Stephanie Yee is a visual artist and cultural worker originally from Barrie, Ontario, currently based in Halifax. Though she began her academic career in theatre, she graduated with a BFA from NSCAD in 2012.

Her practice interrogates concepts of communication and identity. Using performance, video, sculpture and installation, she creates spaces where she and the audience can negotiate a work’s meaning together. Blurring the lines between real and imagined scenarios, Stephanie’s practice aims to re-examine notions of everyday life. She has exhibited around the Atlantic Provinces, Ontario, as well as New York City.

Stephanie is pleased to present Broken English Karaoke at Prismatic again this year and hopes to see you on stage, mic in hand!

Broken English Karaoke 

Returning to the Prismatic Arts Festival for its third year, Broken English Karaoke is a crowd favourite. Festivalgoers are invited to end each night with us either on the stageor in the audience of this interactive performance installation by Stephanie Yee. All within the length of a song, each opportunity challenges the participant to navigate the boundaries between the familiar and unfamiliar.

While karaoke pervades everyday life in many Asian countries, the presence of karaoke in North America is usually confined to aspiring celebrities and drinking culture. Adopting the platform of karaoke, and its myriad associations, this piece replaces the lyrics of popular American songs with broken English translations. The end result allows for a fun experience that not only exposes the complexities of language, but social anxieties as well. Come join us and have a good time as we delve into and explore the lively state of being lost and found in translation.