BRANDON, MB — Multi award-winning playwright Gordon Portman, a sessional instructor of music, theatre and English/creative writing at Brandon University, has been shortlisted for the current edition of the CBC Literary Awards.
His creative nonfiction work entitled “Ashes and Sky” has received the nod and he is one of five finalists. He is the sole Manitoba resident to receive this honour, in any of the three categories, this year.
During his career, Portman has embraced various aspects of the theatre, including acting, directing and writing. He has directed several Brandon University operatic productions. In fact, on March 11 at 8 p.m. and March 13 at 2 p.m., a student concert production of “The Gondoliers”, with Portman stage directing, will take place in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall on the BU campus. As well, at the 2010 Winnipeg Fringe Festival, one of the plays he has written entitled “Comfort” was on the roster and was well received.
“I’m honored and thrilled that “Ashes and Sky” has gotten this far in the (CBC) competition,” said Portman. “It’s a piece of writing I’m very proud of, and whatever the final result, I’ve had the good fortune of having my work recognized at a high level of professional adjudication.”
The 2011 edition of the noted CBC literary competition attracted more than 5,000 submissions in three categories — poetry, short story and creative nonfiction — in both French and English. The winners will be decided by a peer review process, and broadcaster Shelagh Rogers will announce the winners on CBC Radio One’s “Q”.
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For more information, please contact:
Joanne F. Villeneuve
Communications
Brandon University
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Brandon, MB R7A 6A9
Tel. 204-727-9762
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