About Laurance Tan
Review by Seb Ski
Video edited by Aries Cheung at TransMedia9
Extra footage by Jeff Ballantyne
Review by David Wang
Video edited by Aries Cheung at TransMedia9
Extra footage by Jeff Ballantyne
Featured in film, theater and on CD, Laurance is an international artist whose diverse career began in his native Singapore at the age of six. He studied ballet, jazz and conservatory singing into his early teens and began performing in musical theater. At the age of 22, Laurance directed and choreographed original musical productions for the Music and Drama Company. During this time, Laurance toured and performed throughout South East Asia and the Western Pacific. In his last two years with the Company, he appeared extensively on television shows as an actor and pop singer.
Laurance emigrated to Canada in 1988 and quickly established himself as a singer/actor, performing in numerous theatrical and television productions. He received critical acclaim for his roles in M. Butterfly, A Language of Their Own, Ghost Train, and was the lead in the award-winning film, The Offering which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. He also received critical acclaim for his world-beat CD, Sounds of the Tyger. In 2007 he won the Best Actor Award at the Mammoth Film Festival in Oregon for his performance in The Offering.
Laurance is a down-to-earth, compassionate and a caring individual. In his leisure, he studied different forms of healing arts and became a certified Shiatsu therapist, aroma therapist and Reiki practitioner.
As an active supporter of the local Asian Community in Toronto, he served on the Board of the Asian Community AIDS Services for three years, and became President of the organization from 1997 -1998. During this time, he took on further responsibilities by giving counseling, emotional and practical support to people whose lives had been deeply changed by this illness.
Laurance has a cosmopolitan flair with an eye for art and design. He is a well-traveled, and seasoned individual who believes in living his life in peace and calm both within and out. He has always had a gift for clothing and costume design: he took up the art of sewing, and has brought to life many original creations. His culinary skills are extensive, and might best be described as “Pan-Asian”. At home in Toronto he is especially known for his authentic Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese/Nyonia) preparations. He hosts gourmet Peranakan in-house dinner parties (Tok Panjang) for friends, and by custom request at his up-scale penthouse in the heart of Toronto.
Due to the strain of continuous singing in performances for so many years, Laurance lost his voice a number of years ago and hence, retired from show business. After undergoing intensive re-training and voice restoration work in New York City with renowned opera singer and teacher, Ms. Dorothy Stone, Laurance is now re-emerging to the world of entertainment with a new and improved voice, at the same time bringing his life-long experience as a performer back to the stage. Just recently in Toronto, he debuted his big comeback concert "Butterfly Up High..." to a sold out house at the Betty Oliphant Theater. This performance marks his successful return to the concert stage. A high quality DVD of this two hour performance is available upon request.
Laurance has worked and sung in International Music Festivals in Europe and in America. Laurance will continue to be featured in concerts both here in Toronto and New York, and will continue to participate in International Music Festivals in Europe and North America. His most recent accomplishment on the global stage was to record "Indrawathi" - the theme song for Malysia's National Day 2013. Laurance's stirring rendition of this patriotic marching song was broadcast throughout the Malay Peninsula.
Laurance hopes to return to his native Singapore often to work on concerts, TV series, in theatre or film productions.
For more information about Laurance Tan, please contact
Ray Hanson,
Personal Manager
416-804-1241
Email: rhanson288@gmail.com