Nancy Hower
Encyclopedia
Nancy Hower is an American
actress, director
, screenwriter
and producer
.
, U.S.
, and is one of nine children. She appeared onstage for the first time as a senior in high school. Upon graduating from high school, Nancy continued her studies at the prestigious Juilliard School
in New York City
where she majored in drama. During her years at Juilliard, she appeared in such productions as King Lear
, And A Nightingale Sang, Macbeth
, The Fifth of July, and The Would-Be Gentleman. She also later appeared in two stage productions at the acclaimed Williamstown
Theatre Festival in Massachusetts
.
in 1993. Nancy has also been in several on and off-Broadway stage productions throughout her distinguished career. In 1994, she made her film debut with a supporting role in the comedy film Insomnia. In 1998, she appeared in the 1998 airline disaster film Blackout Effect. Her other film work includes a role in the short independent film Tunnel Vision also in 1998. In 1999, she was cast as FBI Agent Green in the sci-fi movie The Last Man On Planet Earth. Also that year, Nancy also had a role in Standing On Fishes, and although her name appears in the end credits of this movie, her role was cut from the final version of the film. She has also had guest-starring roles on such popular television series as Suddenly Susan
and The Sentinel
.
. She appeared in eight episodes spanning the series' seven year run. Her character in the series was named after a real life 7-year old girl who died in an accident. The little girl's parents decided to donate their daughter's organs. The ailing wife of one of Voyager's writers received one of the girl's kidneys. The writer, Jimmy Diggs
, decided to honor the child's memory by naming Nancy's Voyager persona after the little girl. Because the real Samantha Wildman had been fond of animals, Jimmy Diggs thus made Ensign Wildman head of Voyager's xenobiology department. Ensign Samantha Wildman had the distinction of being the first of two crew members with a child aboard Voyager (The other was Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres in the final episode of the series, "Endgame II").
Nancy's Voyager appearances are (in order):
"Elogium
" (Season 2), "Tattoo
" (Season 2), "Dreadnought" (Season 2), "Deadlock
" (Season 2), "Basics, Pt. 2
" (Season 3), "Mortal Coil" (Season 4), "Once Upon A Time" (Season 5), and "Fury" (Season 6).
Ensign Wildman was also mentioned, but not seen, in several other Voyager episodes.
's 2001 UK tour. She sang lead, played rhythm guitar, and wrote all of the band's music. Nancy almost recorded an album with her band STELLA, but the band broke up before then.
Nancy also co-wrote the original music for the play Momma in 2001, as well as writing and recording an unreleased rock opera titled Girl On Mars. Also in 2001, Nancy played the role of Yitzak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch
in Los Angeles.
and Wallace Shawn
. In 2003, Nancy also directed the stage play City Limits at the Keck Theater in Los Angeles
.
Nancy wrote, directed, produced and edited the independent film
Memron
(2004). Memron, a mockumentary on the Enron scandal
, won many awards and high acclaim from audiences at several film festivals that year. It is currently available on DVD through Netflix
, and can be seen occasionally on Showtime/TMC.
In 2004, she also directed the stage play The Lights Change at the Keck Theatre.
Following the success of Memron, Nancy teamed up with fellow Memron producers Robert Hickey, John Lehr
, and Evie Peck
to create a comedy improv series titled 10 Items or Less. The TBS
show stars John Lehr as a less than successful businessman who takes over the family supermarket when his father dies. 10 Items or Less premiered on TBS
on November 27, 2006.
Nancy also provided her vocal talent for the film Catch and Release in which she also plays a small role.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
.
Early life
Nancy Hower grew up in Wyckoff, New JerseyWyckoff, New Jersey
Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,696. As of the 2000 Census, Wyckoff ranked 54th in 100 highest-income places in the United States...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is one of nine children. She appeared onstage for the first time as a senior in high school. Upon graduating from high school, Nancy continued her studies at the prestigious Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where she majored in drama. During her years at Juilliard, she appeared in such productions as King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, And A Nightingale Sang, Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, The Fifth of July, and The Would-Be Gentleman. She also later appeared in two stage productions at the acclaimed Williamstown
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
Theatre Festival in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Career
Nancy began her professional acting career playing the role of Andrea in The Years at the Manhattan Theatre ClubManhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
in 1993. Nancy has also been in several on and off-Broadway stage productions throughout her distinguished career. In 1994, she made her film debut with a supporting role in the comedy film Insomnia. In 1998, she appeared in the 1998 airline disaster film Blackout Effect. Her other film work includes a role in the short independent film Tunnel Vision also in 1998. In 1999, she was cast as FBI Agent Green in the sci-fi movie The Last Man On Planet Earth. Also that year, Nancy also had a role in Standing On Fishes, and although her name appears in the end credits of this movie, her role was cut from the final version of the film. She has also had guest-starring roles on such popular television series as Suddenly Susan
Suddenly Susan
Suddenly Susan is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC from 1996 to 2000. The show takes place at The Gate, a fictitious magazine which is based in San Francisco. Among the magazine's employees is Susan Keane , who always has been cared for by someone else...
and The Sentinel
The Sentinel (TV series)
The Sentinel is a Canadian-produced television series that aired on UPN in the United States from 1996 to 1999. It premiered on March 20, 1996, and ran for 65 episodes . The series later reaired on Syfy.-Plot and characters:...
.
Star Trek: Voyager
Nancy had a recurring role as Ensign Samantha Wildman on the popular sci-fi series Star Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
. She appeared in eight episodes spanning the series' seven year run. Her character in the series was named after a real life 7-year old girl who died in an accident. The little girl's parents decided to donate their daughter's organs. The ailing wife of one of Voyager's writers received one of the girl's kidneys. The writer, Jimmy Diggs
Jimmy Diggs
Jimmy Diggs is an American television screenwriter best known for writing the stories for a combined seven episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager...
, decided to honor the child's memory by naming Nancy's Voyager persona after the little girl. Because the real Samantha Wildman had been fond of animals, Jimmy Diggs thus made Ensign Wildman head of Voyager's xenobiology department. Ensign Samantha Wildman had the distinction of being the first of two crew members with a child aboard Voyager (The other was Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres in the final episode of the series, "Endgame II").
Nancy's Voyager appearances are (in order):
"Elogium
Elogium (Voyager episode)
"Elogium" is the 20th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, and the fourth episode in the second season.-Plot:When the crew of Voyager investigate a cluster of space-borne life forms, Kes prematurely enters a stage in her life known as the 'Elogium', which is the only time in her life when she can...
" (Season 2), "Tattoo
Tattoo (Voyager episode)
"Tattoo" is the 25th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the ninth episode in the second season.- Plot :Upon discovering a cultural symbol drawn in the ground on a planet that was used by his ancestors to 'heal the land', Chakotay tries to contact the beings his tribe called the 'Sky Spirits.'The crew...
" (Season 2), "Dreadnought" (Season 2), "Deadlock
Deadlock (Voyager episode)
"Deadlock" is the 37th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 21st episode of the second season.-Plot:Upon encountering a pair of planets inhabited by Vidiians, Voyager diverts to take a path through a dense nebula, to prevent detection. However, upon reaching the other side of the nebula, the ship...
" (Season 2), "Basics, Pt. 2
Basics (Voyager episode)
"Basics" comprises the 42nd and 43rd episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the cliffhanger between the second and third seasons. The first segment has an average fan rating of 4.4/5 on the official Star Trek website while the second is rated 4.3/5 as of September, 2009.-Plot:Ensign Suder, having been...
" (Season 3), "Mortal Coil" (Season 4), "Once Upon A Time" (Season 5), and "Fury" (Season 6).
Ensign Wildman was also mentioned, but not seen, in several other Voyager episodes.
Music
Nancy formerly fronted two alternative rock bands, WENCH and STELLA. STELLA was the opening act on Meat LoafMeat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
's 2001 UK tour. She sang lead, played rhythm guitar, and wrote all of the band's music. Nancy almost recorded an album with her band STELLA, but the band broke up before then.
Nancy also co-wrote the original music for the play Momma in 2001, as well as writing and recording an unreleased rock opera titled Girl On Mars. Also in 2001, Nancy played the role of Yitzak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (musical)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by an East German transgender singer. The text is by John Cameron Mitchell, and the music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask. The musical premiered in 1998 and has been performed throughout the world in hundreds...
in Los Angeles.
2003-present
Nancy wrote and directed the short film The Wizard of Id. This was an unreleased film about a musician who discovered that he literally had the power to change the lives of the people around him through his music. The film reportedly starred Claire ForlaniClaire Forlani
Claire Antonia Forlani is an English actress.-Early life:Claire Forlani was born in Twickenham, London, the daughter of Barbara , who was English, and Pierluigi Forlani, a music manager from Ferrara, Italy. At the age of 11, Forlani entered the Arts Educational School in London, where she began to...
and Wallace Shawn
Wallace Shawn
Wallace Michael Shawn , sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, author, voice artist, and intellectual. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre , Vizzini in The Princess Bride , and debate teacher Mr...
. In 2003, Nancy also directed the stage play City Limits at the Keck Theater in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Nancy wrote, directed, produced and edited the independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Memron
Memron
Memron is a 2004 "mockumentary" film inspired by the Enron scandal. This improv film stars Michael McShane as the corrupt Memron executive. Also starring are John Lehr, Evie Peck, and Claire Forlani. The film was written, directed and produced by Nancy Hower, and won several awards at various film...
(2004). Memron, a mockumentary on the Enron scandal
Enron scandal
The Enron scandal, revealed in October 2001, eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Enron Corporation, an American energy company based in Houston, Texas, and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, which was one of the five largest audit and accountancy partnerships in the world...
, won many awards and high acclaim from audiences at several film festivals that year. It is currently available on DVD through Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
, and can be seen occasionally on Showtime/TMC.
In 2004, she also directed the stage play The Lights Change at the Keck Theatre.
Following the success of Memron, Nancy teamed up with fellow Memron producers Robert Hickey, John Lehr
John Lehr
John C. Lehr , an American film and television actor and comedian.- Personal :Lehr was born on November 25, 1965 in Overland Park, Kansas. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1988. While attending Northwestern, he substitute taught at Kilmer Elementary School on the North Side of Chicago,...
, and Evie Peck
Evie Peck
Evie Peck is an actress and producer who has guest starred in several popular television shows such as Friends and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She produced and starred in the independent film Memron in 2004. Evie was a member of Tim Robbins' Theater Company, The Actors' Gang, for over a decade...
to create a comedy improv series titled 10 Items or Less. The TBS
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
show stars John Lehr as a less than successful businessman who takes over the family supermarket when his father dies. 10 Items or Less premiered on TBS
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
on November 27, 2006.
Nancy also provided her vocal talent for the film Catch and Release in which she also plays a small role.