Magazine and have been shortlisted for the WordAlive Writing Contest and Xulon Press. Andrew has work forthcoming in the the Romanian literary e-zine EgoPhobia (May 2010) the YWAM Prayer Diary (2011) and a new compilation Stirred to Action (TBA).
history of play development
Andrew’s first play, Shelter, was an official selection of Scripts at Work (SAW) 2007, and he had the privilege of workshopping the one act with acclaimed actress and playwright Mieko Ouchi. The play was directed for a public reading by Vanessa Porteous at the Margaret Parson’s Theatre in April 2007. The play, about potatoes, an affair, and grace, was also granted a reading workshop at the 2008 Nextfest Festival of the Arts in Edmonton under the direction of Tanya Ryga.
The following year, Andrew submitted his second play, Joseph, to SAW and it was selected for the workshop. Andrew had the privilege of working with film actor, playwright, and dramaturg Daniel Libman, and was thrilled to learn from Eric Rose who directed a public reading of the one act at the Red Deer College Studio Stage in April 2008.
Andrew wrote the vignette Though He Crush Me which was performed on Good Friday, 2008 at CrossRoads Church in Red Deer, a short play that he directed with fine performances by Aaron Krogman and Kelsey Krogman.
Andrew’s first full-length play, She Has A Name, was the winner of the Scripts At Work/ Alberta Playwrights Association Award, 2009. In January 2010 he workshopped the play with Burnt Thicket Theatre in Calgary. The play was given a public reading in front of an audience of invited guests to positive reviews in Strathmore, Alberta. Andrew is looking forward to a Burnt Thicket Theatre World Premiere of She Has A Name in Calgary in February 2011.
filmwork
Andrew served as a Writer and Producer for the short film The Prison of Mine (MD Films) which was screened to wide acclaim in Red Deer. He also Produced The Blind (Unveil Studios and ReDefined Films) a short film and winner of the 2006 2880 Film Festival. Andrew was an Executive Producer and Overseas Location Manager for the much loved feature film, E for Everyone: The Mouse and the Elephant (Unveil Studios), and Wrote and Directed the short film Though He Crush Me (AK: The Impact Group).
television
- Voices of Change with David Youngren (TCT Network) – Episode 2, “The Gateway House” – Writer, Producer
- Voices of Change with David Youngren (TCT Network) – Episode 3, “The Task Force Team” – Writer, Producer
- Voices of Change with David Youngren (TCT Network) – Episode 4, “Juma and Haruna” – Writer, Producer
education, work, non-profit
Andrew graduated with distinction in 2003 from the University of Calgary (via The Red Deer College) with a BA in English. He holds a certificate in Biblical Studies (The University of the Nations, 2001) and a certificate in Multi-Media Design (The Red Deer College, 2007). He worked as a staff lecturer from 2003 – 2005 in the Penang, Malaysia branch of the University of the Nations in the School of Biblical Studies. Andrew is owner and operator of AK: The Impact Group, which produces innovative creative media, which he launched in 2007.
In the same year he also founded Raise Their Voice Against Injustice Red Deer, which aims to creatively and effectively address issues of global injustice.
