Trinity Rep resident actor Phyllis Kay was recently honored as a 2015 Lunt-Fontanne Fellow. One of only 10 actors from across the country to receive the award, Kay represented Trinity Rep at an intensive master class this summer at Ten Chimneys, the National Historic Landmark estate of Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, located in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin.

“Phyllis Kay is a fearless, inventive and incredibly talented actor. From her work as part of Trinity Rep’s esteemed resident acting company to her performances in film and television, she has proven to be a remarkably deft actress, capable of nearly anything,” said Tyler Dobrowsky, Trinity Rep’s associate artistic director.

“Phyllis is also one of the millions of children whose first theatrical experience happened at Trinity Rep thanks to our Project Discovery student matinee program. We could not be more proud of Phyllis—she is a valued friend, a true advocate of Trinity Rep and a shining example of our commitment to education and to a resident acting company.”

Kay participated in a weeklong intensive master class and retreat at Ten Chimneys in July 2015 with television star and Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad along with nine actors from some of America’s premier regional theaters. The 2015 Lunt-Fontanne fellows focused on delving into “against type” roles in their master class, exploring characters that differ from those they usually play. Phyllis was also awarded a cash fellowship in recognition of her contributions and dedication to Trinity Rep and the city of Providence.

In 25 seasons at Trinity Rep, some of Kay’s favorite productions include Macbeth, Lend Me a Tenor, One for the Money, Angels in America, We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Cider House Rules, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Cherry Orchard, All the King’s Men, Cabaret, King Lear and House & Garden. She has worked at several regional theaters and has appeared in the films Smithereens, By A Thread, Federal Hill, Brooklyn Rules, Meet Dave and The Proposal. Kay has appeared on television on Miller’s Court, Law & Order, The Sopranos and Body of Proof. She attended Emerson College, L’University de Lausanne and Brown University. She is also a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse.

Kay can be seen in Trinity Rep’s 2015 production of A Christmas Carol and will be starring in The Hunchback of Seville as Maxima Terriblé Segunda in February 2016.

The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program is a groundbreaking national program to serve American theatre. Every year, 8-10 of the most accomplished regional-theatre actors in the country are invited to participate in a weeklong master class and retreat with a world-renowned and respected Master Teacher. The eight-day immersion at Ten Chimneys includes intensive daily master class sessions, both in the historic rooms of the estate and in the modern facilities of the program center.

Through this groundbreaking national program, the top actors in the country are given a rare and deeply needed opportunity to grow artistically, renew their passion for their art form, deepen their commitment to mentorship, and form a national community of Lunt-Fontanne Fellows. These actors return to their home communities more inspired, and more inspiring – offering great benefits to other actors, to individual theatres, to students, to communities across the country, and to American theatre as a whole. Ultimately, this program does not exist simply to serve actors, but to strengthen the ability of actors and theatres to enrich people’s lives in communities throughout the country. Lunt-Fontanne Fellows do this as artists, as mentors, as teachers, and as leaders in their communities.