Graham Abbey
Graham Abbey (born Graham Robert Thomson Abbey, March 24, 1971) is a Canadian film, television and stage actor, who is best known for his role as Gray Jackson in TV drama The Border.
Graham Abbey | |
|---|---|
| Born | Graham Robert Thomson Abbey March 24, 1971 |
| Years active | 1983-present |
| Spouse(s) | Michelle Giroux |
History
At the then Stratford Festival of Canada, the eleven-year-old Graham Abbey took up small parts in A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Merry Wives of Windsor. In the following season, he returned with roles in As You Like It and Macbeth.[1] His first role was as a forest gnome at the Festival Theatre, and he explained his interest as: "there was a room full of doughnuts and I got to get out of school".[2][3]
After two years at Stratford, he gave up acting. He left Stratford Central Secondary School, moved to Kingston, Ontario, and in 1994, graduated from Queen's University with a degree in political science.
In 1997, he rejoined the Stratford Festival with a leading role (Happy Loman in Death of a Salesman), a supporting role (Paris in Romeo and Juliet), and an ensemble role (the Chorus in Oedipus Rex). He has performed in over 30 productions at the Festival, and continues to be a part of the company as of 2016, during which season he debuted his adaptation of Shakespeare's Henriad, Breath of Kings
In August 2008, he married former Stratford colleague Michelle Giroux.[4]
Credits
Film and television credits
- As You Like It (1984), based on the 1983 production at the Stratford Festival of Canada—Page
- John Woo's Once a Thief (1998) — Special Agent Elk Diller in episode "The Director Files"
- Offstage, Onstage: Inside the Stratford Festival (2002), the National Film Board behind-the-scenes at the Stratford Festival of Canada's 49th season — himself
- The Madness of King Richard (2003), interviews with members of the theatre community, regarding the Stratford Festival of Canada under artistic director Richard Monette — himself
- 'Til Death Do Us Part (2007) — Slade in episode "Funeral Parlour Murder"
- The Jane Show (2007) — Richard in episode "Who's Got Spirit?"
- Billable Hours (2007) — Scott in episode "Monopoly Man, the Second"
- Heartland (2007) — Steve Redding in episode "Coming Home"
- Degrassi: The Next Generation — Glen Martin
- The Border (2008) — Gray Jackson
- Othello: The Tragedy of the Moor (2008) — Michael Cassio
- Stealing Paradise TV film (2011) - Steven Collier
- Republic of Doyle (2012) — George
- King John (2015) — King Philip
- Angels and Ornaments (2014) - Dave
- Frontier (2016) - MacLaughlan
Stratford Festival credits
- "Coriolanus" (2018) -- Tullus Aufidius
- "Tartuffe" (2017) -- Orgon
- King John (play) (2014) -- Philip the Bastard
- Othello (2013) -- Iago
- Coriolanus (2006) -- Tullus Aufidius
- The Lark (2005) -- Warwick, Earl of Beauchamp
- As You Like It (2005) -- Jacques
- King Henry VIII (All is True) (2004) -- King Henry VIII
- Macbeth (2004) -- Macbeth
- Love's Labour's Lost (2003) -- Berowne
- The Taming of the Shrew (2003) -- Petruchio
- Richard III, Reign of Terror (2002) -- King Henry VII, Earl of Richmond
- The Scarlet Pimpernel (2002) -- Lambert
- Romeo and Juliet (2002) -- Romeo
- Henry V (2001) -- King Henry V
- Henry IV, Part 2 (2001) -- Henry, Prince of Wales
- Henry IV, Part 1 (2001) -- Henry, Prince of Wales
- The Three Musketeers (2000) -- D'Artagnan
- The Importance of Being Earnest (2000) -- Algernon Montford
- Hamlet (2000) -- Laertes
- The School for Scandal (1999) -- Sir Toby Bumper
- The Tempest (1999) -- Ferdinand
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) -- Lysander
- Two Gentlemen of Verona (1998) -- Valentine
- The Winter's Tale (1998) -- Florizel
- A Man For All Seasons (1998) -- William Roper
- Oedipus Rex (1997) -- Chorus
- Death of a Salesman (1997) -- Happy Loman
- Romeo and Juliet (1997) -- Paris
- As You Like It (1983) -- Page
- Macbeth (1983) -- Young Macduff (understudy)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (1982) -- Appears in
- The Merry Wives of Windsor (1982) -- Forest Gnome
Other theatre credits
- The Pessimist, Tarragon Theatre, Toronto (2007) -- Philip
- Long Day's Journey Into Night, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg (2005) -- Jamie
- Death of a Salesman, Theatre Aquarius (2004) -- Biff Loman
- The Molière Comedies, Shubert Theatre, Chicago (2003) -- Valère
- Robin Hood: The Merry Family Musical, Elgin Theatre, Toronto (2002) -- Robin Hood
- Snow White and the Magnificent Seven, Elgin Theatre, Toronto (2001) -- Prince Don "Squeeze the" Charming
- Proposals, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg/Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto (1998) -- Ray Dolenz
- Hello, Dolly!, York Minstrels, Toronto (1995) -- Cornelius Hackl
- The School for Scandal, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre—Charles Surface
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Festival of Classics, Toronto—Demetrius
- The Baker's Wife, Equity Showcase, Toronto—Antoine
- A Streetcar Named Desire, Firehall Theatre, Gananoque, Ontario—Stanley Kowalski
- Guys and Dolls, Grand Theatre, Kingston, Ontario—Nicely-Nicely
- Fiddler on the Roof, Grand Theatre, Kingston, Ontario—Motel the Tailor
References
- "Border star steady with sword as well as gun"
- "From the Bard to Border Guard"
- "As You Like It, Stratford 1983
- OUZOUNIAN, Richard (2008-09-27). "Border star steady with sword as well as gun". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
External links
- Official website
- Graham Abbey at IMDb
- Abbey speaking on "CBC Radio: Q The Podcast" episode for Monday, January 7, 2008
- Stratford Theatre Festival biography
In the news
- "Border star steady with sword as well as gun", The Toronto Star, September 27, 2008
- "Graham Abbey makes a run for The Border", The Kingston Whig-Standard, January 26, 2008
- "Crossing those acting borders", The Windsor Star, January 7, 2008
- "Investigating The Border", Metro Canada, January 7, 2008
- "From the Bard to Border guard", The Globe and Mail, January 5, 2008
- "The Border's Niagara connection", St. Catharines Standard, December 13, 2007
- "Abbey not pessimistic as he leaves Stratford", The Toronto Star, April 22, 2007