| Lisa
Dalton - Biography - May, 1998 |
Recently capturing a Dramalogue Award for Performance,
Producer-director Lisa Dalton has won a Crystal Award of Excellence for her short film "Birds of a
Feather," a comedic pilot. Her documentary "From Russia to Hollywood, the 100 Year Odyssey of
Chekhov and Shdanoff" is in post production. She was a finalist in the American Film
Institute's 1993 National Video
Festival, and her win of three Hometown USA Video Awards was a natural progression in a lifelong
commitment to entertainment. Since April 1990, Lisa has been producing, directing, editing and
hosting programs including three series - National Educational Video Winner "The Casting Corner,"
which received three 1992 WAVE Award Nominations (now in distribution), "Theatre 40 on Camera" and
"Health Watch" at BHTV Beverly Hills. The 1992 Hometown USA Video Festival recognized "Clazion
Catches Light" with more top honors than any other program, winning three awards and an additional
nomination. "Clazion" was also a 1991 WAVE Award winner. The Southern California Cable Association
nominated "The Maxfield Rabbit," a one-hour music special, for their Diamond Awards. This show and
"One Way Cafe" earned three 1993 Hometown nominations. Her other productions include a series of
One-Act plays for television, a sit-com pilot and a documentary on date rape. Continuing a long
career in directing theatre, Lisa's most recent staging includes "Playtime in Oldtown" in Pasadena
and San Diego. Lisa has a passion for developing talent, spending many hours volunteer
teaching and producing events for the Screen Actors Guild Conservatory. In addition to her speaking
engagement with the Association for Theatre in Higher Education in August of '93, Lisa taught at the Michael Chekhov
International Workshops: '95 and '92) in Berlin, '94 in London and '93 in Moscow. She
co-produced the International Michael Chekhov Conference '98 at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
in Connecticut. Lisa produced and hosted the 100th Birthday Salute to M. Chekhov
(1891-1955) at the American Film Institute. She is on the Board of Directors for the International
Michael Chekhov Association and is President of the Michael Chekhov Studio, USA West with founder
Mala Powers and Artistic Director Jack Colvin In L.A. and San Diego, she teaches and coaches
professional actors in this very unique approach to performing via imaginative spirit. Chekhov
himself was an Academy nominee for Hitchcock's "Spellbound" and coach to Jack Palance, Yul Brynner,
Anthony Quinn, Lloyd Bridges, Beatrice Straight (Oscar-winner for "Network") and Mala Powers
(Roxanne in 1950's "Cyrano de Bergerac). Creating events in which she could star lead to
backyard circuses and classroom pageantry as early as kindergarten in Illinois. In Miami and
Maryland her youth was filled with athletic trophies and drama awards, highlighted by producing and
directing the winning play tournament each of her high school years. Focusing on directing, she
completed her undergraduate work at the University of Maryland. She further expanded her
performance skills working with avant-garde artists such as Charles Ludlum, Spalding Gray, and
Richard Schechner at American University in Washington D.C. This knowledge of stage combat and
circus arts laid the foundation for her ten-year career as a highly successful stunt woman and
comedienne in New York. In over 100 films, Lisa worked with numerous starts including Cher, Meryl
Streep and Kelly McGillis, with directors Richard Benjamin, Michael Winner, Corey Allen, Frank
Perry and Robert Mandel. Film credits include blockbusters Crocodile Dundee, Splash and
Ghostbusters. The short film "The Bundle" which starred Lisa as it's solo performer recently won
the Worldfest Gold Award. As a comedienne and remarkable chameleon, Lisa developed over 25
different costumed characters for entertaining a gala affairs. Her production company, Pocket of
Marvels, provided entertainment for corporate and private parties all over the eastern seaboard,
ranging from Mayor Koch's Film Industry Reception at Lincoln Center, to Jake Hoffman's 3rd birthday
for Dustin and friends. When the lip-synch craze struck, Lisa applied her knowledge of makeup,
costumes, dance and song to become the top Madonna impersonator on the East Coast, doubling her on
Saturday Night Live, and acting a 'decoy' at a Madonna concert. Hard to believe until you see the
photos! As an actress, Lisa appeared in features, MOWs, sit-coms, soap operas, national
tours, at Lincoln Center, La Mama, regional and dinner theaters. 1988 Clio considerations for her
dramatic portrayal of a rape victim for the United Way encouraged a relocation to Los Angeles. Lisa
has had national commercials for Coke, AT&T, Wesson and Michelob. TV credits include Homefront,
Life Goes On, Beauty & the Beast, and various MOWs. She is a member of Theatre 40, Beverly
Hills, CA, where she recently sang and danced in a musical production of "Aladdin." Ken Kerman, her
biker-husband of 15 years is a working character actor. For fun, they travel cross-country on their
motorcycles, visit grandchildren, enjoy golf, scuba diving and art. They support The Actor's Fund,
The Council for the Blind and several art museums. Professional organizations include IFP, Cable
Academy and WIT.
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