Jessica Wallenfels

Jessica Wallenfels is a theater artist/graphic web artist who has been with Industrial Street since 1999.

Growing up in Tacoma, Washington, Jessica began acting as a young adult. Her most notable early role came as a recurring character on David Lynch's TV series, "Twin Peaks." A featured role in the Nancy Savoca feature "Dogfight" and a starring role in the locally produced TV special "Thirteenth Christmas" filled out Jessica's teen resume. Jessica also danced and choreographed with her hometown dance company from the age of 12. Once accepted to the California Institute of the Arts, Jessica moved to Southern California and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1997.

Jessica became a production artist/news reporter for the dot-com startup UltimateTV, now known as Zap2it, in addition to writing freelance celebrity interviews for Tribune Media Services' flagship television web site, the now-defunct TV Quest. She also conceived, directed, choreographed and performed in an original movement theatre work, "Losing It," at Glaxa Studios, produced by Mark Taper Forum's Special Projects Associate Anthony Byrnes.

Jessica left UltimateTV in 1998, and choreographed movement segments for the original play, "A Beautiful Country," written and directed by Chay Yew, the Mark Taper Forum's Asian Theatre Workshop director. Jessica would go on to choreograph for Cornerstone's "Magic Trix," (Critic's Choice, Backstage West) and be named an Associate Artist with CTC before beginning work on the Backstage West Garland Award-Winning "Broken Hearts: A BH Mystery."

Other projects: starred in the digital feature, "Born to Love You," directed by Shelly Lyons; starred in the new play "The Ariel Slippers" at Glaxa Studios; collaborated with director Alison Narver (former artistic director of the Annex Theatre, co-founder of Regional Alternative Theatre) on movement for "Beautiful In the Extreme," for A.S.K. Theatre Projects' Common Ground Festival. Co-created and performed the original, site-specific "In Passing" with director Juliette Carillo (director of the Hispanic Playwright's Project at South Coast Repetory Theatre); choreographed and performed "Floating" with actress/wheelchair user Joy Mincey Powell for the Art & Soul Festival.

After joining Theatre of NOTE, Jessica began working with Patric Z on the Disney Books site. Jessica's work at NOTE continued with choreography for "Eden." NOTE also served as the development home and performance venue for Jessica's most recent original movement theatre work, "Soul Geek."

Jessica designed the Readbooks 2000 site for Hyperion Publishing, in addition to numerous boutique sites for Disney and Hyperion properties Dinosaur, The Cheetah Girls, Jump at the Sun, L.A.F., and Hyperion Books for Children. Jessica also works in association with Go.com for promotion of Disney Books.

Jessica collaborated as choreographer for director/Old Globe Theatre Artistic Associate Brendon Fox on Steven Dietz' "Private Eyes" in the Globe's Carter Theater. The two most recently worked on Fox's production of "Much Ado About Nothing" for Shakespeare Festival/LA.

Jessica has studied with avant garde luminaries Anne Bogart and the SITI Company, Ruth Maleczech of Mabou Mines, Karen Finley, Deb Margolin, former David Gordon company member Dean Moss, as well as Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver of Split Britches Theatre Company. Jessica was nominated for the Richard E. Sherwood award by Gordon Davidson and the Center Theatre Group, and has volunteered with the Unusual Suspects, a non-profit organization that fosters the creation of theatre by at-risk youth in juvenile detention centers and group homes.

"Soul Geek" will be re-conceived and presented in conjunction with the Edge of the World Theatre Festival 2000. Jessica will also perform in two other Edgefest projects: Oasis Theatre Company's "Antigone," directed by Wendy McClellan, and the Untitled Beauty Project with Original Face Productions.

1. Acting Credits

   1. Born to Love You (1999)

   2. Dogfight (1991).... Arcade Girl

   3. Twin Peaks (1990) (TV).... Harriet Hayward

2. TV guest appearances

   1. "The Tom Show" (1997) playing "Protestor #1" (ep. # 1.6 10/15/97)

   2. "Twin Peaks" (1990) playing "Harriet Hayward" (ep. # 2.1 9/30/90)