CONVERSATIONS WITH JESSICA

podcasts + talks with people i admire

Jessica Hanna is a Los Angeles based Director & Producer.

A member of The Kilroys, an activist artists group working for gender parity in the American Theatre. She began training with The SITI Co. in 2002 and performed with the company in 2010 & 2013 at The Getty Villa. As of 2020, she is currently the Chair of The SITI Co.’s Board. She was an Artist in Residence at Thymele Arts in 2019.

Jessica Co-Founded Bootleg Theater, serving as Producing & Managing Director for 12 years. During her tenure at Bootleg she oversaw all theatrical productions and worked with hundreds of Los Angeles artists, including new solo performances by Roger Guenveur Smith including his tour de force, RODNEY KING, a version of which can be seen on Netflix directed by Spike Lee. She helped create and execute the Hope On Stage playwriting prize in collaboration with Cornell and Notre Dame Universities, which included a cash prize for the winning play as well as two fully funded productions at The Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY and at Bootleg Theater. She created the Solo Queens Festival that has featured 15 women solo performers in 2 years. Her focus has been on new work development.

Directing credits (selected): Lisa Dring's DEATH PLAY at Circle X Theatre, Brandon Baruch’s NO HOMO, at Hollywood Fringe Festival (winner Best Director, Best Ensemble and Best New Play), New York Fringe and Atwater Village Theatres. World premieres of FOUR CHORDS AND A GUN by John Ross BowIe, I CARRY YOUR HEART by Georgette Kelly, THE WILLOWS by Kerri-Ann McCalla and BLUE GOLD & BUTTERFLIES by Stephanie Batiste, all at Bootleg Theater. PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, the musical, at Celebration Theatre (Winner 2019 Ovation Award Best Production of a Musical, 7 Nominations including Best Director). Guest director at CalState University Long Beach, Occidental College, CalArts and CalPoly Pomona.

In 2019 she taught ensemble techniques & directed A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM for Make Trouble in Wilmington, NC. Produced two plays by Kirsten Vangsness at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. And Directed Michelle Kholos Brooks’ HOSTAGE at Adobe Rose Theatre in Santa Fe, NM. She Co-directed Justin Sayre’s RAVENSWOOD MANOR at Celebration Theater and directed a workshop of Sarah Tufts’ ABIGAIL for Inkwell Theatre.

In 2020 she directed POLAROID STORIES at CalPoly Pomona. THE WOLVES at CSU Long Beach which was cut short due to the pandemic. During the pandemic she directed Iris Bahr’s solo piece DAI and produced Philicia Saunder’s BREATHE for Outpost_13 & Outside In. As well as producing the scheduled audio walk experience A WALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD by Katie Lindsey.

Upcoming: FEFU & HER FRIENDS (online) at CalPoly Pomona and AS ONE at Orlando Opera.

ARTIST PROFILE: JESSICA HANNA on THISSTAGELA (2016)

TO CONTACT, email yesqueenjess@gmail.com