a promo pic of Shelley from 1982
Shelley played Billie Dawn in the Pennsylvania Stage Company's 1982 staging of Born Yesterday in Allentown, Pennsylvania. "I am interested in developing my career as an actress and doing as much work in the theater as I can," Shelley said in 1982. As for working with the Pennsylvania Stage Company, she said, "I'm thrilled to be here, and to be working with such great people. This playhouse is getting a very good reputation. When I heard that they were doing this play, I got in contact with them. All I want to do now is to do good theater." PSC's 1982 staging of Born Yesterday starred Shelley alongside Michael O. Smith and Fritz Sperberg. Stephen Rothman, the executive director of the critically acclaimed Pasadena Playhouse, was the director.
a short writeup about Shelley
in the play Born Yesterday, 1982
"This is not a career change for me," Shelley explained, "I've always been an actor. However, this is a role which will help me grow - in a congenial environment." Shelley studied acting for several years with Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler, and had received glowing reviews for her performances in the plays
Vanities (1981) and
Close Ties (1982, aired in 1983), which were both filmed for television. She was also cast in the Martin Scorsese film
The King of Comedy, which starred Robert de Niro and Jerry Lewis, and which was slated for release the year after. As for Shelley's performance in
Born Yesterday - she again received glowing reviews. For more, check out:
Born Yesterday 1982 and
Critical Acclaim, 1982
Shelley on a "Billie Dawn for Congress"
promo button which was given out
to the Pennsylvania Stage Company's
Born Yesterday cast, 1982
