‘Walking Dead’ Star to Speak at UH on ‘Chekhov and Zombies’

Film and television actress Sarah Wayne Callies, known for her role on AMC’s hit series “The Walking Dead,” grew up in Honolulu. And she’s now returning to the islands for a special presentation at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, set for Saturday, Dec. 8 at Kennedy Theatre.

It’s being described as the final event in the University of Hawaii’s Department of Theatre and Dance’s “undead marathon,” following the conclusion of Kennedy Theatre’s “Uncle Vanya and Zombies.”

Callies will come to Kennedy Theatre to offer her insights on the zombie phenomenon and its connection to Anton Chekhov. This public presentation will be presented free of charge; tickets will be handed out at the box office before the event.

Callies grew up in Honolulu before attending Dartmouth College, where she majored in Drama and graduated magna cum laude. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree at the National Theatre Conservatory, spending two seasons in principal and understudy roles at the Tony Award–winning Denver Center Theatre Company.

Since then, she has appeared in seven feature films, including the recently-wrapped “Black Sky,” and over a hundred television episodes. She had a recurring role as Sara Tancredi in the Fox Network’s “Prison Break,” which was nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe, and Television Critics Association awards, and won Best New Drama at the 2006 People’s Choice Awards.

Currently, Callies is known for portraying zombie apocalypse survivor Lori Grimes in AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” which has also received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Currently in its third season, “The Walking Dead” is an adaptation of the comic book series of the same name, and deals with a group of survivors making their way through a zombie-ridden wasteland — similar in many ways to the scenario in director Markus Wessendorf’s recent production of “Uncle Vanya and Zombies” at UHM’s Kennedy Theatre.

Throughout the semester, Wessendorf has collaborated with various departments within the University of Hawaii system – as well as the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theatre – to create a series of events exploring zombies in traditional and popular culture. This public talk by Callies is the crowning event, and follows “Uncle Vanya and Zombies” in an attempt to help the community sort through, understand, and appreciate all there is to know about Chekhov, the undead, and contemporary culture’s fascination with zombies.

Callies’ presentation will be presented free of charge at UH’s Kennedy Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 8; however, because seating will be limited, admission to the theatre will be via ticket only. Free admission tickets will be handed out at the Kennedy Theatre box office beginning at 5 p.m. on the day of the event, until tickets run out. Only one ticket will be issued per person.

For more information, please visit hawaii.edu/kennedy or call the theatre at (808) 956-7655. For disability access, please call the theatre.