The Official Website of Suanne Spoke

BIOGRAPHY

Suanne Spoke has an extensive career in theatre, television, film, the classroom and is known as an actor, producer and teacher. In theatre, Suanne was most recently seen in the prestigious Road Theatre’s West Coast premiere production of “String of Pearls”, which she also coproduced. Prior to that appearance, she worked in the Fountain Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “Daisy in the Dreamtime”, presented at the John Anson Ford Theatre. Suanne has won the Ovation Award for Leading Actress/Play for her work in the multi-award winning “Napoli Milionaria” again at the Road Theatre Company. 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 for her portrayal of Blanche Dubois in Deaf West Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”. That production was the Ovation award for Best Production of the Year. 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 her actorial work in the milestone production of “David’s Mother” at the Company of Angels Theatre. She again 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, winning several Drama-logue Awards and LA Weekly nominations for her performances. She has served on the board of directors for both the Company of Angels and for Deaf West Theatre.
Suanne has appeared in a multitude of television shows and films; her vast array of guest appearances includes such shows as Weeds, Womens Murder Club, ER, Cold Case, Gilmore Girls, The Nine, 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, The Beach Boys, a very memorable turn on the Larry Sanders Show and many others. Suanne has also had recurring guest starring roles on everything from Oh Baby, Clueless, Step By Step, Unhappily Ever After and Judging Amy. But it’s Suanne’s leading role in the NBC MOW Growing Up Brady that was a highlight. With her portrayal of 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 “War of the Worlds”, “Peace”, “Such’s Life”, “More Dog Than Bone”, “Krippendorf’s Tribe”, “There’s Something about Meryl”, “Crazy Love” and most recently, she just finished work on “Family of Four”.

Suanne works as a teacher and private coach; she is currently on the faculty at the prestigious California Institute of the Arts. She has developed a program of study called Acting For Real, which incorporates fundamental techniques and practical application. In addition, she also helms audition technique workshops, with casting director, G. Charles Wright; she has worked at the Sundance Directors Lab, participated in ACTORFEST on both coasts and has been part of the faculty of Deaf West Theatre’s Summer School program. You can contact her through her website at www.suannespoke.com.