‘Everybody Needs A Little Mate’ - Actor and Mentor, Valerie Bader

An actor whose career is approaching fifty years, Valerie Bader has worked extensively across all performance disciplines. Notwithstanding her considerable film and television credits, Valerie is perhaps best known for her theatre work – having performed with all of the major theatre companies (and even more of the minor ones). 
Raised in a family of folk who all explored ways to express themselves in various roles of the theatre, Valerie’s first forays into show business were with ‘the firm’ -  J.C. Williamson’s; in the musicals Irene and No, No, Nanette. She also featured in productions of Original Australian Musicals; The Venetian Twins, Pearls Before Swine, Jonah Jones, Darlinghurst Nights and Summer Rain.
Theatre credits includes: Dinkum Assorted, Australia Day, Parramatta Girls, Barmaids, Thomas Murray and the Upside Down River, TALK, Children of the Sun, M Rock, The Floating World, Away, The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race and A Christmas Carol. She is also remembered in Sydney for her many appearances with the Wharf Revue team.Recent screen appearances include the feature film, Wish You Were Here, the award-winning Black & White & Sex and Rip Tide, which debuted at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival. 
On the small screen Valerie’s work includes The Crew’s Ship, Devil’s Playground, Dead Lucky, The Let Down, The Chuck In, All Saints, East of Everything, Come in Spinner, True Believers, Murder Call and GP. 
She has been an active member of Equity since 1972, and is presently serving as an Executive Committee Member for the Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW.
In recent years, Valerie has enjoyed mentoring young performers as they negotiate the early stages of their careers. She is a passionate advocate for them; and is proud to instil in them a strong regard for themselves, their industry, and their union.
In May, Valerie can be seen at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre playing in Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer. She treads the boards again in August with another appearance in the stage adaptation of Colleen McCollough’s Tim.
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