Founded in 2008 by Cameron Mackenzie, Zee Zee Theatre has shared small stories by amplifying the voices of those on the margins for more than a decade. Named after Mackenzie’s Godmother, Maria José (Zee) Dias Da Silva Catarino Velloza, the company strives to live up to her memory and continue her work of building community and sharing stories from those we don’t often hear from. From our first production in 2009, Whale Riding Weather, to 2016’s huge hit, Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical, Zee Zee continues to drive conversations with diverse audiences on stages across Vancouver. We foster original artistic voices, and engage new and diverse audiences by developing performance in non-traditional spaces. We believe that theatre is for everyone, and that performance can encompass more than mainstream voices on large stages.
Through signature productions like My Funny Valentine, the company has established itself as having unique and provocative conversations with diverse audiences, offering recognizable situations with poignancy and building a connection with our surrounding community in order to inspire unity in shared human experience.
The company is devoted to paying all artists professional living wages and has relied on substantial fundraising, grant writing and community building in order to stick to that belief. But it remains true to the overall vision of the company: we simply cannot tell our stories if we are not supported.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION:
- Jessie Richardson Award 2022, Winner – Set: Men Express Their Feelings
- Jessie Richardson Award 2022, Winner – Lighting: Men Express Their Feelings
- Jessie Richardson Award 2015, Ray Michal Award for Outstanding Body of Work by an Emerging Director: Cameron Mackenzie
- The Dogwood Monarchist Society’s Entertainer of the Year 2010: Isolde N. Barron
- GayVancouver’s Top 10 Plays 2010, Tiny Replicas
- The Georgia Straight’s Spring Arts Preview 2009, Director to Watch: Cameron Mackenzie
AWARDS NOMINATIONS:
- Jessie Richardson Award 2020, Nominated – Production: Holiday at the Elbow Room Cafe
- Jessie Richardson Award 2020, Nominated – Significant Artistic Achievement: Trans Scripts
- Jessie Richardson Award 2017, Nominated – Lead Actress: 5 @ 50
- Jessie Richardson Award 2017, Nominated – Costumes: Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical
- Ovation Award 2017, Nominated – New Work: Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical
- Ovation Award 2017, Nominated – Supporting Performance: Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical
- Jessie Richardson Award 2014, Nominated – Director: Lowest Common Denominator
- Jessie Richardson Award 2014, Nominated – Supporting Actor: Lowest Common Denominator
- Jessie Richardson Award 2011, Nominated – Script: My Funny Valentine
- Jessie Richardson Award 2011, Nominated – Set: My Funny Valentine
- Jessie Richardson Award 2011, Nominated – Lighting: My Funny Valentine
- Jessie Richardson Award 2010, Nominated – Set: Nellyboy
- Jessie Richardson Award 2010, Nominated – Lighting: Nellyboy
- Xtra’s Community Achievements 2009, Nominated – Queen of the Year: Isolde N. Barron