Bernadette Pryde
Bernadette Pryde
Actor
Bernadette is a Matilda Award nominated actor, singer, and writer. She has been a proud member of MEAA since her first professional acting gig with the QLD Arts Council in 1990.
Biography
Bernadette has toured throughout Australia in work ranging from Shakespeare to Children’s Theatre. She has appeared in various television commercials, short films, an ABC television series, and a feature film. Her original theatrical works have played in both regional and urban centres. In 2023 her Judy Garland tribute show boosted attendance at the annual Logan City Seniors’ Big Day Out by 39%. Bernadette publishes through Cambridge Press, Palgrave MacMillan and Taylor & Francis. You can catch her singing at the Brisbane Jazz Club with artists including Ingrid James, Dr. Jeff Usher, and Ella Doneman.
Bernadette is excited to be returning to Sydney after a long hiatus. In the 1990s she co-founded the artist-run-initiative Young at ’Art with other young Sydney creatives including Darren Gilshenan, Craig Ilott and Jamie Jackson. Their theatre-making ventures enjoyed success at Griffin Theatre. As luck would have it, it was at Griffin that she first met her amazing agent Mary-Ann Vale. It was also in Sydney that she first worked with Michael Gow, in the ATYP / Sydney Festival production of Handke’s “The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other”. So, performing in a Gow play in Sydney 2024 feels like a homecoming.
Ad Astra Plays
Upcoming Plays
Past Plays
Reviews
Bernadette Pryde is outstanding as ray-of-sunshine schoolteacher Mrs Walkham.
Kate Gaul - Theatre Travels | Read Review Here
Stand outs were Bernadette Pryde as Mrs Walkham - Roland’s original primary school teacher - who milked memories of days in the classroom being force fed a white bread view of history.
David Spicer - Stage Whispers | Read Review Here
The supporting cast matches his energy, bouncing between realistic portrayals of adult professionals to theatrically enthusiastic children. Let me cherry pick some favourites. Bernadette Pryde is mesmerising in her evocation of the gentle, good humoured primary school teacher.
Paul Gilchrist - Theatre Red | Read Review Here
“Bernadette Pryde as Roland’s very full on teacher Mrs Walkham, in a performance which is both very comical and very touching”
David Kary | Sydney Arts Guide | Read Review Here
“Bernadette Pryde (nominated for a Matilda Award for her role) does a brilliant job playing Roland's primary school teacher. Mrs Walkham is the teacher every student wants: kind, considerate and brings joy to learning. Pryde will have audience members thinking back to their favourite teacher as she enunciates and spells out words for her students.”
Natasha Ciesielski | Sydney Scoop | Read Review Here
“Lively direction by Michelle Carey keeps us invested in the storytelling”
Suzy Wrong - Suzy Go See | Read Review Here
They are brought to life brilliantly by Bernadette Pryde, playing the role of his year 5 teacher, Mrs Walkham. Pryde is the embodiment of the old school middle aged primary school teacher. From her perfectly styled hair, to the glasses dangling around her neck over her floral dress she looks the part. But it is her mannerisms, her tone and voice that instantly transport the audience back to their childhood classroom.
She is every year five teacher you can remember fussing with the overhead projector and handing out books.’
Michael James - QNews | Read full review
His kind, and encouraging teacher, Mrs. Beverley Walkham, (played by the irrepressible Bernadette Pryde).
Early in-class scenes for 5A, were replicated by the hilarious Mrs Beverley Walkham, using an old over- head projector and chalk board strategies along with a suitcase lid as a conductors stand and suitcases as desks
Lilian Harrington - Absolute Theatre Read full review
Every cast member brought buckets of humour and heart to their multiple roles. Caitlin Hill, Jonathan Weir, Bernadette Pryde and Samuel Ashfield Webb created spectacular, unique characters. The blend of larger than life caricature with moments of real humanity added a richness to the story telling.
Marita Bellas Miles - Theatre Travels | Read full review
Bernadette Pryde was perfectly endearing as Roland’s favourite teacher, Mrs Walkham.
Backstreet Brisbane Read full review
Bernadette Pryde as Mrs Walkham, the friendly high-school teacher was an audience favourite.
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read full review
Caitlin Hill and Bernadette Pryde both shone in their supporting roles as his therapist and childhood English teacher, respectively. The experience of the actors meant the performances, even when they did go big, were grounded in authenticity and truth.
Oliver Hetherington-Page | Read full review
Pryde is simply wonderful in anchor of everything as the doting Mrs Walkham, always offering warmth and assurance to Roland.
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains Read full review
Other Theatre and Film
Some Theatre
Brutus in Julius Caesar – 4MBS (Director: Beth Child)
Judy Garland in Judy Strikes Back – Judith Wright Centre (Director: Lewis Jones)
Mum in Tashi – Imaginary Theatre (Director: Mark Radvan)
Townsperson in The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other – ATYP/Sydney Festival (Director: Michael Gow!)
Some Short Films
Sr. Margret in My Name is Mudju – Bent3Land Productions/Screen QLD (Director: Chantelle Murray)
Edith in Dinner Time – Frabjous Productions (Director: Abdul Khan)
Some TVCs:
Coke – Brilliant Films (Director: Stephen Beck)
NAB – Photoplay (Director: Mathieu Mantovani)
Film & Television
Doctor in Girl Clock – Feature Film – Day 91 Productions (Director: Jennifer Ussi)
Council Receptionist in East of Everything – ABC Series (Director: Tony Tilse)
Training
2009 - 2023 - Leonard Meenach, Dr Jeff Usher, Ingrid James, Pearly Black, Julian Curtis
2009 – 2021 - Workshops with Larry Moss, Elizabeth Kemp, Allison Meadows, Michaely Gibson, Mairi Cameron & Stephen Lance, Peter Rasmussen, Alison Telford.
2012 - Masterclass with Ellen Burstyn (auditor).
2019 - PhD (USQ)
2002 - Master of Arts (QUT)
1995 - Graduate Diploma in Voice Studies (NIDA)
1989 - Diploma of Teaching (BCAE)
Representation
BMEG