Meet Jesse Bliss of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Bliss.

Hi Jesse, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born intrinsically loving theatre. I saw my first play at 6 at my school, starring my mom’s best friend, but I didn’t have access. I spent a lot of time creating my own scenes and dances that I would jump other kids into, culminating in starting a Drama Department at my elementary school. Since I could hold a pen, I would write. It was there I wrote and directed my first plays starting at 11. The arts were a savior for me. At 18, I began my journey to become a professional artist. By 20, I was living in San Francisco rigorously studying theatre and voice. Discouraged by the lack of powerful roles for women, I realized my pen and imagination were going to be key in creating a body of original work that reflects lived experience of women.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been filled with challenges. My childhood wasn’t easy at all, for many reasons. Adulthood presented a lot of challenges simply by being a woman in this business creating original work on my own terms. I was out in the streets with great conviction at an early age, deep in the mix with all the college bred actors and writers. Storytelling was my passion and destiny, but in the beginning, I had to find my way and figure out how to support myself. Never would I allow a man to do that for me. I had a sharp vision for what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be in the world. It was a matter of sticking close to that, regardless of who did or didn’t see or support what I was striving for. Thankfully, there were mentors along the path that offered incredible guidance, love and belief in me.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a playwright, director, producer, poet, actress, journalist, arts educator, and a mother. I specialize in creating original. We write what we observe, experience and imagine. My work is a combination of it all.

I am founder and artistic director of The Roots and Wings Project, a socially transformative theatre company that provides stage and space for voices of the unnamed, unknown, and misunderstood, specializing in new work by women. Our work is presented in both site-specific and traditional environments, exploring matters of women’s survival and pursuit of justice. We also offer writing, publishing and theatre programs to high school age and women being held in incarceration. I have a deep love of this work and for the people I get to collaborate with daily in making our company run. They are all brilliant and devoted to the bigger vision.

In a world that has left women out of the narrative and misrepresented our view, it is critical our stories are told. I must create work in order to be good at any role I play in this life. Currently, I am deep in the process of writing a book, A RECORD OF LIGHT, to be published by the extraordinary Riot of Roses Press. This project is very close to my heart as it’s something I have wanted to do for many years. It is an emotional undertaking as the pages consist of my body of work over time, including excerpts of my scripts, poems, passages, and new work, exploring how my art and life have interfaced over time. I am excited to release this book into the world. Theatre is gone once it’s over. The book offers an opportunity for the work to live in a different way. I love this publishing company. Founder, Brenda Vaca, is a brilliant writer and visionary. I feel supported and seen through this process. It’s exciting to collaborate with women who hold the same conviction to get our stories told.

We are also in the process of beginning production on REALM OF THE RIVER, a new play that took me 9 years to finish since other commissioned projects kept coming up in the process of working on it. The piece speaks directly to our times and will activate important conversations and surge faith. We are returning to the incredible Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts with this play where I directed a full-length play and also taught for many years. It’s a gorgeous space and community.

I am most proud of my motherhood. It’s, by far, the hardest job I have. She is my greatest creation. Nothing I do from here could ever top that. These are not easy times to raise a child. The goal is to nurture her creativity and confidence while making sure she feels loved in an uncertain world.

I would say what may set me apart is my extreme level of passion and vision. Those that know me understand I am motivated by what speaks to my soul at a given moment. I will go to great lengths to see it executed. I believe art to be the most healing and transcendent offering there is.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is a period of time around 8 years old. I would ride bikes hours a day with my best friend Drew Maxwell. We built forts and climbed trees. We wrestled. We went to an old-fashioned pharmacy and ate ice cream and candy. When the party was over at night after hours of play, I would return home to listen to records and make up dances and scenes. I recorded my first radio commercial at this age. Fun with Drew was what I lived for and I was lucky enough to get to enjoy our time together for hours a day. I loved his family, too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.therootsandwingsproject.com
• Instagram: _theraw_project
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRootsandWingsProject/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRootsNWings

Image Credits
Angela Torres (image of Jesse Bliss)
Alex Griffin (image of Jesse Bliss with the cast and crew of JUANA MARIA)
Cast photo by Jesse Bliss