Seattle’s theater community is reeling this morning at the loss of one of their own. The Seattle Times reports actor Mark Chamberlin died Tuesday after a weekend bicycle accident.
Chamberlin was a mainstay on local stages, including Seattle Rep and ACT Theatre. He recently played Odysseus in Taproot Theatre’s The Odyssey, was Scrooge in ACT Theatre's A Christmas Carol last December and was slated to appear in The Birthday Party on April 4th as part of Pinter Fortnightly series.
Mark Jenkins, who heads the Professional Actors Training Program at the University of Washington, says Chamberlin was a good friend and a great actor. Jenkins says Chamberlin's death is a "real blow" to the community.
"He was one of the hardest working actors I've ever been around. His technical skills were way at the top. He could do a British accent flawlessly. He knew his craft as well as anybody and he had that special magic that all great actors have," Jenkins said.
Jenkins says Chamberlin, who lived in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood, was also a good local citizen. He says after Chamberlin lost a friend to Lou Gehrig's disease he raised money tirelessly for the cause and served as president of the ALS Association Evergreen Chapter.
In February, Rachel Gallaher interviewed Chamberlin for City Arts magazine. Asked about his favorite roles to play,Chamberlin said,
"I love playing bad guys, usually the parts are better written."
But for friends and colleagues mourning his loss, Chamberlin was a a very good guy who will be missed.
