American actress, writer, and director
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2 episodes with Jessica Blank
4 episodes with Jessica Blank
Noel catches up with Erik Jensen. The actor, writer, and director is out with his new movie, Brooklyn, Minnesota, which he co-wrote and co-directed with his wife. The movie also features the acting debut of their daughter, Sadie. Erik and his wife, Jessica Blank, co-wrote The Exonerated, a play based on interviews they conducted with more than 40 exonerated death row inmates. Erik is probably best known for his recurring roles on The Walking Dead, Mindhunter, and Mr. Robot. He portrayed the late great Yankee Thurman Munson in ESPN's miniseries, The Bronx is Burning
Erik Jensen is an actor, writer and director. As an actor, Erik appeared regularly in both seasons of the ABC series “For Life.” Other TV credits include major arcs on “The Walking Dead,” “Mindhunter” and “Mr. Robot,” appearances on “The Americans,” “House of Cards,” “Elementary,” The Blacklist,” and many more, including his critically acclaimed portrayal of legendary NY Yankee Thurman Munson in “The Bronx is Burning.” Film credits include the upcoming Viral with Blair Underwood and Alfre Woodard, Black Knight, The Love Letter and more than two dozen indie films. His theater credits as an actor include The Collaboration on Broadway opposite Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope, the Pulitzer-Prize winning production of Disgraced at Lincoln Center, The Good Negro at the Public Theater, Arthur Kopit's Y2K and Terrance McNally's Corpus Christi at MTC, and Lester Bangs in his play How To Be A Rock Critic (Kirk Douglas, South Coast Rep, ArtsEmerson, Steppenwolf, The Public). Erik's sci-fi graphic novel The Reconcilers was published in 2010 to wide acclaim, and he is co-host and co-creator of the podcast BardQuest Empire, which brings together entertainment industry professionals who play Dungeons & Dragons to talk about the intersections of D&D and storytelling. As a writer, Erik has been named by the New Yorker as “among the foremost practitioners of documentary theater in the U.S.” With his wife Jessica Blank, he is author of The Exonerated, a genre-defining play based on interviews they conducted with over 40 wrongly convicted death row inmates across the United States, which Governor George Ryan cited as instrumental in his 2003 decision to clear Illinois' death row. The Exonerated won Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Ovation, Fringe First and Herald Angel Awards, and was nominated for the Hull-Warriner Award and the John Gassner Playwriting Award; it has also received awards from Amnesty International, the American Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Death Penalty Focus, and Court TV, and was named Best Play of the Year by the New York Times. The Exonerated has been translated into Spanish, French, Italian, Farsi, Mandarin and Japanese and adapted by Erik and Jessica into an award-winning TV movie starring Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Aidan Quinn and Delroy Lindo. Living Justice, Erik and Jessica's book on the making of The Exonerated, was published by Simon and Schuster. Their documentary play Aftermath, based on interviews they conducted with Iraqi civilian refugees in Jordan, had its Off Broadway premiere at New York Theater Workshop, was a New York Times Critics' Pick, toured internationally for two years and was nominated for two Drama League Awards. Their play How to be a Rock Critic (based on the writings of Lester Bangs) played sold-out runs at the Kirk Douglas, South Coast Rep, ArtsEmerson, Steppenwolf, and the Public Theater, with Erik starring as Lester Bangs; they are currently developing How To Be A Rock Critic for feature film. Their documentary play Coal Country, about West Virginia's 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, opened at the Public Theater on March 3, 2020, with original music written and performed by three-time Grammy Award-winning musician Steve Earle (Edgerton New Play Award, 2 Drama Desk noms, Lortel Award nom). When its run was cut short by COVID-19, the pair pivoted and wrote The Line, a documentary play based on firsthand interviews with NYC medical first responders at the height of the pandemic, starring Lorraine Toussaint, John Ortiz, Alison Pill, Santino Fontana and more. Also a NYT Critics' Pick, The Line garnered rave reviews from coast to coast and was viewed by over 85,000 people in 50 countries. Coal Country recently reopened commercially at the Cherry Lane Theater in 2022 to massive critical acclaim, produced by the Public and Audible, and was recorded for Audible Theater (Signal Award for Best Drama) . Erik and Jessica currently have a major new musical under commission with the Public Theater. As TV/screenwriters, Erik and Jessica currently have projects in development with David Simon/Blown Deadline, Levinson/Fontana, and Ed Burns (The Wire, Generation Kill). They wrote the pilot The Negotiator for Gaumont TV (EP Tom Fontana) and have developed with Fox TV Studios, 20th Century TV, Levinson/Fontana, Avenue Pictures, Sunswept, Virgin Produced, and Radical Media. Erik and Jessica's first feature as writer/directors, Almost Home, was released by Vertical Entertainment in 2019 and their second scripted feature, How To Be A Rock Critic, is currently in development. They are in pre-production with Meteor17 to co-direct a feature documentary about legendary rock engineer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones) in collaboration with the Hendrix estate, and in development for a feature documentary about the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, produced by Audrey Rosenberg (I Am Not Your Negro, HBO's Katrina Babies) and executive produced by Steve Earle. Erik lives in Brooklyn with his wife Jessica and their daughter Sadie. Connect more with Erik: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ejensen123 Twitter https://twitter.com/erikjensen123 Please consider SUPPORTING my SHOW, SUBSCRIBE to the NEWSLETTER, ENTER in the GIVEAWAYS https://www.chonacas.com/contact/ Social media links: https://twitter.com/katiechonacas https://www.instagram.com/chonacas https://www.instagram.com/shesallovertheplacepodcast/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiechonacas Disclaimer: None of the information in the podcast should be considered as a financial advice. Always do your own research.
Jessica Blank is on a “mission to impact our world through the transformative power of story.” She's an award-winning writer, director, actor, producer, coach, consultant, and teacher. She has an amazing track record of creating art that leads to impact. She and her husband, Erik Jensen, launched a new form of art-for-impact, called “documentary theater.” They created a play about people condemned to Death Row for crimes they didn't commit. That work of art helped change policy and save lives. She teaches about the brain science of storytelling, the structure of storytelling, and the power of storytelling to “move us, change us, and make us see the world in new ways.” In this episode of Achieve Great Things, we'll talk with Jessica Blank about ways you can use the power of storytelling to create impact.
Ready to unleash the creative storytelling activist inside you?
This episode we are joined by Jessica Blank! Jessica is a writer, director, actor, story strategy consultant, and coach. With her husband Erik Jensen, she is the author of THE EXONERATED, HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC and COAL COUNTRY.As an actor, Jessica appeared regularly as the lead's loudmouthed big sister in CBS' MADE IN JERSEY. Additional TV credits include HBO's HIGH MAINTENANCE, FOR LIFE, BLUE BLOODS, ELEMENTARY, THE FOLLOWING, THE MENTALIST, BORED TO DEATH, RESCUE ME, LAW AND ORDER: CI, THE BRONX IS BURNING, NBC pilot SHELTER, and several more. Film acting credits include THE NAMESAKE (dir. Mira Nair), THE EXONERATED, SLENDER MAN, and over a dozen indies including CREATIVE CONTROL (SXSW Grand Jury Prize), ON THE ROAD WITH JUDAS (Sundance) and YOU'RE NOBODY TILL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU (prod. Spike Lee). As a story consultant and coach, Jessica works with filmmakers, playwrights, television writers, screenwriters, novelists, and nonprofit and advocacy organizations. She has guest taught at numerous colleges and universities including Brown, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Bard, NYU, The New School, Northwestern, Macalester College, Indiana University, Weber State, and Hamline University. She was a founding mentor for the Writers Guild Initiative's Veterans' Writing Project and, through that project, taught writing to vets and wounded veterans' caregivers for eight years. She is a frequent speaker, trainer and panelist on Story for Social Impact, and has a thriving private practice in New York and Los Angeles as a story consultant and coach.If you want to work with Jessica, you an DM her on instagram at @jessicacblank or reach out to her via her website at jessicacblank.com!
This is a special collaboration episode with Headline Books. Coal Country, by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the creative minds behind the award-winning docudrama The Exonerated, delves into the aftermath of 2010's Upper Big Branch mine explosion, highlighting the indomitable resilience of a small West Virginia community on a quest for justice. Featuring the musical talents of three-time Grammy Award winner Steve Earle from his album Ghosts of West Virginia, Coal Country powerfully combines the country/folk legend's "soaring emotional heft and superbly evocative string-picking" (The Hollywood Reporter) with actual first-person accounts from survivors and family members, immortalizing their stories of survival in this soulful yet resolute tribute. Coal Country's world premiere run opened as a New York Times Critic's Pick on March 3, 2020. Before an untimely closing in the face of the pandemic, The New York Times called it “devasting and heart-wrenching,” The Hollywood Reporter said it is “political theater of the most lucid, urgent, and necessary kind, given soaring emotional heft by Steve Earle's songs,” and The New Yorker praised it as “an outstanding, outraged, life-filled documentary play.” Visit https://www.theatrewestvirginia.org/ for information on how to catch the show next week! The Big Time Talker is sponsored by Speakermatch.com
Multi-hyphenate artist Jessica Blank shares her experiences building a creative life, embracing creative problem solving, restaging the documentary theatre piece Coal Country after having to close at the beginning of the pandemic, parenting as an artist, and collaboration. Get tickets for Coal Country, running till April 17, 2022 at the Cherry Lane Theater at www.coalcountrymusical.com and check out Jessica's work at www.jessicacblank.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Salaam” means “peace”! Do you know what your name means? Today's story is called “Always Anjali” written by author, activist, and author Sheetal Sheth, illustrated by Jessica Blank, and published by Mango and Marigold Press. It's a story about a young girl who struggles with the name her parents gave her. Special thanks to guest story narrators: Uzma Khan, Violet Abrons, Sami Abu-Ragheb, Nadeem Abu-Ragheb, and Yasmin Sarwar. Intro and exit music from SlipStream "Farmer's Market" by Ellie. Sound effects for this episode come from from freesound.org under the Creative Commons license: “Ambience, Night Wildlife, A.wav” by InspectorJ; “Unwrapping gift” by DineoMichelle; “Thinking Music” by GHRockotron3000; “Boy or Young Child laughing” by OBXJohn; “Bike Bell While Riding” by qubodup. To participate in future readings, suggest titles to read, or connect with us in any way, please contact us at rxjanan[at]gmail[dot]com. Salaam!
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York Times in 2000. TOPIC: "The Exonerated": bringing the story of several death row exonerees to Off Broadway and the nation...continuing our discussion of how the play came to be written and its impact all over the country.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York Times in 2000. TOPIC: "The Exonerated": bringing the story of several death row exonerees to Off Broadway and the nation...continuing our discussion of how the play came to be written and its impact all over the country.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York Times in 2000. TOPIC: "The Exonerated": bringing the story of several death row exonerees to Off Broadway and the nation...continuing our discussion of how the play came to be written and its impact all over the country.
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York
Jessica and Erik are a husband & wife writing team as well as actors/directors. Winners of many awards, their play {The Exonerated} was named "Best Play of the Year" by the New York
Writers, actors, and directors who are the authors of Coal Country (NYT Critic's Pick, Edgerton Foundation New Play Award, two Drama Desk nominations); The Exonerated (Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Ovation, Fringe First, and Herald Angel Awards) and its award-winning TV movie adaptation starring Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, and Delroy Lindo; as well as Aftermath (NYTW; NYT Critic's Pick, two Drama League nominations). Author and director of the recent play The Line at Public Theater.
This week I talked with actor, producer, playwright, and Deadhead, Erik Jensen. Erik has co-written several plays with his wife Jessica Blank including "How To Be A Rock Critic" in which he portrayed famed critic Lester Bangs and this year's "Coal Country" which featured songs and on-stage performance from Steve Earle. We talk about Erik's history as a Deadhead, how their music helped him heal and guides him in his work today. Afterwards, we check out one of Earle's songs from "Coal Country" followed by a healthy dose of Grateful Dead.As mentioned in the interview, you can find a film version of Jensen & Blank's play, "The Exonerated" on iTunes. This production stars Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, and Brian Dennehy. You can also find Steve Earle's album of songs from "Coal Country" entitled, "Ghosts of West Virginia" on his bandcamp page. Both are highly recommended.In the intro, I mention my favorite albums of 2020 list which is housed on my personal blog. you can find that and it's wealth of bandcamp links over at rowjimmy.net. I hope you find something new and interesting (and buy it)!Allow me to remind you that the Brokedown Podcast is part of the Osiris Media. Osiris is creating a community that connects people like you with podcasts and live experiences about artists and topics you love. Sign up for the newsletter at OsirisPod.com to stay in the loop. Also, Osiris Media works in partnership with JamBase, which connects music fans with the music they love and empowers them to go see live music. Check them out at JamBase.com.Don't forget to follow the @BrokedownPod twitter account for regular news, live tweetstorms of shows as I listen, and other minutiae. We also have an Instagram account with the same handle. If you like pictures of things, you can find that here: BrokedownPod Instagram. Also, if you use iTunes, please consider posting a review as it really help get the word out.Also, please keep sending your metaphorical cards and letters. Leave a comment on the blog or hit me up on any of the above social media. Let me know what I'm doing right, wrong, or horribly wrong.
How do you bring your creative ideas into the world? How do you move through the grief of creative injury? Charlie speaks with the artist Jessica Blank, who along with her husband and creative partner Erik Jensen have defined the genre of documentary theater for almost 20 years. An award winning actress, playwright, author, producer, director and teacher, Jessica is an incredibly versatile creator. Their documentary plays The Exonerated, Aftermath, Coal Country, and most recently the pandemic inspired zoom play The Line, have brought deep insight into our collective humanity. Charlie and Jessica talk about the artistic process, the importance of empathy, and the resilience of the creative spirit. You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Leave a message for Charlie at https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com
Actors, writers, and directors Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, who are also a married couple, are experts creating documentary theater. They have written The Exonerated, about death row exonerees. Aftermath, about people who were exiled by the American invasion of Iraq, Coal Country about the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster and THE LINE their live-streamed play, bringing first-person stories of New York City's first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic to the digital stage. Jessica is also an accomplished author, consultant and public speaker on story and social change. Erik has had over a hundred roles on television, film, and stage, most notably as legendary Thurman Munson of the New York Yankees in the miniseries The Bronx Is Burning and most recently can be seen in the television show For Life. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/quidditasfactor)
THE LINE https://publictheater.org/productions/season/1920/the-line/ is a new play by Jessica Blank https://www.instagram.com/jessicacblank/ and Erik Jensen https://www.instagram.com/ejensen123/ created in the award-winning documentary style that brought you The Exonerated, Aftermath, and Coal Country. Crafted from firsthand interviews with New York City medical first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, THE LINE cuts through the media and political noise to reveal the lived experiences of frontline medical workers in New York and their battle to save lives in a system built to serve the bottom line. “In spring 2020, we conducted anonymous interviews with NYC frontline medical workers battling the COVID-19 virus,” said THE LINE creators Jessica Blank https://www.jessicacblank.com/ and Erik Jensen https://twitter.com/erikjensen123 “Through these interviews, we began to see care as a radical response to institutionalized violence and the systems that perpetuate it. Created from quarantine in ‘rapid response’ to this national emergency, THE LINE presents a fundamental redefinition of what it means to protect and serve, examining the fault lines in our system through the words of the brave people who show up every day to care for us all.”
On today’s special episode, Ashley talks with playwrights Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen (“The Exonerated,” “Aftermath,” “Coal Country”) about their latest docu-play “The Line,” currently being presented by The Public Theater. Crafted from first-hand interviews with New York City medical first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, “The Line” cuts through read more
Playwrights Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen talk about their play, "The Line," which premieres digitally today, July 8. Produced by The Public Theater, "The Line" uses first-person stories from New York City's frontline medical workers to explore how the medical emergency changed what it means to serve New Yorkers and underlined the city's long-standing problems. This segment is guest-hosted by Ilya Marritz.
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to documentary theater makers Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, whose plays include The Exonerated, about the criminal justice system, and Coal Country, about the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia. Blank and Jensen explain how documentary theater works, from interviews with subjects to a live performance where actors perform interview excerpts verbatim. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why documentary theater is such a great way to communicate important information to an audience. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. And if you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to documentary theater makers Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, whose plays include The Exonerated, about the criminal justice system, and Coal Country, about the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia. Blank and Jensen explain how documentary theater works, from interviews with subjects to a live performance where actors perform interview excerpts verbatim. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why documentary theater is such a great way to communicate important information to an audience. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. And if you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to documentary theater makers Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, whose plays include The Exonerated, about the criminal justice system, and Coal Country, about the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia. Blank and Jensen explain how documentary theater works, from interviews with subjects to a live performance where actors perform interview excerpts verbatim. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why documentary theater is such a great way to communicate important information to an audience. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. And if you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ten years ago, the Upper Big Branch Mine exploded in West Virginia. 29 men died and an investigation uncovered that a legacy of overlooked safety measures contributed to the disaster. A new play called “Coal Country” focuses on the stories of the men and their families. It aims to put a spotlight on prejudice against the rural working class… to bridge a divide between city dwellers and those who work with their hands underground. Co-creators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen interviewed the families and the production weaves their words with the music of Grammy-award winner Steve Earle to help people understand another America.
Steve Earle & The Dukes - “Devil Put the Coal in the Ground” from the 2020 album Ghosts of West Virginia on New West Records. In 2010, the Upper Big Branch coal mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia exploded, killing twenty-nine of the thirty-one miners present at the time. It's been called one of the worst mining disasters in American history. And it inspired the latest album from veteran singer/songwriter Steve Earle, titled Ghosts of West Virginia. The project originated with the off-Broadway play Coal Country, written by playwrights Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, who approached Earle to compose the score. While the play had to cancel its run in New York City due the coronavirus, Earle will release the songs as his 20th studio album on May 22nd via New West Records. Read the full post on KEXP.org Support the show.
The entertainment industry has become an important partner to the nonprofit sector, inspiring people to become active around social issues such as climate, poverty, and human rights. What can campaigns for change learn from narrative storytelling experts? How can nonprofit leaders successfully partner with entertainment companies? In this recording from SSIR’s 2019 NMI conference, the writer, director, and actor Jessica Blank moderates a discussion with Nicole Starr, vice president for social impact at Participant Media; Marya Bangee, executive director of Harness; and Courtney Cogburn, associate professor at Columbia University School of Social Work. “It's about how you create an ecosystem that can allow for authentic stories to be told,” says Marya Bangee. “Culture change precedes policy change."
Jessica Blank, award-winning writer, director, actor and story consultant explores how storytelling can connect, inspire and motivate people to transform society for the better. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/StorytellingTools Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event.
For those of you who have been with me and the show from the beginning, you may remember Kimi Culp - Episode 2, my first guest back in 2017. If you haven't heard that one yet, you need to go listen, but here are the highlights: Kimi was a journalist of the highest quality, having had long stints working for Oprah, and then Diane Sawyer. She got burnt out on the kinds of stories she was reporting on, had kids.... She then came back into the workforce to tell the story of one of her best friend's husband, former New Orleans Saint football player Steve Gleason, with the amazing documentary: Gleason, about his emotional and inspiring battle with ALS (Kimi does nothing halfway - that film made a record sale to Amazon at Sundance and has made major waves). And, now, she's reinventing herself yet again, with her new podcast, All the Wiser, which launched Wednesday, April 3rd. The purpose of this conversation, originally, was to help get the word out so more people could experience Kimi's podcast. But it's also a conversation about what it takes to launch something, the attention to detail required if you want something to be top-quality, the process of learning about how to do something new only by actually doing it, the power of being intentional... and the constant battle with your own inner-critic when it comes to exposing yourself in a way you've never quite done before. SHOWNOTES: Recap of first interview with Kimi, (1:46). Kimi’s podcast launch, “All The Wiser”, (3:39). Illustration of types of stories on the podcast, (5:10). Inspiring story of Matt Pohlson, CEO of Omaze, (6:35). Pohlson nearly dying at 40, (8:01). Making decisions on who to have on the podcast, (11:30). “For me, it is the story itself, and the ability to tell that story well.”,(12:12). Past experience of work, (13:30). Preconceptions of podcasting versus what she knows it to be now, (14:11). “I had a ton of fear. Now, I have to put myself out there.”, (15:31). Matt’s takeaways with making 10,000 “No”s, (18:09). “I really wanted to do it with storytelling and I knew a story could inspire somebody.”, (19:36). Having faith and hope of putting said stories out there, (20:05). Having a charity component as part of her podcast, (21:00). Raising awareness while listening to stories, (23:38). Differences in formality with interviews, (24:57). “What environment are you going to create that is going to allow for an intimate real conversation.” , (28:24). Learning what she took for granted as a producer, (29:55). Remembering to hit the record button, (30:10). LINKS: All The Wiser Podcast - https://www.facebook.com/AllTheWiserPodcast/ LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimi-culp-7023806 IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7109038/ RELATED PAST EPISODES OF 10,000 “No”s: Kimi Culp Part 1 - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-2-columbine-to-sundance-kimi-culp?rq=kimi%20culp Suzy Batiz - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-84-poopourrisupernatural-ceo-suzy-batiz-how-to-create-a-500-million-empire-amp-make-the-world-believe-your-poop-doesnt-stink Cathy Heller - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-69-dont-keep-your-day-jobs-purpose-finder-cathy-heller Jennifer Todd - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-61-elite-hollywood-producer-jennifer-toddhttps://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-61-elite-hollywood-producer-jennifer-todd Jessica Blank - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-76nbspnbspthe-power-of-story-the-exonerated-creator-amp-story-expert-jessica-blank If you like what you hear, please Subscribe, leave an iTunes review and spread the word. You can also listen to all episodes at www.10000nos.com
In 2002, 'The Exonerated' took Off-Broadway by storm. It was written by Jessica Blank and her husband Erik Jensen and I remember being riveted, as was everyone else, by the real-life transcripts of death-row inmates that were artfully spun into compelling monologues for actors. Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon eventually helped it become a feature film. Here, I sit down with the amazingly multi-talented and articulate Jessica Blank to discuss the power of story and its uses, regardless of what walk of life one pursues. We talk structure, process, compassion, collaboration and more. If you're in the arts, this is essential. If you're not, this is fascinating and much more useful to you than you probably realize. SHOWNOTES: “Everything that I do is in the language of story”, (03:56). “A story is a technology for triggering empathy and just imagine what you can do with that”, (10:27). Talent doesn’t exist, it’s about craft and learning how to work with specific tools, (26:23). As actors, when something feels ‘playable’, it’s because the character has been constructed with ecological and psychological integrity, it’s all about the connection, (28:49). You never know when those other supportive factors are going to want to converge around your work, and they don’t if you don’t take the first step, (43:53). The word “NO” actually means I’ve got something better for you, (58:50). My favorite book is the Outsiders by S.E. Hinton because of her craft, skills, and authenticity, (59:25). LINKS IMDb:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1264624/ https://www.jessicacblank.com/ https://www.jessicacblank.com/ https://www.theactorsgreenroom.com/jessica-blank-5week-film-and-tv/ Twitter:https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jessica-Blank/21222623 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/jessicacblank/ RELATED PAST EPISODES OF 10,000 “No”s: Mark Duplass - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-43mark-duplass-just-shoot-it?rq=MARK%20DUPLASS Lawrence Trilling - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-47-goliath-showrunner-lawrence-trilling?rq=LAWRENCE%20TRILLING Eric Christian Olsen - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-26-ncis-las-eric-christian-olsen-choose-hope-over-fear?rq=ERIC%20CHRISTIAN%20OLSEN Kimi Culp - https://www.10000nos.com/episodes/ep-2-columbine-to-sundance-kimi-culp?rq=KIMI%20CULP If you like what you hear, please Subscribe, leave an iTunes review and spread the word. You can also listen to all episodes at www.10000nos.com
Today we dive into storytelling with a master. Jessica Blank is a playwright, actor and director. But she thinks of herself first as storyteller — that is, a storyteller with a purpose. With her husband and writing partner, Erik Jensen, she wrote the documentary play The Exonerated, which told the true stories of people wrongly convicted on death row. The script came from interviews with former death row inmates telling their own stories. Their other documentary plays include Aftermath and How to Be a Rock Critic, about the legendary Lester Bangs. Jessica has also published three young adult novels, and co-directed a film of her first one, Almost Home. Jessica has deep insight into how telling the right stories can humanize the faceless, abstract victims of decisions that we make almost unconsciously as a society — and shift our perspective in a way that leads to real change. As she says in our discussion, storytelling create avenues to empathize with people who otherwise seem vastly different from us. Follow Jessica here: https://www.jessicacblank.comAnd here: https://www.instagram.com/jessicacblankFollow us on Instagram @TheEvolverPodcast: https://www.instagram.com/theevolverpodcastThe Evolver is sponsored by The Alchemist's Kitchen, a botanical dispensary dedicated to the power of plants, where you can ask an herbalist to recommend the herbal remedy that's most right for you. Visit https://www.thealchemistskitchen.com. For a 20% discount off any online purchase, use the code: podcast20. Theme music is “Measure by Measure,” courtesy of DJ Spooky, aka Paul D. Miller (@djspooky), from his album The Secret Song, and interstitial music are tracks by The Human Experience: "Sunu" from the album Soul Visions with Rising Appalachia, and Here for a Moment on the album Gone Gone Beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hello once again! Welcome back to a brand new episode of She`s An Artist! This week our topic is Creating Social Change With Art and I`m talking to 2 amazing women on this subject. First up Jessica Blank, a multi hyphenate filmmaker, playwright, director, author, actor, and story trainer working at the intersections of storytelling, entertainment and social change. As a filmmaker, playwright, director and actor Jessica has worked Off-Broadway, on network television, and in Hollywood; her groundbreaking, multi-award-winning documentary theater work has helped shape the genre. As an activist and change maker, she works with progressive candidates and nonprofit leaders to help them use the power of empathy and narrative to radically expand their reach. Did I mention shes also a Mom and her writing partner is her husband! For all things Jessica head over to Jessicacblank.com. Women’s Voices Now (WVN), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, uses the medium of film to advocate for global women’s rights. WVN carries out its mission with an annual online film festival, a free streaming archive of international women’s rights based films, educational programs, screening events, and multimedia workshops. Using the medium of film, we foster awareness of women’s rights issues and provide clear channels of action that encourage our viewers to join the global women’s rights movement. With our Fiscal Sponsorship and Mentorship Programs, WVN supports the important work of filmmakers striving to create impactful and timely cinema. WVN has held special consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2017. . Want to enter the festival? Got to Womensvoicesnow.org for more info! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shes-an-artist/support
On Episode 188 of the Mama Bear Dares, Tesi and Leslie sit down with Jessica Blank, a creator, activist, entrepreneur, and mom. As a filmmaker, playwright, director, and actor Jessica has worked Off-Broadway, on network television, and in Hollywood and her groundbreaking, multi-award-winning documentary theater work has helped shape the genre. As an activist and change-maker, she works with progressive candidates and nonprofit leaders to help them use the power of empathy and narrative to radically expand their reach. powerfully uplevel their creativity, and use narrative for social change. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.
Jessica Blank is a multi-hyphenate author, actor, director, playwright, speaker, and coach on a mission to impact our world through the transformative power of storytelling.As an actor, Jessica has appeared regularly in film and television such as CBS' Made in Jersey, HBO's High Maintenance, Blue Bloods, The Mentalist, Law and Order: CI, and many more.With her husband Erik Jensen, she is author of THE EXONERATED, a play based on interviews they conducted with over 40 wrongly convicted death row inmates across the United States. THE EXONERATED became a New York Times number one play and an award-winning TV movie, starring Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover.LIVING JUSTICE, Jessica and Erik's book on the making of THE EXONERATED, was published by Simon and Schuster. Jessica recently published her third novel, LEGACY (with Penguin Random House) and her first feature film based on her book, ALMOST HOME, premieres this fall. Her second feature film is currently in development with Likely Story, and her new documentary play (which has original music by Grammy winner Steve Earle) is set to be a major Off-Broadway production. If that weren't enough to keep her busy, she is also launching several new initiatives as a writing coach and story activist in the upcoming months.Jessica is a resident teacher at NYC's Actors Green Room and a mentor for the Firelight Documentary Lab. She has guest taught at numerous colleges and universities including Brown, Stanford, Vanderbilt, NYU, The New School, Northwestern, and is a frequent speaker and panelist on the arts and social justice.I can't think of a better guest to have on the podcast to talk about the power of storytelling. Today we touch on everything from why talent is a myth, the differences between a generative and editorial brain, how to work across multiple narrative forms, the intersection between creative work and activism, and how words can change the world.Jessica's LinksWebsite: jessicacblank.com/Instagram: instagram.com/jessicacblank/Twitter: twitter.com/jessicacblankWord Weaver LinksWebsite: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcast#WordWeaverPodcast
Playing for Team Human today is playwright, actor, director, writer and teacher Jessica Blank. Jessica shares her insights into the process of building empathy through story. Through works such as her documentary plays the Exonerated and Aftermath, Jessica’s characters stare their audience directly in the eye, reach out to their heart, and open a pathway for transformation. This, Jessica explains, is the magic of being in shared space with people embodying real, human stories.Learn about her creative process, how she finds that opening for empathy, and how we might retrieve those human scale stories that are charged with the empathic power to bring about social change.Douglas opens the show with a monologue asking, "Is the nationalist, xenophobic, inward-turned America we’ve been projecting to the world as of late the real US?"On this episode you heard Fugazi’s “Foreman’s Dog” in the intro, Herkhimer Diamonds “Xmas Underwater” midway through, and our closing music is thanks to Mike Watt.Team Human is listener supported. To subscribe via Patreon or Drip, go to TeamHuman.fm/support . You can also help by reviewing the show on iTunes.Check out Douglas's new regular column on Medium. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Hold on, Creators!! Do we have a special treat for you!?!? This week writer, director, actress, producer, and coach Jessica Blank is with us. We talk to her about what makes a great story, how empathy is the key to connection, and how to know which projects are the ones that need your attention. The two of us were riveted by this conversation and we know that you will be too! Listen and get inspired about what you are making on the planet!!
In Episode 116 of the “High Regard Show,” “Rock Critic,” we talk to Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the creators of the solo play, “How to Be a Rock Critic,” which will run Jan. 5-15 as part of The Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival. It's based on the writings of legendary rock critic Lester Bangs, and Jessica and Erik tell us how they brought the larger-than-life icon to the stage — and what he might think of the show. In “The POTSie,” Tom talks about revisiting some old meds due to some anger issues and how he’s going to rectify his recent malnourishment diagnosis. If you make one resolution this year, it should be to follow our rescue pit bull Kona via @TheKonaPersona on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. She's too cut to miss, that's for damn sure. Jessica Blank & Erik Jensen interview: 18:30:00 “The POTSie” segment: 38:27:00 For more information about “How to be a Rock Critic:” Show page with ticket info: https://publictheater.org/Tickets/Calendar/PlayDetailsCollection/UTR-2018/HOW-TO-BE-A-ROCK-CRITIC/ Under the Radar Festival: https://publictheater.org/Programs--Events/Under-the-Radar-Festival/AboutUTR/?SiteTheme=UnderTheRadar Check back for new “High Regard Show” shows every Monday on SoundCloud and iTunes (please be sure to follow and rate us)! You can also follow us right here on highregardshow.com and on these social media sites: Twitter Facebook Instagram Tumblr Google+ Pinterest You can also find hosts @TomRoarty and @NikkiMMascali on Twitter. Finally, if you would like to have your work, product, band or even your mom promoted on the show, drop us a note at highregardshow@gmail.com
“I don't remember, because I smoke so much weed.” Thanks for checking out another fantastic episode of the Hot Box. For episode 152 we have quite a treat for you. Join us as we talk to Shari Albert and Jessica Blank from Good Medicine TV! If you aren't in the know, you are now. Good … Continue reading "HBP 152: Good Medicine" The post HBP 152: Good Medicine appeared first on HotBox.Earth.
"Ten years after its New York premiere, The Exonerated still has the power to unsettle." - NY Times. Celebrating the ten year anniversary of their ground-breaking and thought-provoking docu-play, its writers, Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, talk about its creation, style, relevance, cast, and the latest production at NYC's Culture Project.
"Ten years after its New York premiere, The Exonerated still has the power to unsettle." - NY Times. Celebrating the ten year anniversary of their ground-breaking and thought-provoking docu-play, its writers, Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, talk about its creation, style, relevance, cast, and the latest production at NYC's Culture Project.
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