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Rachel Dratch

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Rachel Dratch
Dratch at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Teacher of the Year
Born
Rachel Susan Dratch

(1966-02-22) February 22, 1966 (age 58)
Lexington, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma materDartmouth College
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1994–present
PartnerJohn Wahl
Children1

Rachel Susan Dratch (born February 22, 1966) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Born and raised in Lexington, Massachusetts, she graduated from Dartmouth College in 1988 and moved to Chicago, Illinois, to study improvisational theatre at The Second City and ImprovOlympic.

Her breakthrough came on the NBC television show Saturday Night Live (SNL), where she was a cast member from 1999 to 2006. In addition to her work on SNL, she has appeared as a guest star in television shows such as The King of Queens and 30 Rock, as well as films such as Click and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. In 2012, she published her autobiographical book Girl Walks Into a Bar: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters and a Midlife Miracle. She also portrayed the museum guard in Sesame Street's The Cookie Thief.

Early life

Dratch was born in Lexington, Massachusetts,[1] the daughter of Elaine Ruth (née Soloway), a transportation director, and Paul Dratch, a radiologist.[2][3]

Her younger brother, Daniel, is a television producer and writer, with credits including the TV series Anger Management. Dratch grew up the "class clown type",[1] attending William Diamond Middle School and Lexington High School in Massachusetts. She has said that even in her high school's plays she gravitated towards participating in comedies over dramas.[4]

Dratch attended the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in the fall of 1986,[5] and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1988, where she majored in drama and psychology and was a member of the improvisational comedy group "Said and Done".[1]

Career

Dratch was a member of the mainstage cast of The Second City comedy troupe for four years. She received the Joseph Jefferson award for Best Actress in a Revue for the two revues in which she performed: Paradigm Lost and Promisekeepers, Losers Weepers. At The Second City, she performed alongside future SNL head writers Adam McKay and Tina Fey, as well as future 30 Rock performer Scott Adsit. The first incarnation of her SNL "Wicked" sketch was performed in The Second City's Paradigm Lost. In addition to acting, Dratch also played the cello onstage. The theater also hosted the first incarnation of Dratch & Fey (her critically praised two-woman show with Tina Fey[6]), which was later performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, where it was dubbed "the funniest thing to be found on any New York comedy stage" by Time Out New York.[7]

Dratch has appeared in several movies, including Martin & Orloff, The Hebrew Hammer, Down with Love, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, Click, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Spring Breakdown, and My Life in Ruins. She also has joined fellow SNL cast members on A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.: Improv, which aired September 7, 2005, on the Bravo channel. Dratch also made television appearances on NBC's Third Watch and in a recurring role on The King of Queens (playing Denise, the on-off girlfriend of Spence, who worked in a bowling alley). Other television appearances include Monk, Frasier, Wizards of Waverly Place, 30 Rock, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Inside Amy Schumer, Ugly Betty, and more recently, in season five of The Middle. She also appeared online with comedian Billy Eichner in a spoof of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's "Empire State of Mind", titled "Forest Hills State of Mind."[8]

Dratch was originally cast in the role of Jenna on 30 Rock, and the original pilot episode features her in the role. It did not test well, and the role was recast. She went on to play a variety of small guest roles in several episodes of the first season, including Barbara Walters, Elizabeth Taylor, a cat trainer, a custodian, a blue monster, and a doctor.[9]

On March 19, 2012, Dratch's memoir, Girl Walks Into A Bar: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle was published. In it, Dratch recounts her experiences after being recast in the 30 Rock pilot, including the birth of her first child.[10]

Saturday Night Live

Her tenure at SNL spanned 1999 to 2006. Dratch's recurring characters included Denise, a Boston teen; Sheldon, the junior-high-school boy from Wake up, Wakefield; one of the Luvahs (with Will Ferrell, as two pretentious professors); Abe Scheinwald, a Hollywood producer with a terrible acquisition record; and, perhaps most memorably, Debbie Downer, a depressed woman who creeped others out with disturbing non sequiturs.[11] In December 2011, she made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live's Christmas show, hosted by former cast member Jimmy Fallon. On April 15, 2017, she made another guest appearance with host Jimmy Fallon. On February 3, 2018 she made a guest appearance as a "Patriot of New England" in a Revolutionary War-themed sketch parodying the fans of the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles in advance of Super Bowl LII.[12] On September 29, 2018, she appeared as Senator Amy Klobuchar in the cold open sketch surrounding the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.[13]

Personal life

Both of Dratch’s parents were Reform Jews.[14] Dratch attended Hebrew school and had a Bat Mitzvah. She is non-observant as an adult, and instead characterizes the faith she was born into as part of her cultural heritage.[1]

As she discusses in her book, Girl Walks Into a Bar ... , Dratch met John Wahl, a Californian consultant in the natural foods industry, in a bar in 2009. Six months later, Dratch learned she was pregnant, and on August 24, 2010, gave birth to a boy, Eli Benjamin.[15] In an October 2010 interview, Dratch told People that her pregnancy at age 44 shocked her, because she "had bought into all this stuff about, 'Once you're over 40 ...'" and had "gone through the whole process of letting go of [the idea of having kids.]" Wahl has since moved to New York City to be closer to Dratch and their son.[16]

Audiobooks

  • Girl Walks into a Bar...: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle, 2012 (Audible)

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999–2006, 2010–2011, 2017–present Saturday Night Live Herself/Various (including Debbie Downer) 1999–2001: Featured Player
2001–2006: Repertory Player
Cameos in 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2018
2000 Third Watch Darla Season 2, Episode 10: "History"
2002 Kim Possible Adrena Lynn Voice Role, Episode: "All the News"
2002–2004 The King of Queens Denise Ruth Battaglia Six Episodes (Seasons 5-6)
2004 Soundtracks Live Dorothy Baker TV Movie
2004 Monk Julie Parlo Season 2, Episode 13: "Mr. Monk and the Missing Granny"
2004 Game Over Alice Smashburn Regular Cast
Voice Role
2004 Frasier Horny Date Season 11, Episode 18: "Match Game"
2005–2006 O'Grady Brooke Voice Role, two episodes (Seasons 1-2)
2006–2012 30 Rock Various Roles Originally cast as Jenna DeCarlo, later recast.
Appearances in 15 episodes (Seasons 1, 5 and 6).
2008 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Robot Wife Voice Role
Season 5, Episode 2: "Robots Are Everywhere"
2008 Squidbillies Hippie Woman Voice Role
Season 3, Episode 6: "Earth Worst"
2008 Assy McGee Various Roles Voice Role
Six Episodes (Season 2)
2008 Avatar: The Last Airbender Actress Aang Season 3, Episode 17: "The Ember Island Players"
2008 The Consultants Allie TV Movie
2008 Superjail! Various Roles Voice Role (uncredited)
Season 1, Episode 3: "Ladies Night"
2008–2009 Wizards of Waverly Place Future Harper Season 2, Episode 37: "Future Harper"
2009 Ugly Betty Penny Meadows/Mindy Meadows Season 3, Episode 24: "The Fall Issue"
2009 Sherri Teacher Season 1, Episode 13: "Indecision '09"
2010 Delocated Cellist Season 2, Episode 4: "Mixer"
2010–2013 Fish Hooks Koi/Esmargot/Koi's Mom Voice Role, 28 Episodes.
2011 Funny or Die Presents Dirkson 4 Episodes in Season 2 (2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9)
2011 Lady Friends Lisa TV Movie
2012 Up All Night Linda Season 2, Episode 3: "Swingers"
2012 Suburgatory Paula Weingelb Season 2, Episode 3: "The Witch of East Chatswin"
2012 The Cleveland Show Maggie Season 4, Episode 6: "'Tis the Cleveland to Be Sorry"
2013–2014 The Middle Principal Barker 2 Episodes:
Season 5, Episode 3: "The Potato"
Season 5, Episode 12: "The Carpool"
2013–2014 The Awesomes Joyce Mandrake/Tom Boy Voice Role
12 Episodes; Recurring Role.
2014–2016 Broad City Linda Lodi 2 Episodes:
Season 1, Episode 3: "Working Girls"
Season 3, Episode 5: "2016"
2014 The Neighbors Pearl Season 2, Episode 18: "A Night in (Lou Ferrigno's Hibachi) Heaven"
2014 Inside Amy Schumer Lisa Season 2, Episode 4: "Boner Doctor"
2014 Bob's Burgers Jodi/Abby Voice Role, 3 Episodes (Seasons 4-5) 2014 Dead Boss Christine TV Movie
2015 Parks and Recreation Roz Season 7, Episode 7: Donna & Joe
2015 Salem Rogers: Model of the Year 1998 Agatha Todd Lead role
2015/2018 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Guest Star Season 2, Episode 25: Wanda Jo Oliver
Season 2, Episode 26: Wanda Jo Oliver
Season 2, Episode 35: Wanda Jo Oliver
Season 5, Episode 7: Wanda Jo Oliver
2015 Unforgettable Rosie Webb Season 4, Episode 1
Season 4, Episode 2
2015–2016 Difficult People Chemo Woman
Casting Director 		Season 1, Episode 1
Season 2, Episode 5
2016 The $100,000 Pyramid Herself (celebrity guest) Season 1, Episode: Rachel Dratch vs. Ana Gasteyer
2016 The Simpsons Bostonian Doctor Episode "The Town"
2017 Imaginary Mary Mary Voice role; Lead role
2017 Angie Tribeca Masha Chekhov 1 Episode
2017 Great News Mary-Kelly Episode: "Snowmageddon of the Century"
2017 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Dianne/Leonora Episode: "Kimmy Googles the Internet!"
2017 At Home with Amy Sedaris Florence Chervil Episode: "Entertaining for Peanuts"
2017 Portlandia Fred's Wife Season 7, Episode 5: "Amore"

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Serious Business Jude Rusell
2002 Martin & Orloff Southern Woman
2003 The Hebrew Hammer Tikva
2003 Down With Love Gladys
2003 National Lampoon's Barely Legal Mrs. Greitzer
2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Reiner's Secretary
2004 Freshman Orientation Very Drunk Chick
2004 Looking for Kitty Julie
2005 Her Minor Thing Caroline
2005 Winter Passing Female MC
2006 Click Alan/Alice
2006 The Pleasure Drivers Counter Monkey
2007 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry Benefits Supervisor Sara Powers
2008 Bill Doctor Robardo Short Film
2008 Harold Ms. Vicky Norris
2009 Spring Breakdown Judi Joskow Also a Writer and Producer
2009 Love N' Dancing Kalle
2009 I Hate Valentine's Day Kathy Jeemy
2009 My Life in Ruins Kim Sawchuck
2011 Just Go with It Kirsten Brant
2012 Teacher of The Year Assistant Principal Short Film
2012 That's My Boy Phil's Wife
2013 Syrup Clerk
2014 A Little Game Aunt Diane
2015 The Grief of Others Madeleine Berkowitz
2015 Sisters Kelly
2016 Hurricane Bianca Deborah Ward
2016 Tracktown Gail
2018 The Week Of Debbie
2018 Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate Deborah Ward
TBA Wine Country TBA

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Sylvia Sylvia George Street Playhouse, New Jersey
2013 Love's Labour's Lost Holofernes The Public Theater
2014-15 Tail! Spin! Various Roles Off-Broadway at the Lynn Redgrave Theater at the Culture Project
2016 Privacy Various Roles Off-Broadway at The Public Theater

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Submissions Only Fiona Evans Webseries
Season 1, Episode 6: "Somethin' Else"
2015 The Dratchelor [17] Herself Funny Or Die web series

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ^ a b c d Gerri Miller (October 18, 2005). "Rachel Dratch". Archived from the original on October 18, 2005. Retrieved October 28, 2010. Raised in a Reform Jewish family, Dratch did have a Bat Mitzvah but does not consider herself to be observant. "It's more a heritage thing, I guess," she says of her relationship to her roots.
  2. ^ Aucoin, Don (February 18, 2000). "Live! From Lexington, It's Rachel Dratch". Boston Globe.
  3. ^ "Marriage Announcement 1 -- No Title". Boston Globe. January 26, 1964.
  4. ^ "RACHEL DRATCH on EMPLOYEE of the MONTH". SoundCloud.
  5. ^ Kristina, Dorsey (December 2010). "Live! From New Haven! It's Rachel Dratch in "Celebrity Autobiography"!". The Day.
  6. ^ Townsend, Tim (July 7, 2000). "Comic Duo Splits Sides". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 13, 2009.
  7. ^ Emmanuel, Greg (July 2000). "SNL's Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch have found a hilarious way to spend their summer vacations". Time Out New York: 77.
  8. ^ Billy Eichner (17 January 2010). "Billy Eichner - Empire State Of Mind - Forest Hills State of Mind with Rachel Dratch" – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Rosenblum, Emma (October 15, 2006). "Rachel Rolls With It". New York Mag.
  10. ^ Gostin, Nicki (April 3, 2012). "'Girl Walks Into A Bar': Rachel Dratch Talks Baby, Life After 'SNL'". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  11. ^ SNL Archives | Cast Archived 2008-02-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  12. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (February 3, 2018). "Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, Andy Samberg Return to 'Saturday Night Live'". Variety. New York, NY: Variety Media, LLC.
  13. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRJecfRxbr8
  14. ^ Burstein, Nathan (April 28, 2012). "From 'SNL' to performing for the 'Tribe'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  15. ^ Former 'Saturday Night Live' star Rachel Dratch welcomes first son Eli Benjamin, a September 8, 2010, article from the New York Daily News
  16. ^ "Rachel Dratch Reveals Her Son's Father". People.com. October 27, 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  17. ^ "The Dratchelor".
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