
Natalija Nogulich was born in Chicago and Educated in Illinois and in Spain and Italy. Studying and traveling throughout Europe, she gained command of five languages. After receiving her B.A. from Lake Forest College, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, she went on to study and work with David Mamet at the St. Nicholas Theatre Company, which Mamet founded in Chicago in the late 70’s. Later she was under the tutelage of Stella Adler both in New York and Los Angeles. Natalija was also a student of Kenneth McMillan until he inaugurated her teaching and directing career in 1986.
In New York, she played on Broadway in HURLEYBURLY,
THE ICEMAN COMETH, and ACCOMPLICE; as well as innumerable off-Broadway productions.
On Los Angeles stages, she has been seen at the Mark Taper Forum in SCENES
FROM AN EXECUTION; in the title role of TAMARA; and had won four Drama-Logue
Acting Awards for: THE THREE SISTERS; HEDDA GABLER; THE WHITE ROSE; and ONCE
IN A LIFETIME. Additionally, she has starred in many regional productions
throughout the United States, including the Pulitzer Prize Finalist, THE WAVERLY
GALLERY at the Pasadena Playhouse, and George Bernard Shaw’s MISALLIANCE
at Center Stage in Baltimore. This spring she played opposite S. Epatha Merkerson
in COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.
Natalija has been featured in five David Mamet films: SPARTAN, HOMICIDE, THINGS
CHANGE, THE WATER ENGINE, and as Jack Nicholson’s wife in HOFFA. She
had done over thirty films including: THE HOLLOW, STEAL BIG, STEAL LITTLE;
ABOVE SUSPICION; AN EYE FOR AN EYE; THE GLASS SHIELD; THE CHASE; POSTCARDS
FROM THE EDGE; BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT; THE GUARDIAN; CHRISTMAS VACTION; FOUR
FRIENDS; STONY ISLAND and others. On television she is most known for her
role as Admiral Nechayev in STAR TREK – THE NEXT GENERATION; and had
done numerous movies for television including: JANE DOE 9, LOCUSTS, PIZZA
WARS, GROWING PAINS, DYING TO DANCE, THE SLEEPWALKER KILLINGS, LAZARUS MAN.
She has recurred in episodes of STRONG MEDICINE, WEST WING, THE PRACTIVE;
THE PRETENDED; BROOKLYN BRIDGE; TRACY TAKES ON; MURDER SHE WROTE, SO NOTORIOUS.
She has recently guest starred on David Mamet’s new series for CBS,
THE UNIT; other guest star appearances include: BONES, NIP/TUCK, THE CLOSER,HUFF,
CROSSING JORDAN, WITHOUT A TRACE, JAG, FRASIER, NEWSRADIO, COACH, CHARMED
and many more, including the award winning, 24. She has recently finished
shooting the TNT pilot FAMILY MAN with W.H. Macy.
As Artistic Director of THE GRACE PLAYERS THEATRE COMPANY, which she founded
in 1994, Ms. Nogulich produced and directed the West Coast Premiere of David
Mamet’s adaptation of Chekhov’s THE THREE SISTERS, which garnered
four Drama – Logue Awards including Best Direction and Best Production.
She directed the World Premiere of Jason Milligan’s comedy WALKING ON
THE MOON; six ONE ACT FESTIVALS, and over twenty other projects featuring
actors Joe Mantegna, George Segal, Frank Langella, Burt Reynolds, W.H. Macy,
Charles Durning, Carol Kane, Francis Fisher and others. She directed David
Selby in his play LINCOLN AND JAMES as the 1400-seat Lincoln Theatre in Washington
D.C. in 1998, in honor of the dedication of the first Monument to Afro-American
soldiers of the Civil War. In 2000, she directed her own adaptation of ROMEO
AND JULIET IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR at Davis Theatre in Illinois, and in
2001 she directed a production of her new adaptation of AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE
at the same theatre. In Los Angeles at the Egyptian Arena Theatre, she directed
SUPREME THERAPY, a world premiere play written by Michael Davidson starring
Ray Abruzzo of “The Sopranos.” In the fall of 2004 she directed
and starred in the World Premiere of a new adaptation of Alexander Dumas’
novel, “Camille,” entitled THE DAME OF NEW ORLEANS, which she
wrote. In 2006 she directed A TRIBUTE TO EUGENE O’NEILL, and in January
of 2007, she helmed a revival of BURN THIS, starring members of The Grace
Players Company. The Grace Players then produced a Shakespeare Festival honoring
the Bard’s Birthday in April, 2007, which Ms. Nogulich directed. Other
projects in 2007 included A HOLIDAY POTOPOURRI in December, 2007, a benefit
for the children of severely wounded American troops in Iraq. The company
has recently performed a staged reading of Mamet’s adaptation of THE
CHERRY ORCHARD.
Natalija is currently teaching graduate and undergraduate Film Directing Students
at the renowned Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She has been a Visiting
Professor in the Theatre Department at Principia College, and has also taught
at the Los Angeles Country High School of Performing Arts. She is also a private
Acting Coach to renowned Los Angeles actors.
Ms. Nogulich is also a screenwriter and filmmaker. She wrote and directed
a documentary short called CORPORAL JAKE, about World War I Congressional
Medal of Honor Recipient Jake Allex. It was filmed in Kentucky and Chicago
and was produced by BGFilmz of Chicago. She has written an original screenplay,
a dramatic love story which transcends the Balkan civil strife that will be
produced next year. Natalija also recently completed her first novel, ONE
WOMAN’S WAR which is the first of a trilogy, and deals with the contemporary
and critical theme of Revenge.
Natalija Nogulich currently lives in Brentwood Village in Los Angeles, where
she continues to act and write.