Shelley Thompson

Shelley Thompson (born March 9, 1959) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her character Barbara Lahey on the hit mockumentary program ''Trailer Park Boys''.

Biography

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Shelley trained at RADA in London and worked for many years in the UK. She played roles in London's West End and at the Royal National Theatre, as well as leading roles in regional theatres. She was a regular in BBC radio drama during her time in Britain, and recorded dozens of audio books – titles including work by Margaret Atwood and Jane Smiley. She played "Rita King" for the first six series of the Children's ITV comedy series, ''Mike and Angelo'', and made guest appearances on ''Drop the Dead Donkey'', ''EastEnders'' and ''Chelworth''. She also played the role of Sarah's stepmother Irene Williams in Jim Henson's 1986 fantasy epic ''Labyrinth. ''She has appeared in all seasons of ''Trailer Park Boys'', both specials, and the feature film.

Since returning to Canada, her work has included season at the Atlantic Theatre Festival (Ariel in the Tempest and Viola in Twelfth Night), work at the Neptune Theatre, The Prairie Theatre Exchange, The Globe Theatre, Regina, and Festival Antigonish.

Since 2012, she has been shifting her focus to stage and screenwriting and directing. Her plays include plays ''A Kind of Faith'' (2004), ''Leaving Wonderland'' (2015), children's plays ''Bluenose Billy'' (2006), ''Belinda the Bicycle Witch'' (2008), ''Lost and Found'' (2009), and ''...And How Are We Today.'' She was also seen on stage in ''A Good Death'', ''Be My Baby'', and ''Criminal Genius".''

As a poet, she has been a finalist in the Atlantic Writing Competition. Her poetry has appeared in literary journals such as ''Toward the Light'' and ''Papirmasse'', and on the CBC website. Her short stories have been included in anthologies and broadcast in collaboration with The Blue Engine String Quartet on CBC Radio – Christmas 2010 and 2011.

Presently shifting to writing/directing for film, she has just finished her first narrative short, DAWG (Festivals include the Atlantic Film Festival, The San Diego International Kids Film Festival, Nickle Film festival NFL and more....)
Presently: working on features ('' Dawn, Her Dad and the Tractor'', Billy, Dash and Dawg, and The Benefit. In 2015 she was a resident at the Canadian Film Centre, Toronto, as a screenwriter, and in 2016 was invited to be one of eight Women In the Director's Chair (2017).

In 2018, Thompson won the WIDC's Feature Film Award, a prize which goes toward the production of a female director's debut feature film."Trailer Park Boys actress Shelley Thompson to direct first feature film after winning award"
''Toronto Star'', November 30, 2018.

Awards include: ACTRA Maritimes winner for (short) Two Penny Road-Kill 2013, Best Supporting Actress, LA's Love Unlimited Festival, 2011 for (short) WAKE, and Gemini, 2008, Best Ensemble, as Barb Lahey, for Trailer Park Boys. Merritt Award- Best Actress in a Leading Role- for Glorious. Several Stage nominations for: Humble Boy – Flora, Criminal Genius – Shirley, Tamara (Dora) – Aelis.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Shelley
1959 births
Living people
20th-century Canadian actresses
21st-century Canadian actresses
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Actresses from Calgary
Canadian film actresses
Canadian stage actresses
Canadian television actresses