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March 30, 2007
Elizabeth Kemp, Chair, Acting Department, Actors Studio MFA Program at Pace University, and Director of ‘La Magnani’, 3-30-07
A member of the Actors Studio, and the Board of Directors, Elizabeth Kemp has worked extensively in theater, film, and television. She has performed both on and off Broadway including productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival and Circle In the Square.WPA. She was in the original cast of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, which began at the Actors Studio. Her great mentor, Elia Kazan, took Tennessee Williams to see Ms. Kemp in this production when Mr. Williams was looking for the actress to play Baby Doll in the World premiere of one of his last plays, Tiger Tail. After the performance Mr. Williams gave her the part; an experience that proved to be most extraordinary, in that she worked closely with Tennessee Williams daily in developing the role.
Other highlights include playing opposite Christopher Reeve in a television series, Kevin Kline off Broadway and Tom Hanks (in her first film). Ms. Kemp was also directed by Shelley Winters in Full Moon and High Tide in the Ladies Room. She has performed in many films for television, miniseries, as well as guest starring in shows such as LAW AND ORDER and LA LAW, for which she received the Glaad Award. Most recently she has worked on several independent films, including Pills, Give Me Your Love, and the Belgian film, Two Sisters.
As a director and set designer Ms. Kemp has had productions in New York including The Glass Menagerie, Elektra, and Wound of Love at the Actors Studio, as well as Ubu Rep and the West Bank Theater. In Paris she directed Characters at the Claude Lelouche Theater, Cine 13. In Stockholm, she directed The Stronger and Homesick at Strindberg’s Intima Theater.
Ms. Kemp has taught at the Actors Studio Drama School since its inaugural year. She is currently the Chair of the Acting Department in the newly established Actors Studio MFA Program at Pace University. For years she has taught privately and coached many leading and award-winning actors including recipients of the Oscar and Cesar awards. One of her passions is her Character Dream Workshop, which she does yearly in venues including New York, Rome, Paris, Zurich, and Berlin.
Posted by David Lemberg at March 30, 2007 12:06 PM Return to ARTSCAPE home page