# Rachel Szalay

Rachel Szalay is an Australian actress and visual artist.

## Early life

Szalay was born in January 1965. From 1983 to 1985, she studied visual art at City Art Institute. In 1986, she then began studying an acting diploma at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, graduating in 1988.

## Career

Szalay has appeared in numerous stage roles, including a production of The Importance of Being Earnest as Cecily Cardew, which she joined in 1990. The production was so popular that it became an ongoing stage show between 1988 and 1992, and was televised by the ABC.
Her film credits include roles in The Delinquents (1989), Mad Bomber in Love (1992) and Lilian's Story (1996). She also has several television credits to her name, including a recurring role as Kris in Children's Hospital and guest roles in A Country Practice, Six Pack and Grass Roots.
Szalay is also an accomplished visual artist, who uses a variety of mediums to capture the Australian bush and its unique flora and fauna. She has showcased her art in numerous exhibitions since 1986, and started staging solo shows from 1994.

## Personal life

Szalay resides in the Blue Mountains, in New South Wales.

## Acting credits
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | The Delinquents | Maxine | |
| 1992 | Mad Bomber in Love | Julia | |
| 1994 | Unacceptable Behaviour | Wendy | Short film |
| 1996 | Lilian's Story | Inmate One | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | A Country Practice | Stephanie Kouros | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Six Pack | Nicole | 1 episode |
| 1992 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Cecile Cardew | TV movie |
| 1997–1998 | Children's Hospital | Kris | 6 episodes |
| 2000 | Grass Roots | Judith | 1 episode |

### Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Hot’l Baltimore | | NIDA Theatre, Sydney |
| 1987 | The Man Who Came to Dinner | | NIDA Theatre, Sydney |
| 1988 | Veneer 1 | | NIDA Theatre, Sydney |
| 1988 | The Screens | Mother | NIDA Theatre, Sydney |
| 1988 | Fifth of July | | NIDA Theatre, Sydney |
| 1990 | Reckless | | Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Bophtelophti Theatre for Sydney Festival |
| 1990 | Once in a Lifetime | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1990–1992 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Cecily Cardew | Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Adelaide, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Theatre Royal Sydney with STC & MTC |
| 1991 | The Dreamer Examines his Pillow | Donna | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC |
| 1991; 1994 | Furious | Lynnie / Friend One | Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Space Theatre, Adelaide, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with STC & Playbox Theatre Company |
| 1992 | Time and the Room | | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC |
| 1993 | Top Girls | | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC |
| 1994 | That Eye, The Sky | Alice Flack | Stanley Palmer Cultural Centre, Sydney, Playhouse, Melbourne with Burning House Theatre Company |
| 1996 | Playgrounds | | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC |
| 1996 | The Incorruptible | Louise Porter | Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House with STC Playbox Theatre Company & Canberra Theatre Trust |
| 1998 | Mourning Becomes Electra | | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC |
| 1998 | Navigating | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 2002 | Svetlana in Slingbacks | | Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney |
| 2004 | Boston Marriage | Claire | Space Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA |

### Radio

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| | Sixteen Words for Water | | ABC Radio |
| 1998; 2005 | Flame | | ABC Radio radio play |
| 1999 | The Twentieth Century and the Dream | Reader | ABC Classic FM's "The Listening Room" radio play |
| | Sylvia Plath | | ABC Radio |
| | Poetica | | ABC Radio |
| | Background Briefing | Readings | ABC Radio radio show |