Thushari Jayasekera

Thushari Jayasekera:Sri Lankan American Actress/Performer/Writer [ [http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2005/oct/03/celebrating-sri-lankan-culture/ The Daily Bruin - Celebrating Sri Lankan culture ] ]

Brief Biography

Thushari is an American actress/performer/writer of Sri Lankan origin. She was born in Sri Lanka to a Sinhala family. As a child, she moved with her parents and was raised in the United States. Thushari was drawn to performing and writing from elementary school. Then she wrote skits and monologues for friends to perform. She wrote and still writes poetry and questioned serious situations in the world and write essays on little solutions. She has acted in independent films such as the Deep Sleeper, and in American & Sri Lankan American Stage productions including a role as one of the female leads in the drama Doopatha presented by the Sri Lanka Arts & Drama Circle of California(SLADCC). [ [http://srilankaartsanddrama.org/doopathamoreinfo.php Sri Lanka Arts And Drama Circle Of California ] ] She was the vice-president of SLADCC from 2006-2007 [ [http://srilankaartsanddrama.org/guidelines.php Sri Lanka Arts And Drama Circle Of California ] ] She has been an active member of the Screen Actor's Guild(SAG)in Hollywood since 2004.

She has created several independent projects for public broadcast like the Original Recipe which is a variety show with skits, interviews, and music as well as Jelly Noose. Now Jelly Noose is a blog that delivers non-urgent news around town with a Sri Lankan American flavor. [ [http://jellynoose.blogspot.com/ Jelly Noose ] ] Recently she launched a mini-zine titled Apsara [http://www.angelfire.com/film/livejelly/minizine.html] which highlights information in the South Asian Community. Currently, she writes and performs original performance arts pieces using words, dance and movement. A well known piece is where she uses actual rain as a metaphor [http://www.angelfire.com/my/apsara/raindance.html] She, also, writes poetry and short stories. [ [http://www.poetry.com/Publications/display.asp?ID=P6714549&BN=999&PN=1 Drachenlieb by Thushari Jayasekera ] ] She is an announcer/emcee at festivals and events in Southern California and brings her personal style to hosting a show. [ [http://slblogs.org/2008/01/25/a-golden-night-of-excitement/ A Golden Night of Excitement | slblogs.org ] ] She is best known for her volunteering, community outreach work and outspokeness.

Activities

She has volunteered with Rain Bird Corporation to decorate their Rose Parade floatfrom 1999-2006. [ [http://srilankantube.com/item/51V6SHCKRGQT56M1 Sri Lankan Tube: Raoul Rodriguez greets Lankans(from our archives) ] ] In 2003, her suggestion "Water Wonderland" was picked for the title of that year's award winning float. In November of 2006, she visited Sri Lanka after 18 years, and felt love for the land and the people. She was invited to entertain at a local "Housewives Association's Annual Christmas Event" where they help others come up in society. "Even though I was not a Mrs. yet, I was invited to be Mrs. Clause and annouce/emcee at the event. I was recommended by a lady who has seen me act in a play in the U.S., I was really excited and it was so cool. Also, interacting with people who live life in Lanka helped me understand their condition a little better, I talked(in broken sinhalese) to anyone who would talk to me from the 3 wheeler drivers, security guards, students, soldiers on leave, store clerks, and the potential of the country is tremendous, only if they choose to exercise that potential..." Also, through a friend of the family, she was invited to participate in a segment of the Iraj Show.

Stage Plays

2007-Doopatha2006-Dolige Sihinaya,Stye of the Eye(Durang Durang)with the Actor's Collective at theUnderground Theater2005-Leyli, Muwan Pellessa

Film/Television

Performance Art, Dance and Movement

Links

* [http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2005/oct/03/celebrating-sri-lankan-culture/]
* [http://srilankaartsanddrama.org/guidelines.php]
* [http://srilankaartsanddrama.org/doopathacast.php]
* [http://srilankaartsanddrama.org/doopathamoreinfo.php]
* [http://jellynoose.blogspot.com/] Jelly Noose
* [http://www.angelfire.com/film/livejelly/minizine.html] Apsara
* [http://www.angelfire.com/my/apsara/raindance.html]
* [http://www.poetry.com/Publications/display.asp?ID=P6714549&BN=999&PN=1] Poetry
* [http://srilankantube.com/item/51V6SHCKRGQT56M1] Rose Parade

References