Who Is Ian Fraser? A CV

IAN FRASER RESUME AND AWARDS

Ian Fraser is an award winning playwright, published author (Penguin Books SA) - and is considered one of the best stand up comics in South Africa, achieving massive success and fame in literary and theatrical genres, as well as via his scathing comedy routines and performances.

Beginning under Apartheid in 1988, without any formal education to speak of, Ian Fraser has gathered up most of the available theater awards in South Africa, for his plays - and performed his comedy to record-breaking crowds, from tiny bars, through to sold out 600 seater shows at arts festivals.

After being conscripted in the then South African Defence Force, for a 2 year period (1981 - 1982) - at the height of Apartheid repression, he began to write and perform his own material,
and become a significant anti-Government critic.

The following is a list of his theatre works, including the Awards that he has won, either for his own performance, or his scripts.

In the USA

Blitzbreeker and the Chicken From Hell
Staged by the First Banana Theater Company, Madison, WI, 1998.

Dogs of the Blue Gods
Staged by the First Banana Theater Company, Madison, WI, 1998.
The Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa, WI, 1999. (Won First place at the Wisconsin State AACTFest).
To be staged by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Theatre, WI, 2008.)

In South Africa

The Accidental Antichrist
(Special FNB-Vita Award for ‘Most Outstanding New Production.’ Nominated for FNB-Vita Award for ‘Playwright of the Year.’ South Africa, 1994.)

The Sugar Plum Fairy
(Pick of the Fringe Award Grahamstown Arts Festival. South Africa, 1993.)

Sleeping Chickens
(Staged by Ben Kruger Productions, South Africa, 1993.)

Heart Like a Stomach
(Winner of the Amstel Playwright of the Year Award. South Africa, 1992.)

Butterfly Jam
(Amstel Playwright of the Year nomination. South Africa, 1991.)

Like the Pyramid on the Camel Packet
(Officially staged by the Performing Arts Council Transvaal. South Africa, 1991.)

The Gospel According to the Mafia
(Pick of the Fringe Award Grahamstown Arts Festival. South Africa, 1991.)

Blitzbreeker and the Chicken from Hell
(Officially staged by the Cape Performing Arts Council, CAPAB.
Amstel Playwright of the Year nomination.
Pick of the Fringe Award Grahamstown Arts Festival, South Africa, 1990.)
Staged by Bobby Heaney Productions at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg.

Dogs of the Blue Gods
(Tonight AA Life Vita Award for Comedy. South Africa, 1990.)

Charles Manson
(Amstel Playwright of the Year nomination. South Africa, 1989.)

Lenny Bruce Live
(Best Cabaret 1988, The Argus newspaper. South Africa, 1988.)

Bring Me Gandhi
(South Africa, 1987.)

Alongside these various plays, he also performed his own yearly (8 in total) 'one man' hour-long comedy shows, creating box office records at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in South Africa.

Fraser's own experiences in the South African Defence Force, provided much of the background for his first novel - which was published by Penguin Books - Titled 'My Own Private Orchestra'. -This was a 'CNA Literary Awards' nominee in the 'Debut' section in 1994.

He began writing as an internet technology columnist in 1994 for the Johannesburg The Star newspaper, his column syndicated nationally and being read by some 1.2 million readers weekly.

He wrote for a number of years as a freelance columnist for the Mail and Guardian newspaper.

From 1994, he began doing 'voice over' work for adverts (for TV, radio and cinema) and he is regarded as being one of the leading voice talents in the country. He was also a contracted 'voice over' artist for the South African Broadcasting Corporation's 'TV 2' channel.

He relocated to America, in April 2006. He now lives in Willimantic, Connecticut.