ALEXANDRA GASNÁRKOVÁ - BIOGRAPHY

Alexandra Gasnárková was born in Uherské Hradiště in 1946. In 1970 she graduated from the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts (JAMU) in Brno. During her studies (her supervisor was Vlasta Fialová) she appeared in the roles of Stáza (F. Šrámek: The Summer - directed by M. Hynšt) and Ráchel (V. Gardavský: Já, Jákob - directed by A. Hajda) at the National Theatre in Brno. Václav Postránecký was her partner in both the plays. Soon after, M. Hynšt left the school and the theatre in Brno, so she decided to accept R. Koval’s (who was the director of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre at that time) offer and moved to Ostrava. 

And she has already spent forty great seasons in  here. During those forty years she has performed roughly 120 roles within all genres at the Jiří Myron Theatre and the Antonín Dvořák Theatre (and also at the Chamber Theatre Arena). All genres including crazy comedies, complex psychological dramas or tragedies. She has met various authors and directors. 

Some of her roles: Juliet (W. Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, directed by R. Koval), Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by J. Kačer), Viola (Twelfth Night, directed by B. Jansa), Queen (Richard II, directed by R. Koval), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth, K. Brynda).

Eliza (G. B. Shaw: Pygmalion, directed by B. Jansa), Vivie Warren (with Z. Žák; Mrs. Warren’s Profession, directed by B. Jansa), Judith Anderson (with J. Fišar; The Devil’s Disciple, directed by J. Deák), Catherine (with K. Vochoč; The Chocolate Soldier, directed by K. Brynda), Blanche (with V. Antoš and J. Fišar; T. Williams: A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by B. Jansa), Lady (Orpheus Descending, directed by R. Koval), Bodey (A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, guest-starring in Český Těšín), Czech classical plays: Dorotka/Kordula (with S. Šárský; J.K. Tyl: The Bagpiper of Strakonice, directed by B. Jansa, then by J. Klimsza), Manon (with S. Šárský; V. Nezval: Manon Lescaut, directed by B. Jansa), Princess (with V. Antoš; A. Jirásek: The Lantern, directed by B. Jansa), Mimi (with J. Fišar; K. Čapek: The Outlaw, directed by B. Jansa), Káča (with K. Vochoč; J. Drda: Playing with the Devil, directed by B. Jansa), Juliet (J. Schmid: Thirteen Scents, directed by J. Kačer), Luisa (V. Havel: Redevelopment, directed by J. Adamovič), Katy (with K. Vochoč; J. Hašek: The Good Soldier Švejk, directed by B. Jansa), Nyola (J. Zeyer: Radúz and Mahulena, directed by R. Lipus), Maryša (Mrštík brothers: Maryša, directed by J. Svoboda), Four women characters (with J. Filip; O. Daněk: Not As Ugly As She Appeared To Be, directed by K. Brynda), - (with J. Filip; J. Gregor-Tajovský: The Women’s Law, directed by F. Čech). Other significant roles: Irma (with Z. Rozsypalová; J. Giraudoux: The Madwoman of Chaillot, directed by B. Jansa), Ruth (with Z. Rozsypalová and V. Vlasáková; P. Zindel: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, directed by R. Koval), Baroness (with J. Kačer; M. J. Lermontov: Masquerade, directed by B. Jansa), Roxane (with J. Vlasák; E. Rostand: Cyrano de Bergerac, directed by J. Kačer), - (with J. Filip; J. B. Molière: Don Juan, directed by R. Koval), Clytemnestra (Euripides: Iphigenia at Aulis, directed by J. Kačer), Mariana (F. G. Lorca: Mariana Pineda, directed by B. Jansa), Bernarda (The House of Bernarda Alba, directed by J. Klimsza), Simone (with J. Čapka and J. Filip; D. Freeman: A Bed Full of Foreigners - a very successful and crazy comedy), another comedies: Číča (with J. Filip; G. Feydeau: The Lady from Maxim's, directed by B. Jansa), or in A Flea in Her Ear (with J. Čapka, directed by B. Jansa).

Here is a quote from A Flea in Her Ear review: "At the State Theatre in Ostrava, there was a survey asking visitors about their favourite actor. The winners were Alexandra Gasnárková and Jiří Čapka, as usually." 
Grace (with J. Čapka; P. Barnes: The Ruling Class, directed by B. Jansa), Marquise de Merteuil (with S. Šárský; Ch. Hampton: Dangerous Liaisons, directed by B. Jansa), Mary Tyrone (with J. Filip; E. O’Neil: Long Day's Journey into Night, directed by J. Janík), Arkadina (A. P. Chekhov: The Seagull, directed by K. Brynda), Linda (with M. Šulc; A. Miller: Death of a Salesman, directed by J. Deák), Woman (Z. Egressy: Portugál, directed by M. Lang), in Turrini’s Grillparzer im Pornoladen (with T. Jirman; directed by R. Lipus), Mother (with T. Jirman; E. Rovner: She Returned One Night, directed by R. Lipus), Queen (W. Gombrowicz: Ivona, Princess of Burgundia, directed by R. Lipus) 

She has also appeared in many TV plays, for example: He Who Gets Slapped directed by J. Vrba, Labyrinth (Bludiště) directed by F. Filip, Volání odjinud directed by J. Novotný, or Arrowsmith directed by Z. Zelenka.

Apart from this, Alexandra Gasnárková has performed various roles in Czech Radio and has worked as a dubber. She has been teaching acting at the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava for more than twenty years and she hopes she’s doing it right. She certainly does, many of her students now play at the theatres in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Liberec, etc. Thus she has left her footprint in almost every Czech theatre.