Biographie
Jessica grew up in Wallingford, Connecticut, and took an interest in the arts from the earliest age. She was lucky enough to have parents who fostered her desire to perform. Her mother and grandmother worked at the historic Shubert Theater in New Haven and her dad is a guitar player and singer/songwriter/author.
Jessica started performing in her living room, making her poor little brother dress in her dance recital costumes and put on shows with her. She trained at local dance schools in Connecticut, studying ballet, jazz, hip hop and tap (rhythm and Broadway style). She also began studying the clarinet and eventually became First Chair of her school concert band, through which she had the thrill of performing at both Lincoln Center's Avery Fischer Hall and Carnegie Hall.
In high school, Jessica expanded into acting, and continued to perform as a singer, dancer and actor in school shows and community theater productions. Her senior year, she took an important step toward committing to a career on the stage when she decided to finish school at the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, CT as a dance major. There, she honed in on modern dance while continuing to develop her skills in ballet, tap and jazz. She also co-choreographed the senior show, becoming the only first year senior to do so.
Jessica at first enrolled at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY as a dance/theater major, but, seeking the focus that conservatory training could provide- transferred to The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City. There she studied dance, acting, voice and speech, and musical theater vigorously with some of theater's most prestigious professionals. She was also accepted into AMDA's Tap Workshop, an intensive training and performance program for tap dance.
Following graduation from AMDA, she finished up her college career at The New School in NYC, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater. She continues to study acting and, more recently, improvisation at Upright Citizen's Brigade in NYC.
Jessica is grateful to have been working professionally as an actor, singer, dancer, choreographer and dance captain in numerous shows, one of her favorites being Crazy for You, where she danced Susan Stroman's original choreography as Patsy. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity.
Though her first love is theater, Jessica has found another outlet for her talents on film. She is proud to have co-written and starred in the 2012 North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Official Selection; My Little Friend, now available on Amazon.com and Hulu. She also starred in the web series, Extinction, showing on The Start Channel on Youtube.
In 2013, Jessica entered the cabaret world co-writing and co-starring in two original shows at The Duplex in NYC. In October 2014, Jessica put up her first one-woman show at The Metropolitan Room, NYC!
Most recently, Jessica has been recording music with Mansion Road Music. Her song, K.I.S.S. ME is in rotation on Women of Substance Radio.
