Dale Soules

Dale Soules
Born
OccupationActress
Known forOrange Is The New Black (2014-2019)

Dale Soules is an American actress known for starring in The Messenger and portraying Frieda Berlin in Orange Is the New Black from 2014 to 2019.[1]

Early life

Soules grew up in the Greenwood Lake section of West Milford, New Jersey. She attended West Milford High School.[2] While in high school, Soules became interested in acting and began acting in Summer stock theater, singing in church choirs and started studying acting at HB Studio.[2]

Career

Soules moved to New York in the mid-1960s after high school to pursue an acting career, and initially worked behind the scenes in theater in a variety of positions.[2] Her big break came in 1968 when she landed her first Broadway role, the part of Jeanie in the original Broadway production of Hair.[2][3]

She continued to appear in a number of theater productions including four years in the play The Magic Show,[2] Hands on a Hard Body, Grey Gardens, and The Crucible.[3]

Soules joined Orange Is the New Black during its second season in the recurring role of Frieda Berlin.[4] Starting with the show's sixth season, Soules was promoted to a series regular.[4]

Personal life

Soules is openly lesbian.[5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Prism Eva
1988 Blood Orgy of the Leather Girls Teacher
1997 Love God Connie
2006 Diggers Silly Lilly Waitress
2009 The Messenger Cashier
2009 Motherhood Hester
2012 Watching TV with the Red Chinese Bag Lady
2016 AWOL Ruthie
2017 Aardvark Lucille
2018 The Miseducation of Cameron Post Grandma
2022 Lightyear Darby Steel (voice)
2022 Midday Black Midnight Blue Kath
2022 My Love Affair with Marriage Official (voice)
2023 She Came to Me Aunt Moxie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1975 Really Rosie Nutshell Kid (voice) Television special
1981 American Playhouse Frances Episode: "Until She Talks"
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Mysty Episode: "Stress Connection"
2005 Law & Order Agatha Jacobs Episode: "Red Ball"
2007 American Masters Mrs. Wainwright Episode: "Novel Reflections: The American Dream"
2010 How to Make It in America Doris Episode: "Paper, Denim + Dollars"
2010 Big Lake Shelley Episode: "Chris Moves In"
2013 Unforgettable Alma Delaney Episode: "Line Up or Shut Up"
2014–2019 Orange Is the New Black Frieda Berlin 51 episodes
2017 At Home with Amy Sedaris Delta Mung Episode: "Making Love"
2019 New Amsterdam Allison Medrano Episode: "The Blues"
2019 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Margaret Episodes: "Hands!"
2021 Invasion Motel Receptionist Episode: "Orion"
2023–present Digman! Agatha (voice) Main cast
2024–2025 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Chaelt 4 episodes

Stage

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1968 Hair Jeanie (Replacement) Blitmore Theatre, Broadway [6]
1972 Dude Shadow Broadway Theatre, Broadway
1973 Lotta Lotta Public Theater, Off-Broadway
1974 More Than You Deserve Vietnamese Public Theater, Off-Broadway
1974 The Magic Show Cal Cort Theatre, Broadway
1979 Getting Out Arlene Theater de Lys, Off-Broadway
1997 The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite Patsy/Older Woman/ Waitress Atlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway
2002 The Crucible Sarah Good Virginia Theatre, Broadway
2006 Grey Gardens Edith Bouvier Beale (Standby) Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway
2012 Rutherford & Son Mrs. Henderson Mint Theater Company
2015 Posterity Greta Atlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway
2015 Shows for Days Sid Lincoln Center Theater, Off-Broadway
2017 The Mother of Invention Jane Abingdon Theatre Company, Off-Broadway
2018 Woman and Scarecrow Aunty Ah Irish Repertory Theatre, Off-Broadway
2022 The Lucky Star Arnold 59E59 Theatre, Off-Broadway
2024 The Welkin Sarah Smith Atlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway

References

  1. ^ "ABOUT". www.dalesoules.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e Reich, Ronni (June 14, 2015). "N.J. native Dale Soules appears on stage and screen this summer". nj.com. The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on August 6, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Keller, Ilana (January 25, 2017). "From 'Hair' to 'OITNB,' Dale Soules fights for justice". app.com. Asbury Park Press. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Petski, Denise (May 31, 2017). "'Orange Is The New Black' Ups Dale Soules To Series Regular". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  5. ^ Musto, Michael (June 5, 2017). "Drag Queens Have Been Reading Up a Storm (And Not to Filth) Also: Openly lesbian Dale Soules promoted on OITNB! Bette Midler headed to Fire Island?". Out Magazine.
  6. ^ "Dale Soules". Playbill. Retrieved April 20, 2026.