The Official Websie of Suanne Spoke

BIOGRAPHY

Suanne Spoke has an extensive career in theatre, television, film and the classroom and is known as an actor, producer and teacher. In theatre, Suanne was most recently seen in the Fountain Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “Daisy in the Dreamtime”, presented at the John Anson Ford Theatre in the heart of Hollywood. Prior to that, Suanne had won the Ovation Award for Leading Actress/Play for her work in the multi-award winning “Napoli Milionaria” at the prestigious Road Theatre Company in North Hollywood. It was Suanne’s second win out of three nominations. This West Coast Premiere production, (which was also produced by Suanne), picked up a total of six Ovation awards, the most for any play of that year. And “Napoli” also received the coveted Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle (LADCC) award for Best Production of the Year. The show also picked up 5 LA Weekly award nominations and 7 Backstage/West Garland honorable mentions.

She was also nominated for an Ovation Award, a LADCC Award, and a LA Weekly Award in the category of Leading Actress/Play for her portrayal of Blanche Dubois in Deaf West Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”. She won the Valley Theatre League’s ADA for the same role. Suanne utilized both voice and American Sign Language for this role, an immensely challenging task.

She was already the recipient of the Ovation Award for Leading Actress/Play for her work in the milestone production of “David’s Mother” at the Company Of Angels Theatre. She also served as executive producer. “David’s Mother” garnered another 6 Ovation Award nominations, 3 Drama-logue Awards and 4 Backstage West Garland Awards, which recognized Suanne’s work both as an actress and as a producer.

Her production company, No Problem Productions, (in addition to the above projects) produced the West Coast premiere of “Life In The Trees” which received critics’ picks in every major publication throughout the city. Along with co-producing duties, Suanne was nominated for a LADCC Award for her performance in that celebrated work. She has worked at several renowned theatre companies in the Los Angeles area, but is still acknowledged for her work at the Company Of Angels, performing in “Gods Of The Lightning” , “The Balcony Scene”, “Nebraska” , “ Midnight Caller” and many others, winning several Drama-logue Awards and LA Weekly nominations for her performances. She served on their board of directors & artistic council for many years. Suanne is now a member of the prestigious Road Theatre Company in the NOHO arts district and serves as their literary manager, and she is on the advisory board of directors for Deaf West Theatre.

Suanne has appeared in over 100 television shows; her vast array of guest appearances includes such shows as Cold Case , The Division, The Practice , Dragnet , Sabrina the Teenage Witch , Dharma & Greg, Grounded for Life , X -Files, That 70’s Show, ER, 3rd Rock From The Sun, The Profiler, Seinfeld, a very memorable turn on the Larry Sanders Show and many others. Suanne has also played recurring guest starring roles on everything from O h Baby & Clueless to S tep By S tep and Unhappily Ever After .

Suanne has enjoyed a recurring guest star role in the highly rated, much acclaimed, Judging Amy , along side Amy Brenneman. Suanne was also a member of the cast of the Emmy-nominated ABC production, The Beach Boys. But it’s Suanne’s leading role in the NBC Movie of the Week Growing Up Brady that has been a highlight. With her portrayal as Ann B. Davis, the actress who played the wisecracking and loveable Brady maid, Alice, Suanne herself became a part of television history. In film she has appeared in “More Dog Than Bone”, “Krippendorf’s Tribe”, “There’s Something about Meryl” and most recently, she just finished work on “Committed”.

Suanne also works as a teacher & private coach and has created a program of study called, “Acting for Real”, which incorporates fundamental techniques and practical application. In addition, she also helms sitcom audition technique workshops with G. Charles Wright, the casting director for “That 70’s Show” and the new pilot, “Peep Show”. She has been part of the faculty of Deaf West Theatre’s summer school program, a guest artist & visiting professor at the California Institute of the Arts, done panels for ActorFest both in Los Angeles & New York and worked at the Sundance Director’s Lab.