larry yachimec
On August 1st, 2010, many of my dear friends lost someone who was a beloved hero, a theatrical marvel in every sense of that word and a treasured friend to them. On August 1st, 2010, the Canadian theatre community all lost one of its bright, unique shining stars, Larry Yachimec. Last night he was honoured in a ceremony in his hometown of Edmonton, and I know his family, who currently live in Barrie, Ontario, have had tribes worth of friends and colleagues with overflowing hearts visiting and remembering this truly extraordinary human being.
On August 12th, 2010 Marsha Lederman of the Globe and Mail wrote this beautiful obituary for Larry, which truly touched my heart, and left me wishing that I had gotten the opportunity to know and love this man and his performances as so many of my friends have. I only saw Larry onstage once, in Frozen at Neptune Theatre, a gripping and powerful play, and I remember that he gave an intensely chilling performance that haunted me for days after. I strongly encourage everyone to read this article even if you did not have the good fortune of crossing paths with Larry or if they were only fleeting and haphazard like mine, the portrait that Lederman paints of him is inspiring and beautiful.
“At rehearsal for a production of Hurlyburly in Edmonton in 1988, Larry Yachimec had an urgent question: What sort of cereal would his character, Mickey, eat? Froot Loops? Cap’n Crunch? By the time he and the director settled on Cheerios, the discussion had eaten up 21/2 hours and his exasperated co-star, John Wright, had stormed out of the rehearsal.
It didn’t seem like a major dramatic point at the time, but Yachimec won a Sterling Award for that performance, notes Jim Guedo, who directed the production at the now-defunct Phoenix Theatre in Edmonton. “And I’m sure he wouldn’t have won it if he didn’t have the correct cereal. Because he wouldn’t have been able to tell the truth. He had to tell the truth on stage.” Read more of this article by clicking here.
The Facebook wall for the Event that was held last night in Edmonton is filled with a wondrous outpouring of love and joyful memories, and Larry’s friend, John Wright, is asking if you would like to write down your memories or your thoughts about Larry to please feel free to email them to him so he can compile them all and share them with his family and friends. His email is listed on the Facebook Event Page here.
Alabanza, Larry Yachimec. All roads lead to you.
