First Name
Jessica
Middle Name
Elaine
Last Name
Ellison
City
Country
State or Province
Job Title
Freelance Dramaturg
Biography
I am a Seattle-based dramaturg and theatre artist. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the College of William and Mary and their Master of Arts in Theatre Studies from the University of Houston.
I am a dramaturg, theatre artist, and theatre scholar working within the realms of production dramaturgy and new play development as a collaborator and playwright. My work is inspired by my own lived experiences as a black queer individual and my background as an anthropologist. I create theatre for other black queer folx and work with emerging theatre artists who have been historically pushed out of theatrical spaces. In doing so, I build upon the work of many black queer artists who came before me in defining and fully realizing a new theatrical culture; one that is both black and queer.
In making a black queer theatrical culture more visible, I also work to queer the field of dramaturgy as a whole. To queer dramaturgy, I explore different artistic mediums to discover how they may interact with dramaturgy and with theatre, to create a more cohesive theatrical experience for those at all levels of the theatre-making process. I also incorporate anthropological theory, namely phenomenology, and bring it into conversation with theatre in order to more fully interrogate how our lived experiences influence the art that we make.
My hope is that people who see my work can experience the beautiful nuances of black queer livelihood and see their communities fully represented on the stage.
I am a dramaturg, theatre artist, and theatre scholar working within the realms of production dramaturgy and new play development as a collaborator and playwright. My work is inspired by my own lived experiences as a black queer individual and my background as an anthropologist. I create theatre for other black queer folx and work with emerging theatre artists who have been historically pushed out of theatrical spaces. In doing so, I build upon the work of many black queer artists who came before me in defining and fully realizing a new theatrical culture; one that is both black and queer.
In making a black queer theatrical culture more visible, I also work to queer the field of dramaturgy as a whole. To queer dramaturgy, I explore different artistic mediums to discover how they may interact with dramaturgy and with theatre, to create a more cohesive theatrical experience for those at all levels of the theatre-making process. I also incorporate anthropological theory, namely phenomenology, and bring it into conversation with theatre in order to more fully interrogate how our lived experiences influence the art that we make.
My hope is that people who see my work can experience the beautiful nuances of black queer livelihood and see their communities fully represented on the stage.
Areas of Expertise
Language(s) spoken
Interested in freelance opportunities
Yes