Pamela Gaye Walker
Walker in 2015
Born
Pamela Gaye

NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Notre Dame
Occupation(s)Producer, actress
Spouse
(m. 1981)

Pamela Gaye Walker is an American actress, writer, director, and producer for film and theatre. She is a member of Actors' Equity Association (AEA), and Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA).[1] She is the founder and President of Ghost Ranch Productions.[2] She is known for Shakti's Retreat (2013)[3] and Trifles (2009).[2]

Walker married stage/film producer John Walker on December 5, 1981. Professionally, John and Pamela starred together in over twenty shows at The Peninsula Players Theatre in Door County, Wisconsin.[4] Her marriage proposal took place onstage there, after the opening night performance of Children of a Lesser God.[5]

In Chicago, Walker worked and taught acting at Victory Gardens Theater, where she played Georgie in Theresa Rebeck's Spike Heels and the Chicago Tribune's review said, "she's a sharp, funny, delightful comic actress, and she anchors the production in warmth, grace, spontaneity and beauty."[6] She was also in Murder in Green Meadows by Doug Post, and Claudia Allen's Hannah Free, which garnered her the Actress of the Year Award from the Academy of Theatre Artists and Friends. Walker also received a nomination by the Joseph Jefferson Award committee for Outstanding Achievement by a Principal Actress in a Play for her work in Sea Marks at The Royal George Theater.[7]

One of her most highly acclaimed roles was as Georgia O'Keeffe in the two-person play, Alfred Stieglitz Loves O'Keeffe, based on the volatile love and artistic relationship between painter Georgia O'Keeffe and photographer Alfred Stieglitz.[8]

Critical reviews of Walker's work include:

Backstage: "Walker beautifully conveys O’Keeffe’s inner turmoil, self-centeredness and eroticism...volatile, sensuous, playful, withholding and insecure..."[9]
Pasadena Weekly: "Walker and Ortlieb bring the lovers to life. Alone, each performer is formidable. Together, the play leaps off the stage and into the stratosphere."[10]

Walker worked as an actor with Theatreworks in Donald Margulies' Brooklyn Boy,[11] at the Magic Theatre in Theresa Rebeck's world premiere of What We're Up Against,[12] and in two plays for the Aurora Theatre – Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman[13] and Amy Herzog's After the Revolution.[14] Most recently, in May 2015, Pamela starred with her husband, John, in the world premiere of Empty Nester by Garrett Jon Groenveld.[15][16]

Early life

Walker grew up in South Bend, Indiana; she has a twin sister (Patricia) and three older brothers. Her father suffered a stroke when Pamela and her sister were three years old.

Career

Theatrical studies and early career

Finishing her undergraduate work at the University of Notre Dame, Walker majored in theatre, where she starred as Winnie in Samuel Beckett's two-character play Happy Days. It was at Notre Dame that she met her future husband, fellow actor and eventual theatre and film producer John Walker. They performed together in Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle, You Can't Take it with You, Fiddler on the Roof, Molière's Imaginary Invalid, Barefoot in the Park, Treasure Island, among other plays.[17]

After graduation, Walker trained in New York at Broadway's Circle In The Square Theatre Conservatory, where her teachers included Larry Moss (The Intent to Live), acting coach to Helen Hunt and Hilary Swank; Michael Kahn (The Acting Company); Jacqueline Brookes (Broadway actress); and Nikos Psacharopoulos (Artistic Director, Williamstown Theatre Festival).[18]

Theatre credits

TitleRoleTheatreDirector
Empty NestersFrancisPlayground, Thick House, SFAmy Glazer
After the RevolutionMelAurora TheatreJoy Carlin
What We're Up AgainstJaniceMagic Theatre, SFLoretta Greco
John Gabriel BorkmanMrs. WiltonAurora TheatreBarbara Oliver
HauptmannMrs. LindberghCherry Lane Theatre, NYTerry Mccabe
Buckets O' Beckett (w/ John Mohoney)WifeMercury Theatre, ChicagoMatt O'Brien
The Last SchwartzBonnieZephyr Theatre, L.A.Lee Sankowich
Brooklyn BoyNinaTheatreworks, Palo Alto, CAJoy Carlin
Alfred Stieglitz Loves O'KeeffeGeorgia O'KeeffeFremont Theatre, L.A.Mary-Pat Green
No. 11 (Blue and White)SuzannePhoenix Theatre, S.F.Paul Draper
Hannah FreeRachelVictory Gardens, ChicagoSandy Shinner
Sea MarksTimotheaThe Royal GeorgePeter Forster
Spike HeelsGeorgieVictory Gardens, ChicagoAmy A. Field
The Good Times Are Killing MeSharonHalsted Theatre, ChicagoArnold Aprill
Alfred Stiglitz Loves O'KeeffeGeorgia O'KeeffePlayers Theatre, ColumbusPaul Draper
Sea MarksTimotheaPeninsula PlayersSabin Epstein
Great To See YouLizaTheatre Neo, L.A.Mary-Pat Green
Murder In Green MeadowsJoanVictory Gardens, ChicagoCurt Columbus
South PacificJanet/Nellie U.S.Drury Lane Theatre, ChicagoTodd Booth
ClarenceCoraMilwaukee ChamberMontgomery Davis
Happy DaysWinnieNotre Dame, Guest ArtistJulie Jenson
The Fancy ManAmyThe Royal GeorgePeter Forster
Sex In the TitleLolaTheatre NEO, L.A.Mary-Pat Green
Children of a Lesser GodSarah NormanPeninsula PlayersBob Thompson
The Jewish WifeWifeThe Cypress Group, ChicagoJohn Nicholson
Little Shop of HorrorsAudreyPeninsula PlayersBob Thompson
The SeaMrs. TilehouseThe Cypress Group, ChicagoJohn Nicholson
Biloxi BluesDaisyPeninsula PlayersNancy Simon
Hurry, The Train is LeavingBarbaraTheatre Geo, L.A.Mary-Pat Green
Juno And The PaycockMaryPeninsula PlayersBob Thompson
The Early Male YearsCynthiaNorthlight Rep, ChicagoMary Monroe
The Importance of Being EarnestGwendolynPeninsula PlayersCarl Benson
Repeat With MadelineMadeleineVoltaire, ChicagoJim Mcdermott
A LifeMibsPeninsula PlayersMontgomery Davis
Coming BackMotherThe Cypress Group, ChicagoJohn Nicholson
The Middle AgesElPeninsula PlayersMontgomery Davis

Television and film credits

TitleRoleYear
Remember MeDr. McInerney2016
Shakti's RetreatPenelope2013
Play by PlayMrs. Chisholm (Short)2011
Seducing Charlie BarkerFiona2010
Trifles (Short)Minnie Wright2009
The IncrediblesAdditional Voices (voice)2004
The Package (Short)The Mom2004
Wooly BoysStarla2001
Blueberry Pancakes (Short)Chris2000
Saved by the Bell The New Class (TV Series)Matthew's Mom1999
Last Rites (TV Movie)Sheila1999
Mercury RisingSusan (uncredited)1998

Awards and nominations

CategoryAwardTheaterResult
Actress of the YearAcademy of Theatre Artists & FriendsChicago TheatreWon
Outstanding Achievement by a Principal Actress in a PlayJoseph Jefferson AwardChicago TheatreNominated
Rated "Best Actress, 2001"Reviewplays.comAlfred Stieglitz Loves O'KeeffeLos Angeles Theatre
Best PlayAlfred Stieglitz Loves O'KeeffeValley Theatre LeagueNominated
Artistic Director Achievement AwardsAlfred Stieglitz Loves O'KeeffeValley Theatre LeagueWon

References

  1. "JE Talent, SF". JE Talent.
  2. 1 2 Carpentier, Martha C.; Jouve, Emeline (October 9, 2015). On Susan Glaspell's Trifles and "A Jury of Her Peers": Centennial Essays, Interviews and Adaptations. McFarland. ISBN 9781476622064.
  3. "Shakti's Retreat | A Comic Thriller by Pamela Gaye Walker". shaktisretreat.com. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  4. "Peninsula Players". Peninsula Players.
  5. Chowenhill, Dennis. "Virago Theatre Notes". Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  6. "'Spike Heels' Trips In Bid To Get Laughs". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  7. "After the Revolution | Aurora Theatre". auroratheatre.org. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  8. "Pamela in Stieglitz Loves O'Keeffe | Pamela Gaye Walker". Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  9. "THE LAST SCHWARTZ". Backstage.com. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
  10. "Theater: 'The Last Schwartz' gets the last laugh | Arts". Jewish Journal. Retrieved December 27, 2007.
  11. "'Brooklyn Boy' makes good | August 4, 2006 | Mountain View Voice | Mountain View Online |". www.mv-voice.com. Retrieved August 4, 2006.
  12. "What We're Up Against". Variety. February 14, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  13. "John Gabriel Borkman | Aurora Theatre". auroratheatre.org. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  14. "'After the Revolution' review: Heartbreaking". SFGate. September 6, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  15. "The Empty Nesters rings true at the Thick House". forallevents.info. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  16. Schiffman, Jean. "'Empty Nesters' never gets off the ground". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  17. "Archives of the University of Notre Dame :: Specialized Indexes :: Theatre Chronology". archives.nd.edu. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  18. "Outside Mullingar". Issuu. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
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