Denise Prosek receives $25,000 McKnight Theater Artist fellowship

June 3, 2013.Pioneer Press.

Twin Cities actors Sun Mee Chomet and Stephen Yoakam and music director Denise Prosek each have been awarded $25,000 McKnight Theater Artist fellowships.

The fellowships at the Playwrights' Center recognize Minnesota theater artists other than playwrights "whose work demonstrates exceptional artistic merit and potential." In addition to the $25,000 grant, each artist receives $7,000 in project development funds.

Chomet will perform her award-winning one-woman show "How to Be a Korean Woman" this September as part of the Guthrie's 2013-14 season, after performing the show in South Korea this summer. She has worked throughout Twin Cities theater, including Mixed Blood, Ten Thousand Things, Mu Performing Arts, History Theatre and Penumbra.

Denise Prosek has worked as a music director, pianist and arranger in the Twin Cities for the past 20 years. As resident music director of Theater Latte Da, she has music-directed 40 mainstage productions and numerous cabarets. Prosek has worked at Children's Theatre Company, the Guthrie, Park Square and Mu Performing Arts.

Yoakam has appeared in more than 75 Guthrie productions, including the recent critically lauded one-person show, "An Iliad." He is a founding member of Mixed Blood Theatre and has appeared at the Jungle Theater and Pillsbury House Theatre.

The Playwrights' Center has partnered with the McKnight Artist Fellowship program since 1982 to administer more than 150 fellowships.