About me
A little about me. . .
Jessica is an entertainment industry polymath, making a living while being creative in New York City. She's worked professionally since childhood and has a formal education and decades of practical experience on stage and behind the scenes in theatre, live concert events, industrials, print, film, and television.
A LOT MORE ABOUT ME. . .
I got my start as the unruly kid who refused to get back under Mother G's enormous skirt in the Nutcracker ballet. Years of studying dance and theatre led me to a Bachelor of Arts from the Florida State University's School of Theatre. But nothing could prepare me for my post-graduate journey, where I kept performing while exploring a slew of odd jobs: teaching modeling classes, being a ballroom dance instructor, working at a casting agency, a production studio, and on a few pop/rock concert tours until something totally unexpected happened. I was asked to go on the road as the Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor for the Broadway touring company of Saturday Night Fever. Barely knowing how to sew, I said yes to the journey that would land me in over 100 North American cities and eventually bring me to New York.
Since 2002, I've enjoyed working as part of the Broadway companies Movin’ Out, The Producers, LoveMusik, Young Frankenstein, West Side Story, American Idiot, Catch Me If You Can, Lysistrata Jones, Peter & The Starcatcher, Annie, First Date, All The Way, This Is Our Youth, Fish in the Dark, Hamilton (original company), Misery, The Crucible, The Great Comet of 1812, Frozen, and Bob Fosse's DANCIN'. During the pandemic shutdown of Broadway, I had some fortunate voyages working on film & tv projects, The Drew Barrymore Show, Halston, Better Nate Than Ever, The Gilded Age, & The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. After a brief detour into production management for large-scale political events in the 2020 Presidential campaign, I've returned to Broadway. Currently I am the Wardrobe Supervisor of Hamilton.
I spent much of my life performing before shifting my focus to directing, producing, technical stage production, and writing. As a member of the producing team at the award-winning production company Awaken Entertainment, I became a Broadway Producer on the critically acclaimed Superior Donuts as well as Green Day's American Idiot, garnering nominations for both a Drama Desk and TONY Award for Best Musical. I was also a proud Producer of the 10th Anniversary, 9/11 Benefit production of 110 Stories starring a cast of Hollywood A-list celebrities raising funds for the New York Says Thank You Foundation.
In 2005, I co-founded the not-for-profit Working Artists Theatre Project (www.WATProject.com). I currently serve as Executive Managing Artistic Director, directing and producing off-broadway multi-media projects that focus on creating growth opportunities for the New York artistic community. My first film credit as Associate Producer came from Vision Vehicle Productions' award-winning independent feature film, Construction (check out the trailer here).
Through WAT Project and various other theatre companies, I've directed and produced the world premiere of Chad Luke Schiro's multimedia sketch & dance odyssey, WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE! which was featured as part of Ars Nova's ANTFEST 2013. I conceptualized, directed, and produced the ambitious immersive production OPEN CALL! (an outdoor immersive theatre history production playing in Times Square) and WAT Gallery (a 5,000 sq ft fully curated art gallery housing the U.S. premiere of Fruits Unheard Of by Caitlin Murphy and the world premiere of The Big Show created by Charlie Sutton featuring Rachelle Rak). My work has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and chashama. I directed both the sold-out run of the New York premiere of LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE by Warren Doody at Manhattan Repertory Theatre, and in 2014, WAT Project remounted the successful production for a run at the New York International Fringe Festival. In 2017, I directed the New York premiere of Matthew Greene's masterful new play, Gregorian.
Sharing the traditions of show business is also something that I've been fortunate to do. I've been lucky to have this unique life influenced by the theatre, film, television, and music industries, with a long list of varied credentials to show for it. I've successfully learned through doing, survive to tell tales, and promote life in the arts for future generations by lecturing for a variety of arts organizations, schools, and universities (Columbia, Fashion Institue of Technology, Barnard, University of Mississippi), providing private coaching for a roster of Broadway talent, and serving as a mentor to those bitten by the entertainment industry bug. In 2020, I founded Broadway Undressed and The Backstage Academy. Through partnerships with Airbnb Experiences, Opening Act, Beyond the Stage, and the New York Department of Education, both programs have found international success, educating thousands about the lifestyle of working backstage in professional theatre.
Aside from all things entertainment, I'm an avid journaler. I took on the pandemic project, journaling for 365 days and sharing my private practice live across social media platforms through Blank Page Social. Writing and holding creative spaces are my personal loves, along with rescuing animals. Journaling every morning with my rescue pup, Bosley, curled up by my side is the perfect start to every day.
