Biography
Stacey Hardke is a Los Angeles-based actor. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Hardke attended the University of San Diego. She went in expecting to declare as an English major, but ended up being placed in the theater-focused preceptorial group during orientation. By the middle of the second semester she was hooked, and declared Theater Arts as her major. While attending USD, she appeared in The Old Globe's MFA production of An Absolute Turkey. She was the recipient of the Irving Parker Award for Excellence in Theatre and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts. During a summer abroad program, Stacey studied classical acting and clowning at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, a leading British drama school located in West London.
After college she acted at small regional theaters in the San Diego area. At North Coast Rep, she appeared in Time Stands Still and Becky's New Car. In 2010, Stacey was awarded the San Diego REP's Carol Corolla Fellowship for Emerging Artists. Playing the role of Penny in Hairspray at the San Diego REP provided Stacey the opportunity to receive her Equity Card.
Shortly thereafter, Stacey moved to New York City to continue to pursue a career in theater. There she met her mentor Duane Boutté, a Broadway actor, teacher and director. She lived in New York City for four years doing regional theater, studying comedy and long-form improv at Upright Citizens Brigade Training Center, and performing around the city with her improv team Sad Jazz. She was a member of the ensemble at The NYC Modern-Day Griot Theatre Company and appeared in Attention Shoppers and See, Hear, Taste, Touch. At the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, she appeared in Davis McCallum's production of The Legend of Minnie Willet. She also became an Associate Artist at the Worcester Shakespeare Company, where she played Desdemona in Othello and Portia in The Merchant of Venice.
Stacey relocated from New York City to Los Angeles in spring 2015 to pursue a career track in film and television. Still passionate about long-form improvisation, Stacey is on several indie teams that perform around LA. She also celebrates the Southern California lifestyle enjoying gardening, hiking, as well as snowboarding at Big Bear Lake.
The organization PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) is very close to Stacey's heart. In 2014, she had an opportunity to develop and appear in a play, No Place Like Home about PATH with Circle Circle DOT DOT, a theater company that creates new works based on interviews in the San Diego community.
