Shona Tucker

Shona Tucker is an American actress and director. Beginning in the 1990s, she had roles in several television shows including Law & Order and New York Undercover. She has appeared in regional theater, including at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Off-Broadway at The Public Theater and elsewhere, in films such as 2016's King Cobra, and on Broadway in original cast of 2018's To Kill a Mockingbird with Jeff Daniels, and Death of a Salesman with Wendell Pierce. From 2008 until 2023 she taught in the Drama department at Vassar College, before becoming the chair of the Department of Theater Arts at the University of Louisville.

Life and career Tucker was born in Louisville Kentucky, where she began acting at the Louisville Youth Performing Arts School. While still in high school, she began her long relationship with Actors Theatre of Louisville as assistant to Paul Owen, the resident scenic designer as an intern on The Louisville Zoo 2. She has returned to perform at Actors Theatre in five different plays.

A Fulbright Scholar, a Schomburg Fellow, and an Audelco Award winner, she earned a BS from Northwestern University and MFA in Acting at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She has served as Professor of Drama at Vassar College from 2008 to the present.

She was a company member at Oregon Shakespeare Festival from 2005 to 2008, acting in such plays as Fences, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Gem of the Ocean, and Bus Stop.

Her Off-Broadway theatre credits include productions at New York Theatre Workshop, Lincoln Center Theater Directors' Lab, The Public Theater, Circle in the Square Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theatre Club, and La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club.

She played the role of Rita in the world premiere of the award-winning play Eclipsed at Yale Repertory Theatre. She also created the roles of Sherry and Dr. Toros in Pulitzer Prize finalist Amy Herzog's Mary Jane, also at Yale Repertory Theatre. She created the roles of Angela and Angie in the world premiere of Tough Titty at Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Her feature film credits include: The Hating Game, James Franco's King Cobra (2016), Keane (2004), Preaching to the Choir (2005) and Boys on the Side (1995) with Whoopi Goldberg and Mary-Louise Parker.

Tucker has played roles in a number of television series including New York Undercover (recurring), Queens Supreme, Law & Order, and Third Watch. She has also acted in several TV movies and shorts.

Works Stage Broadway Title Role Venue Notes To Kill A Mockingbird Ensemble, U/S Calpurnia Shubert Theater Original Broadway CastDeath of a Salesman U/S Linda Loman, Jazz singer, Miss Forsythe Hudson Theatre Original Broadway Cast

Off-Broadway Title Role Venue Notes Twelfth Night Feste Joseph Papp Public Theatre The African Company Presents Richard III] Sarah Joseph Papp Public Theatre Audelco Award From the Mississippi Delta Phelia Circle in the Square Theatre Light Shining in Buckinghamshire Hoskins New York Theatre Workshop Marvin's Room Dr. Charlotte Playwrights Horizons The Investigation of the Murder in El Salvador Singing Maid New York Theatre Workshop Imperceptible Mutabilities BuffyManhattan Theatre Club

Regional Theater Title Role Venue Notes Mary Jane Sherry/Dr. Toros Yale Repertory Theatre Original CastEclipsed Rita Yale Repertory Theatre World Premiere Love and Information Many Roles American Conservatory TheaterBlithe Spirit Ruth American Conservatory Theater Tartuffe Elmire American Conservatory Theater Insurrection Mama Mo'tel American Conservatory Theater Fences Rose Oregon Shakespeare FestivalBus Stop Grace Oregon Shakespeare FestivalRomeo and Juliet Lady Capulet Oregon Shakespeare FestivalGem of the Ocean Black Mary Oregon Shakespeare Festival Tough TittyAngela Williamstown Theatre Festival

Film Year Film Role 2016 King Cobra Detective Banks 2009 Walk the Fish(Short) Woman on the Bus 2005 Preaching to the Choir Claretha 2004 Keane Voice 1998 Trinity Medical Examiner 1995 Boys on the Side Hotel Clerk

Television Year Show Role Episode(s) 2011 Lights Out Mary Reade "The Comeback" 2003 Queens Supreme Voice "One Angry Man" 1999 Third Watch Detox Counselor "Anywhere But Here" 1994 New York Undercover Det. Presley "Tasha", "Garbage" 1990-1993Law & Order Dolores Ruffin (1993), Records Clerk (1990) "Born Bad" (Dolores Ruffin), "Prescription for Death" (Records Clerk)