Victoria Clark Runs For Eastern Regional Principal Councilor For Actors’ Equity

Actors’ Equity Association represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans.

Governed by its own members through an elected Council, representing principal actors, chorus actors and stage managers living in three regions: Eastern, Central and Western. Members at large participate in Equity’s governance through a system of regional Boards and Committees. On June 17th members will be running for this council to make a difference.

Victoria Clark is a well respected actress, musical theatre singer and director. Clark has performed in numerous Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television works. Her soprano voice can also be heard on innumerable cast albums and several animated films. In 2008, she released her first solo album titled Fifteen Seconds of Grace. In 2005, she won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musicalfor her role in The Light in the Piazza. She also won the Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and the Joseph Jefferson Award for her performances in the same show.

Clark played the Mother Superior in the Broadway production of Sister Act and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also starred as the Fairy Godmother in the Broadway production of Cinderella and as Mamita in the Broadway revival of Gigi. For both these shows she was again nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In Toronto Clark appeared in Sousatska in the lead role. This was slated for Broadway. Clark also appeared as Carrie Mathison’s mother on the Season 4 finale of Showtime’s series Homeland.

Now Victoria is running for Eastern Regional Principal Councilor to represent her fellow actors. Here is Victoria’s candidacy statement. Tomorrow look for T2C’s Q&A with this highly worthy candidate.

Throughout my life as an artist, Actors Equity has been there for me and given me comfort, support, encouragement, and many practical benefits. Now I feel it is time for me to step up and be there for you and for our union, to help protect and empower our membership at this time of uncertainty. We need experienced leaders to guide us forward.

I’ve been an Equity member for thirty-five years and have worked on practically every AEA contract, often as deputy, all over the country. I am blessed to have been a part of thirteen Broadway shows, two national tours and countless regional, off- Broadway and Off-off-Broadway projects. I’ve been recognized with Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards and many nominations for my work as an actor. I have also worked steadily as a director and teacher. 

Actors are vulnerable. We are givers. We serve our communities as story-tellers and healers and yet, who speaks up for us?  Our union does. And I feel it can do more. We find ourselves at a critical juncture of great change and suffering and possibility. We need to do what artists have always done—see the bigger picture and get to work mending the wounds.

We have to collaborate on the most pressing issues we face right now: Health care coverage for the biggest percentage possible of our electorate.  CoVid-19 testing and work preparedness. Health and safety in the places we work. Collaboration with our sister and brother theatrical unions. Fair-minded negotiations that put work and the art of theater above our individual egos. And we must begin from a place of mutual respect.
My experience as a director has necessitated my working alongside producers. My voice will be valuable at the negotiating table. I know we can find our balance, strength, unity, and compassion in this unprecedented time.  We have the opportunity to make an impact on our industry and our country and to find the best ways to navigate us safely back into the workplace and beyond.  #Vote4Vicki  #EquityStrong