Kate Valk joined the Wooster Group in 1979 and never looked back. We think she’s one of America’s greatest actresses, but because she’s spent her entire career with the experimental New York company, even hardcore theatergoers may not have seen her work on stage or onscreen. Fellow Woosters like Willem Dafoe (former) or Scott Shepherd (current) are easy to find because they work pretty much everywhere but Valk’s IMDB page is practically nonexistent and she’s never been on Broadway — when Elisabeth checked IBDB, the answer was“Did you mean Kate Hall? Nate Sack? Grace Falk?”

Kate joined us for a free-spirited conversation in which she talked, among other things, about the Wooster Group’s idiosyncratic approach, why she’s never strayed from the company, turning to directing and her delight in educational projects. Of course she also talked about the company’s latest show, “Nayatt School Redux” (check out Ben Brantley’s terrific piece about it in the New York Times).

Oh, and in August you can check out a Wooster show in a New York venue other than the company’s own Performing Garage when Eric Berryman performs “Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me” (which Valk directed) at Joe’s Pub.

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