Graham Abbey
Encyclopedia
Graham Abbey in Toronto
, Ontario
is a Canadian
film, television and stage actor.
(now Stratford Shakespeare Festival), an 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
.
At age 13 Abbey collected teddy bear
s, though he denied being "the kind of kid who would really play with them."
Despite the thrilling start as a forest gnome – not a fairy – at the Festival Theatre, where “there was a room full of doughnuts and I got to get out of school”, the young Abbey stopped 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.
That was in 1997, when 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).
Ten years later, Abbey still has the acting bug. He left the Stratford Festival in 2006, after performing in Coriolanus
in his eighth consecutive season, and has since been focusing on film and television and a writing project of his own.
In August 2008, he married former Stratford colleague Michelle Giroux
.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
film, television and stage actor.
History
At the then Stratford Festival of CanadaStratford Festival of Canada
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is an internationally recognized annual celebration of theatre running from April to November in the Canadian city of Stratford, Ontario...
(now Stratford Shakespeare Festival), an eleven year-old Graham Abbey took up small parts in A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
and The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to 1597. It features the fat knight Sir John Falstaff, and is Shakespeare's only play to deal exclusively with contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life...
. In the following season, he returned with roles in As You Like It
As You Like It
As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
and Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
.
At age 13 Abbey collected teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
s, though he denied being "the kind of kid who would really play with them."
Despite the thrilling start as a forest gnome – not a fairy – at the Festival Theatre, where “there was a room full of doughnuts and I got to get out of school”, the young Abbey stopped acting. He left Stratford Central Secondary School
Stratford Central Secondary School
Stratford Central Secondary School is a Public High School in Stratford, Ontario. It is one of three main high schools in Stratford. Central is known primarily for its academics, arts and athletics programmes.-Central Athletics Association:...
, moved to Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, and in 1994, graduated from Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
with a degree in political science.
That was in 1997, when he rejoined the Stratford Festival with a leading role (Happy Loman in Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was the recipient of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Premiered at the Morosco Theatre in February 1949, the original production ran for a total of 742 performances.-Plot :Willy Loman...
), a supporting role (Paris in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
), and an ensemble role (the Chorus in Oedipus Rex).
Ten years later, Abbey still has the acting bug. He left the Stratford Festival in 2006, after performing in Coriolanus
Coriolanus (play)
Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Marcius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Caius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus...
in his eighth consecutive season, and has since been focusing on film and television and a writing project of his own.
In August 2008, he married former Stratford colleague Michelle Giroux
Michelle Giroux
Michelle Giroux is a Canadian stage actress whose credits include numerous productions at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival over nine seasons....
.
Current projects
Abbey's current projects include:- Starring as Hamlet at Resurgence Theatre (Newmarket, Ontario)
- Starring as Detective Sergeant Gray Jackson in the CBCCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
drama The Border. Season three continues Thursdays at 9 ET; - Developing a script for a series tentatively titled Brunswick Avenue.
- In 2011, Abbey will star in DegrassiDegrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
as Jake Martin, Mr. Martin, father's.
Film and television credits
- Othello: The Tragedy of the Moor (2008) -- Michael Cassio
- The Border (2008) -- Gray Jackson
- Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
-- Glen Martin - HeartlandHeartland (Canadian TV series)Heartland is a Canadian television drama series which debuted on CBC Television on October 14, 2007. The series is loosely based on the Heartland books by Lauren Brooke....
(2007) -- Steve Redding in episode “Coming Home” - Billable HoursBillable HoursBillable Hours is a Canadian comedy series, which airs on Showcase.Set in the fictional Toronto law firm of Fagen & Harrison, the series focuses on three young lawyers struggling to balance their expectations in life with the difficult realities of building a career in law.The series debuted on...
(2007) -- Scott in episode “Monopoly Man, the Second” - The Jane ShowThe Jane ShowThe Jane Show is a Canadian television sitcom produced by Shaftesbury Films that was shown on Global from 2006 to 2007. The series stars Teresa Pavlinek as Jane Black, an aspiring novelist who takes a corporate job after her life undergoes a major upheaval....
(2007) -- Richard in episode “Who's Got Spirit?” - 'Til Death Do Us Part (2007) -- Slade in episode “Funeral Parlour Murder”
- The Madness of King Richard (2003), interviews with members of the theatre community, regarding the Stratford Festival of Canada under Artistic Director Richard MonetteRichard MonetteRichard Jean Monette OC, DHum, LLD was a Canadian actor and director, best-known for his 14-season tenure as artistic director of the Stratford Festival of Canada from 1994 to 2007.-Early life:...
-- Himself - Offstage, Onstage: Inside the Stratford Festival (2002), the National Film Board behind-the-scenes at the Stratford Festival of Canada's 49th season—Himself
- John Woo's Once a ThiefOnce a Thief (TV series)Once a Thief was a 1997 Canadian television show inspired by the 1996 film of the same name.-Premise:...
(1998) -- Special Agent Elk Diller in episode “The Director Files” - As You Like It (1984), based on the 1983 production at the Stratford Festival of Canada—Page
Stratford Festival credits
- Coriolanus (2006) -- Tullus Aufidius
- The LarkL'Alouette (The Lark)L'Alouette is a 1952 play by Jean Anouilh about Joan of Arc. It was presented on Broadway in English in 1955, starring Julie Harris as Joan and Boris Karloff as Pierre Cauchon. It was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden.The English adaptation was by Lillian Hellman and the incidental music was by...
(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 LostLove's Labour's LostLove's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, and first published in 1598.-Title:...
(2003) -- Berowne - The Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
(2003) -- Petruchio - Richard III, Reign of TerrorRichard III (play)Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
(2002) -- King Henry VII, Earl of Richmond - The Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The story is a precursor to the "disguised superhero" tales such as Zorro and Batman....
(2002) -- Lambert - Romeo and JulietRomeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
(2002) -- Romeo - Henry VHenry V (play)Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to be written in approximately 1599. Its full titles are The Cronicle History of Henry the Fifth and The Life of Henry the Fifth...
(2001) -- King Henry V - Henry IV, Part 2Henry IV, Part 2Henry IV, Part 2 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed written between 1596 and 1599. It is the third part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II and Henry IV, Part 1 and succeeded by Henry V.-Sources:...
(2001) -- Henry, Prince of Wales - Henry IV, Part 1Henry IV, Part 1Henry IV, Part 1 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. It is the second play in Shakespeare's tetralogy dealing with the successive reigns of Richard II, Henry IV , and Henry V...
(2001) -- Henry, Prince of Wales - The Three MusketeersThe Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
(2000) -- D'Artagnan - The Importance of Being EarnestThe Importance of Being EarnestThe Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at St. James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae in order to escape burdensome social obligations...
(2000) -- Algernon Montford - HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
(2000) -- Laertes - The School for ScandalThe School for ScandalThe School for Scandal is a play written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on May 8, 1777.The prologue, written by David Garrick, commends the play, its subject, and its author to the audience...
(1999) -- Sir Toby Bumper - The TempestThe TempestThe Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
(1999) -- Ferdinand - A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) -- Lysander
- Two Gentlemen of Verona (1998) -- Valentine
- The Winter's TaleThe Winter's TaleThe Winter's Tale is a play by William Shakespeare, originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, some modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some critics, among them W. W...
(1998) -- Florizel - A Man For All SeasonsA Man for All SeasonsA Man for All Seasons is a play by Robert Bolt. An early form of the play had been written for BBC Radio in 1954, and a one-hour live television version starring Bernard Hepton was produced in 1957 by the BBC, but after Bolt's success with The Flowering Cherry, he reworked it for the stage.It was...
(1998) -- William Roper - Oedipus Rex (1997) -- Chorus
- Death of a SalesmanDeath of a SalesmanDeath of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was the recipient of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Premiered at the Morosco Theatre in February 1949, the original production ran for a total of 742 performances.-Plot :Willy Loman...
(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 TheatreTarragon TheatreThe Tarragon Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Canada, and one of the main centers for contemporary playwriting in the country. Located near Casa Loma, the theatre was founded by Bill and Jane Glassco in 1970. Bill was the Artistic Director from 1971 to 1982. In 1982, Urjo Kareda took over as...
, Toronto (2007) -- Philip - Long Day's Journey Into NightLong Day's Journey Into NightLong Day's Journey Into Night is a 1956 drama in four acts written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. The play is widely considered to be his masterwork...
, Manitoba Theatre CentreManitoba Theatre CentreRoyal Manitoba Theatre Centre is Canada's oldest English-language regional theatre. Next to the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, MTC has a higher annual attendance than any other theatre in the country...
, Winnipeg (2005) -- Jamie - Death of a Salesman, Theatre Aquarius (2004) -- Biff Loman
- The Molière Comedies, Shubert Theatre, Chicago (2003) -- Valère
- Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
: The Merry Family Musical, Elgin TheatreElgin and Winter Garden TheatresThe Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres are a pair of stacked theatres in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Winter Garden theatre is seven stories above the Elgin Theatre....
, Toronto (2002) -- Robin Hood - Snow WhiteSnow White"Snow White" is a fairy tale known from many countries in Europe, the best known version being the German one collected by the Brothers Grimm...
and the Magnificent Seven, Elgin Theatre, Toronto (2001) -- Prince Don “Squeeze the” Charming - ProposalsProposals (play)Proposals is a play by Neil Simon. Incidental music was written by Stephen Flaherty.A nostalgic memory play, Proposals recalls one idyllic afternoon in the summer of 1953, the last time the Hines clan gathers at its retreat in the Poconos. Clemma, the family's housekeeper , dreads a visit from the...
, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg/Royal Alexandra TheatreRoyal Alexandra TheatreThe Royal Alexandra Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada located near King and Simcoe Streets. Built in 1907, the Royal Alex is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in North America.-History:...
, Toronto (1998) -- Ray Dolenz - Hello, Dolly!Hello, Dolly! (musical)Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955....
, 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 WifeThe Baker's Wife (film)- Cast :* Raimu as Aimable Castanier* Ginette Leclerc as Aurélie Castanier* Fernand Charpin as Le marquis Castan de Venelles* Robert Vattier as Le Curé* Charles Blavette as Antonin* Robert Bassac as L'instituteur* Marcel Maupi as Barnabé...
, Equity Showcase, Toronto—Antoine - A Streetcar Named DesireA Streetcar Named Desire (play)A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947, and closed on December 17, 1949, in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Broadway production was...
, Firehall Theatre, Gananoque, Ontario—Stanley Kowalski - Guys and Dolls, Grand Theatre, Kingston, Ontario—Nicely-Nicely
- Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
, Grand Theatre, Kingston, Ontario—Motel the Tailor
In the news
- "Border star steady with sword as well as gun", The Toronto StarToronto StarThe Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, September 27, 2008 - "Graham Abbey makes a run for The Border", The Kingston Whig-StandardKingston Whig-StandardThe Kingston Whig-Standard is a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is published daily, except on Sunday. It publishes a mix of community, national and international news and is owned by Sun Media...
, 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 MailThe Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, January 5, 2008 - "The Border's Niagara connection", St. Catharines StandardSt. Catharines StandardThe St. Catharines Standard is the prominent daily newspaper of the city of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.-History:The St. Catharines Standard was started in 1891, by W. B. Burgoyne. The Standard, located in St. Catharines, Ontario, is the largest daily newspaper in Niagara Region...
, December 13, 2007 - "Abbey not pessimistic as he leaves Stratford", The Toronto Star, April 22, 2007
External links
- Abbey speaking on "CBC RadioCBC RadioCBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
: Q The Podcast" episode for Monday, January 7, 2008