Conversations with the Inspiring Jessica Barrett Denison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Barrett Denison.

Jessica Barrett, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Humans fascinate me. Falling in love with another’s story is what fuels my art. I am a filmmaker and writer who obsesses over the ugly. In my work, I want to provide sanity to damaged souls. I strive to push audiences to have compassion and curiosity to what is considered taboo. My most recent project “upsTate” is a story I have wanted to tell since I was 13 years old. It was the beginning of winter in Upstate New York, and I was standing outside my best friend’s house and a boy was yelling at the top of the street. What was he yelling about? Nothing. He just wanted to make a scene. He looked like he was transported from the 1950s. Heavy motorcycle jacket, hair greased back and chain-smoking cigarettes. His name is Kyle and he’s been my muse ever since. Kyle is the quintessential “bad boy.” Every cop knew his name, no mother approved of him and every kid wanted to be him (even if they hated to admit it). He’s a leader with a contagious personality that you’ll eventually find yourself mimicking. There was something freeing about him. He didn’t care about anything. Kyle came from a family of addicts. Although, he disguised it to be painless and laugh it off, growing up in an environment where there is endless trauma, it will shape you in all directions. He, himself is an addict and has been in and out of prison since he was in high school for manufacturing Methamphetamine (hence why the “T” is capitalized in “upsTate.”) His story made me incredibly curious about what was behind the scenes of addiction. As a society, we look at addiction as a choice, but let’s explore the why behind it. What is the root of it? Location? A cycle of family trauma? A fun experience that turned into a lifestyle? The possibilities are endless and the more I discover the less I blame. Over the past five years, Kyle has been sending me letters from prison and sharing his side of the story. My play “upsTate” is Kyle. Kyle’s story and how fear moves us forward and holds us back.

Has it been a smooth road?
As a female artist, I have felt the pressure to create “pretty” stories and represent female characters as these Stepford Wife’ing sex symbols, but that aspect of our femininity doesn’t excite me. At the end of the day, it’s not who women really are, it’s what we put on and for generations have felt what is expected of us. I want to showcase femininity as authentic and unedited. The everyday moments that deserve to be magnified without shame. Characters who haven’t showered in four days, who are crying in their car while eating Taco Bell and perhaps, period blood leaking in their pants. It’s true and hopefully, by showing the world that, the dynamic will change. I have always run up against vampire energies because of this and trust, one of those vampires is my ego, we call her, “Darla.” I’m practicing to walk away from those voices and accepting that not everyone is going to love what you do. Writing “upsTate,” was my middle finger to that voice. My first debut of “upsTate” (formally known as “You Can’t Divorce a Dead Man) was in 2014. The play was in its early stages and was a roller-mf-coaster ride. It wasn’t well received. The story showcases drugs and family trauma in an honest light. It can get uncomfortable AF. It took me five years of these characters living inside my head and going through every plausible obstacle. Over 60 rewrites and four workshops. It’s been a sweaty and vulnerable time. My Google history revolving around meth probably has the government worried. I promise, gov, I’m not going to blow anything up. The best lesson I learned is when you create something, start with the world your characters exist in and thennnnnnnnnnn structure it. Get specific. What is the environment? How many bathrooms do they have in their house? What objects are of value? Who was their first lover? After five years of editing this beast, the next step was an audience.

This past August (2019), “upsTate” was workshopped by my collaborators Rachel Park, Tommy Cramer and Amanda Eno. We put the play up on its feet and I was able to see the story visually for the first time. Since I am also a video editor and film-maker, I realized I was creating cinematic moments that may only work for film. In film, you are able to highlight a specific moment by having an up-close shot but with theatre, you’re looking at a large moving painting. It’s easier to miss small details and that ended up being a result. Witnessing the audience going on the journey was a big surrender because I’m human, I want it to be right. This story is close to me, I’ve witnessed the reality of it so of course, I’m very protective of it. However, with any project, letting others in will help move it forward. Each performance, audience members responded to a survey about their experience. One of the most palpable statements read, “I have seen this film before but there is a need to see this on stage to feel the full effect.” After a month of rewrites, “upsTate” is headed to NYC’s Winterfest in March 2020.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Besides writing f’d up stories, I am the artistic director of a mockumentary series, @KarenBeaches. Karen Beaches is a drag persona, played by my collaborator, Kevin Whitmire. Back in 2015, we wanted to film something, didn’t know where the journey was going to take us but the camera was ready to go. Kevin beat his face and put on an Edie Sedgwick wig and little did we know, Karen Beaches was born. We put up our first episode and it got 27 views but those 27 people wanted more. The beginning was interesting because we had to let go of the outcome and put our focus into the creating aspect. Four years later, we are still here and having fun. Now we have a fan base, a film crew (Tommy Cramer, Jessica Spirko and myself) and Karen Beaches is a regular performer in West Hollywood. Our filming process is all improv. We come up with a score and just shoot it. This really has allowed me to trust and not pre-plan a damn thing because the result will always surprise you without expectations. Editing is what fixes everything at the end of the day. Video editing has had a greater effect on my work as an artist more than I expected. Whether it be writing, filming or performance it has helped me to understand the rhythm of storytelling.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
I have always been drawn to the past. I am not advising anyone to live in the past and dwell on what cannot be changed, but use it to empower you. Items and stories that have lived countless lives, what most call “vintage” is in my blood. My aesthetic with film, photography and fashion is inspired by Old Hollywood glamour. When I first discovered Cindy Sherman, I finally understood my place as an artist. Her work scratches beneath the glamorization and takes it a step further. Each photo is a glimpse, always leaving you hungry for more. Cindy Sherman is the artistic chameleon that displays the many transformations we can take on. Within the past year, I have started my own series that are stills of films I want to create. I dress up, master a wig and create a storyline. This is usually how I start a piece. It starts with an image in my head and then I find the soul of the story.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessicabarrettdenison.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @yayabarrettdenison

Image Credit:
Cover Photo: By Matt Denison
Photo 1: Designed by Kevin Whitmire
Photo 2: Photo by Leenie Trong
Photo 3: Photo by Elliot See
Photo 4: Photo by Kevin Whitmire
Photo 5: Photo by Colleen Ladrick
Photo 6: Self-portrait by Jessica Barrett Denison
Photo 7: Photo by Tommy Cramer
Photo 8: Self-portrait by Jessica Barrett Denison

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.