Teri Suzanne

Teri Suzanne
Suzanne cutting in 2019
Born (1948-08-18) August 18, 1948 (age 76)
Globe, Arizona, United States
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles, University of San Francisco, United States
ChildrenKunimi Andrea and Mayuka Thaïs
Websitetericuts.com

Teri Suzanne (born August 18, 1948) is an American bilingual actress, freehand cut paper artist,[1] author, children's songwriter, and creator of the first bilingual family theatre program and theatre group Performing Arts Group (P.A.G)[2] at the Aoyama Theatre in Japan. She is also a producer of English and bilingual multi-media edutainment products, and edutainer with music labels and companies such as Nippon Columbia, Polygon Records, Crayola, Benesse, and SONY[3][4][5][6][7][8] Suzanne is known for her television series English in Action produced through NHKsoftware for the Ministry of Science and Education. She was Head of the International Department at the National Children's Castle.[3]

The Tokyo Journal named her as one of 50 foreigners who have made a difference in Japan.[9]

Life and education

Suzanne was born in Globe, Arizona.[10] She grew up in Southern California and graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a degree in graphic design and children's puppetry theatre. She later received her masters of education and bilingual education from the University of San Francisco.[11] She was one of the pioneer students to receive a degree in cross cultural education and bilingual specialist credential in this degree program.[citation needed]

Suzanne has two daughters Kunimi Andrea and Mayuka Thaïs who have worked on many of her multi-media bilingual edutainment projects.[3][12][13][4][2]

Career

Music

Suzanne has worked on 13 albums and numerous singles. In 2004 she recorded Genki Genki Utaou Nontan's bilingual Christmas album for Nippon Columbia[14][15] along with her daughters Kunimi Andrea[2] and Mayuka Thaïs.[2][16] Other labels she has worked for include ALC Publishing,[17] Meito,[18] Akachan Honpo, NHKsoftware,[17] and Benesse[19]

Studio releases

Title Year Role Labels
Minna De Merry Christmas 1988 Studio artist director Nippon Columbia
The Adventures of Shiny & Sparkle 1989 Voice ALC
Ninjin Cha Cha Cha 1993 Songwriter Nippon Columbia
Ahiru Samba 1994 Songwriter Nippon Columbia
Mrs. Santa's Series: Thanks Santa! 1995 Singer, Songwriter Nippon Columbia
All We Need 1998 Songwriter Nippon Columbia
Doki Doki Family 1999 Songwriter, Singer Meito
Teri's Happy Animals 2000 Songwriter, Singer Nippon Columbia, Meito
Mama to Asobou: Eigo no Asobi uta 2000 Songwriter Nippon Columbia, Akachan Honpo
Bring Santa To Me 2001 Songwriter Dream Illumination
Action 8 2002 Studio artist director NHK software
Genki Genki Nontan Utaou! Christmas 2004 Voice Nippon Columbia
Play Time for Toddlers 2005 Songwriter Benesse

Television

Suzanne has been a TV personality for NHKsoftware,[20] NHK, KBS TV, NHK Educational, and SKY PerfecTV![21]

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Action 8 Director NHKsoftware
1995–2000 Children’s View Narrator NHK
1997–2008 Takamatsu Dream Illumination Mrs. Santa KBS TV
1999 Hajimeyo Eikaiwa NHK Educational
1998 Mrs. Santa's Doki Doki Family Mrs. Santa SKY PerfecTV!

Bilingual theatre

Suzanne founded the first multi-cultural bilingual group called the Performing Arts Group (P.A.G.) to perform the first bilingual family theatre and family disco productions founded in 1985 in Tokyo, Japan. Their performance and productions were at the Aoyama Theatre in Tokyo, Japan. In the span of 13 years the company produced over 150 shows.[3][4][2]

Takashimaya floor design

Suzanne designed Nihonbashi Takashimaya Department store's children's floor. Suzanne based the floor design on her original bilingual Chidldren's book The Adventures of Shiny and Sparkle. Suzanne created bilingual floor-theme songs, event spaces, staff uniforms, a family membership program, toilets just for kids, a baby snack area, babysitting service and an infant changing and nursing area.[22]

Books

  • Shiny & Sparkle's Adventure (1989), a bilingual children's book with cassette [23]
  • Choki Choki Kids (1998), Iwasaki Shoten, scissor art book[24]
  • Katachi wa HAPPY! (1998)[25]
  • Party! Party! (1998), Iwasaki Publishing[26]

References

  1. ^ "Scissors: More than a Cut Above". School Arts: The Art Education Magazine for Teachers. v104 n5: 42. January 1, 2005. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e Johnston, George. "INTO THE NEXT STAGE: Learning Japanese and the Shimajiro Connection". Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Wakabayashi, Liane (November 23, 2001). ""English in Action" Pioneer still speaking up and acting out". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Samuels, Elliot (April 23, 2017). "Cut paper artist Teri Suzanne: 'a pair of scissors is the superhero of utensils'" (Interview). The Japan Times. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Children's Celebration of the Arts 2014" (PDF). City of Ventura. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Gaikokujin Talent". Gaikokujin Talent. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  7. ^ "保育所外国人保育セミナー". The Nippon Foundation Library. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Scissors: More than a Cut Above". School Arts: The Art Education Magazine for Teachers. v104: 42. January 2005. ISSN 0036-6463. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  9. ^ "The 1st Annual Tokyo Journal 50 Foreigners who make a difference Castle Mom TERI SUZANNE". Tokyo Journal. September 1996. p. 24.
  10. ^ Suzanne, Teri. "Terigami". www.terigami.com. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Teri Suzanne Bio". www.otis.edu. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  12. ^ Samuels, Elliott (November 12, 2016). "Artist Mayuka Thais: 'Remember to look at everything with wonder'" (Interview). The Japan Times. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  13. ^ Jeffs, Angela (February 5, 2005). "National Children's Centers cater to body, spirit". The Japan Times. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  14. ^ "トクトクえいごのうた 50曲 Various Artists". iTunes. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  15. ^ "げんきげんきノンタン うたおう！クリスマス". Columbia Japan. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  16. ^ "Genki Genki Nontan". Nippon Columbia Japan. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Pioneer still speaking up and acting out". The Japan Times. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  18. ^ "テリーさんのバイリンガルあそびうた Doki Doki Family". Meito Japan. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  19. ^ "テリー・スーザン たのしいあそびうた". Tsutaya Japan. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  20. ^ "Action 8". IMDb. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  21. ^ "Mrs. Santa's Doki Doki Family". IMDb. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  22. ^ Cowan, Teresa (6 November 1992). "Nihonbashi Takashimaya: specialized shopping for the kiddies". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Teri Suzanne シャイニーとスパークルのだいぼうけん". kinokuniya.co.jp. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  24. ^ チョキチョキ Kids. Iwasaki Shoten. 18 August 1998. ISBN 9784265058419. Retrieved 25 April 2017 – via Books Google.
  25. ^ "かたちはＨＡＰＰＹ （テリーさんのまほうのはさみ）". Honto. Iwasaki Shoten. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  26. ^ テリーさんのまほうのはさみ〈3〉パーティー・PARTY (テリーさんのまほうのはさみ (3)). Iwasaki Shoten. ASIN 4265058434.