Fran Gebhard is a Canadian actress and theatre director.[2] She is most noted for her performance in the 1987 film Blue City Slammers, for which she received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 9th Genie Awards.[3] She is currently a professor at the University of Victoria.[citation needed]

Fran Gebhard
EducationUniversity of British Columbia (MFA)[1]
Occupation(s)Actress, director, and professor

Career edit

Gebhard has had supporting or guest roles in the films A Piano for Mrs. Cimino, Police Academy 3: Back in Training, Love and Murder, Ernest Goes to School and Case 39, and the television series Check It Out!, Friday the 13th: The Series, T. and T., The Dead Zone, The Chris Isaak Show and The L Word. As a director, her work has included productions of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Wreckage, The School for Scandal, Crackpot, The Affections of May, Twelfth Night, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again and A Midsummer Night's Dream.[2]

She has also been associated with the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, including as program head of the Playwrights' Colony and coordinator of the Screenwriters' Workshop.[citation needed]

Gebhard has often served as a festival adjudicator for Theatre BC's regional zone festivals.[4] Gebhard adjudicated the 2014 North Island Zone Drama Festival.[5] In 2015, she was the Main Stage Adjudicator for Kamloops.[6] Gebhard adjudicated the Fraser Valley Zone Festival in 2017.[1] In 2018, she adjudicated the Kitimat Drama Festival.[7] She served as the Main Stage Adjudicator in Vernon in 2022.[4]

A theatre professor at the University of Victoria,[8][9] Gebhard has directed productions for the university's Phoenix Theatre. In 2016, she directed Les Liaisons Dangereuses.[10] She directed Morris Panych's 7 Stories in 2019.[11] In 2021, Gebhard directed George F. Walker's Problem Child[12] and Sarah Ruhl's Dead Man's Cell Phone.[13]

Gebhard has also directed several productions for Victoria's Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre including The Importance of Being Earnest (2016),[14] Barefoot in the Park (2019),[15] and Salt Water Moon (2021)[16]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Police Academy 3: Back in Training Woman at Cafe
1988 Blue City Slammers Barb
1990 Love & Murder Wilma Evans
1994 Ernest Goes to School Miss Cosgrove
2009 Case 39 Coordinator

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1982 A Piano for Mrs. Cimino Gloria Cimino Television film
1983 The Shaft of Love Nurse with Thermometer
1985 Check It Out! Lady Shopper Episode: "Seven Days Make One Week"
1986 The Ray Bradbury Theater Neighbour Episode: "The Screaming Woman"
1987 Walking on Air Jason's Mom Television film
1988 Friday the 13th: The Series Bradley / Marlene 2 episodes
1990 T. and T. Marlene Nesmith Episode: "A Lesson in Values"
1990 Personals Melody Television film
1992 Shame Betty
1993 The Substitute Female Teacher
2001 Wolf Lake Nurse Episode: "Excitable Boy"
2002 The Dead Zone Henrietta Dodd 2 episodes
2002, 2004 The Chris Isaak Show Debbie / Betty
2007 The L Word Connie Episode: "Little Boy Blue"

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Minty: Zoned in on community theatre, which isn't 'amateur' at all - Surrey Now-Leader". www.surreynowleader.com. June 1, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Adrian Chamberlain, "Midsummer Night's Dream goes punk; New York scene in late '70s inspires director Fran Gebhard". Victoria Times-Colonist, November 6, 2014.
  3. ^ Liam Lacey, "Quebec film picks up 14 nominations: Zoo paces race for Genies". The Globe and Mail, February 17, 1988.
  4. ^ a b Handschuh, Darren (July 4, 2022). "Main Stage 2022 will take place July 11-16 in Vernon". Castanet. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  5. ^ Gough, Brenda (May 13, 2014). "Mix of genres offers a theatrical feast". Parksville Qualicum Beach News. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  6. ^ Lamb-Yorski, Monica (July 16, 2015). "Williams Lake Studio Theatre receives accolades at Mainstage 2015". Williams Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  7. ^ Gervais, Brittany (June 7, 2018). "Terrace Little Theatre wins big at Kitimat Drama Festival". Terrace Standard. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Adrian Chamberlain, "Liaisons a bona fide coup for UVic team". Victoria Times-Colonist, November 13, 2016.
  9. ^ Prendergast, Monica. "2019's theatre report card is in". Focus on Victoria. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  10. ^ Chamberlain, Adrian (November 12, 2016). "Review: Les Liaisons Dangereuses a bona fide coup for UVic team". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  11. ^ "UVic production of 7 Stories features original 23 foot tall set". Monday Magazine. March 3, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Devlin, Mike (March 18, 2021). "First show by the Phoenix Theatre in over a year goes the livestream route". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  13. ^ Devlin, Mike (November 12, 2021). "Phoenix Theatre returns for its first mainstage production since March 2020". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  14. ^ Chamberlain, Adrian (July 7, 2016). "Veteran actors come full circle in Importance of Being Earnest". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  15. ^ Horne, Chris (July 10, 2019). "Local theatre takes on 1963 comedic classic Barefoot in the Park". Martlet.ca. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  16. ^ Devlin, Mike (July 2, 2021). "Blue Bridge welcomes in-person audiences back to the theatre". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved September 15, 2022.

External links edit