Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Hoffman.
Jenny, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been an artist at heart. As a child, I could be found with a toy microphone in my hand, bossing my cousins around to put on a play for our parents, or making up dances with my friends. I started dancing at age 3, and twirled baton competitively for most of my childhood. My parents were incredibly supportive in everything I did, and to this day I don’t thank them enough.
I found my love of musical theatre through a production of “Annie” with South Milwaukee Youth Theatre in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I remember telling my mom before auditions that year that I wanted the lead role. She had no idea that I had any singing or acting abilities whatsoever and did her best to encourage me to audition and be happy with whatever role I got. I ended up getting the lead, and it was the production that changed my life. I knew, even at nine years old, that I wanted to be a performing artist.
It was inevitable that I would pursue a degree in theatre, so I attended AMDA College of the Performing Arts here in Los Angeles and received my BFA in Musical Theatre. AMDA was enticing to me for several reasons, one of them being that all of the faculty are currently working in the industry. I wanted to learn from the best of the best, and I knew the AMDA was the way to do that.
When I graduated, I have to admit that I was a bit lost. It was the first time in my life that I was completely on my own in Los Angeles. I had to pay rent and make enough money to pay said rent. Having only worked at McDonald’s part-time in High School, I had NEVER made that kind of money. The idea was really quite daunting. I spent the first Summer working for AMDA as a counselor for their High School Summer program, which took up a good amount of my time. I was terrified of auditioning and mostly avoided it while I gained my footing. It wasn’t until the following year that I really buckled down and put myself out there, booking my first professional job at Cabrillo Music Theatre (now Five Star Theatricals) as the dance captain for “Mary Poppins” and forming a relationship that would keep me employed for several more contracts. I owe a huge debt to Lewis Wilkenfeld and Cheryl Baxter for putting their trust in me during that rehearsal process and really allowing me to come into my own as an artist.
As a performing artist I have had some pretty amazing opportunities, like living in San Diego and tap dancing until my toes fell off in “42nd Street” or singing some of Irving Berlin’s greatest works in “White Christmas,” but my favorite adventure to date has been performing on Aida Cruiselines as a lead vocalist. From March of 2018 to September of 2019, with some breaks in between, I had the privilege of traveling the world while doing the thing I love most, and what a gift that was. I visited over 12 different countries in the past two years including Germany, Norway, Iceland, Croatia, Madagascar, Italy, and Greece (to name a few).
I will always relish my time on the sea, but for now I am home in Los Angeles living with my boyfriend and our cute little dog, Luna, and enjoying every minute on solid ground.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road for me. I don’t think it is for any performing artist. My studies and career choice have taken me far away from home and I don’t see my family very often. My income is constantly changing, and it can be difficult to budget for everyday life expenses. And of course, living on a ship for seven months at a time has its challenges, especially when you’re across the world and there’s a significant time difference and very little service.
With that said, I can’t see myself doing anything else. I knew at nine years old that this is what I wanted to do, and I’ve surrounded myself with friends, family, and loved ones who support me every step of the way.
What else should our readers know?
I am musical theatre performing artist. I get to sing, dance, act, and play dress up as my job every single day!
I particularly love to tap dance, and will at any opportunity. Most of my favorite performance experiences have included tap.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I do feel like Los Angeles is a great place for someone starting out as a performing artist. Many people automatically think of New York when they think of musical theatre, and of course that makes sense. But the theatre community in Southern California is tight-knit and so very welcoming. It holds a very special place in my heart. The only downside is how spread out everything is. For some rehearsals, I find myself driving 2-3 hours each direction!
Contact Info:
- Email: jennykayhoffman@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jennykayhoffman
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennykayhoffman
- Other: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7MSUVFwUujPT6j2avn_nVw?view_as=subscriber
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