Meet Jane Sibbett | actress/writer/director/producer/prayer dancer/Founder of Noon Miracle Creative platform

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jane Sibbett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jane, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I’m a multi-hyphenate. From my work as an actress/writer/director/producer/prayer dancer to the new founder of the Noon Miracle Platform, the synthesis of all creative arts with the rainbow of healing arts recognizes the muse and the aether come from the same Source Energy.

Now, from our humble beginnings creating a new creative platform, even a two weeks old, we shelter the ephemeral sparks of communal unity. Here we kindle the often unexplainable embers of inspiration, excite or soothe our need for connection, and through our new New Miracle (noonmiracle.com) invite us all to the bonfire of storytelling.

Actors and architects, musicians and teachers, writers, and textile artists — all are invited to play and collaborate. We are international, working in the borderless realms of the storytellers on the Noon Miracle platform. My role in Friends helped shape the narrative that raising a child in a kind and extended family is essential to a healthy and expansive society. Playing Carol on Friends, without preaching, taught that love is love is love, as one of two first lesbian characters to marry on TV. Television and streaming platforms continue to play our stories of love and acceptance with a whole lot of laughter in streams and reruns. It’s Friends-o’clock somewhere.

In this fragmented society, we need artists across all mediums to lead the way and help change the world. The politicians may wish to play kings and paupers, but it is the narrative of every art form that they are so desperate to own. We are shaped by story. Yet, one can’t keep fire in a cage. One can’t train an ocean wave to be pulled by tides any more than it can teach it to roll against the moon. We, as co-creators in our creative universe, have opportunities every day to collaborate and recreate a new world together. Can we trust that our way to play better is the healing that the world needs? Creating stories of diversity, hope, equity, faith, truth, and inclusion–all representative of our society, we hold hope to the light, we see ourselves in the most beautiful reflection, and we gather courage for our voices to rise and support one another in a fair, just, and equitable society.

To be continued with your help.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After I was launched from UCLA, I was blessed by the unseen forces that sorted me into what I still call the repertory theatre of television. Screen tests and successful auditions for guest starring roles were one thing. I was lucky to get them, but landing a dual character (bitch by day/slut by night, “Jane/Roxanne”) on a new soap opera, “Santa Barbara,” was the most elegant crash course in learning lines, character, cameras and lighting, set dynamics and at a wicked fast pace.

A year and a half later, I was released from my contract, and within a week, I was rehearsing for a fantastic pilot with Jon Cryer under the helm of the brilliant writer/director, Hugh Wilson. Again, with no prior experience or even a natural knack for comedy, I was surrounded by a supremely talented cast, crew, and direction by Hugh, Richie Dubin, and our team, who taught me so much. While the show only lasted 22 episodes, it was a critical darling and high profile enough that soon after, I was cast in another comedy, “Herman’s Head,” on a brand new network–Fox Television. Nearly 70 episodes later, a new marriage, two pregnancies, and one birth, more opportunities came my way with the offer to play “Carol,” Ross’s first wife, on the iconic Friends within hours of coming home from delivering my second child. Another blessed offer!

I can roll out more creds, but the most wonderful throughline was that while I worked hard from the beginning, I had only set out to see what would come of a little dream to lose my shy self in the world that entertained me so dearly. I crossed my fingers and knew if it was meant to be, it would be. And somehow, it felt like I was a piece on a checkerboard, moved from one incredible experience to the next. On all but two sets, I was surrounded by supreme talent who lifted me up. And even those two sets working with two divas taught me so much about how to NOT behave. (No one likes a diva.) I have always been blessed by thoughtful, talented, and kind agents and, for a time, a wildly bold manager who became part of my family. He, like my first mentor, absolutely dreamed a bigger life for me than even I could imagine. I give gratitude to every person who has cheered me on and helped me play with the silly putty of this life.

From UCLA’s Acting Continuum and throughout my career, I learned that I didn’t get here alone. I came here with every member of my family and my friend groups cheering me on. I learned from every writer, especially my screenwriter wasband, that every dot is purposeful. I learned to read scripts like music. From life, I learned that every shaft of light could be translated to illuminate the theme of my story or the bigger one. And that if I had tragedy or trauma (and I did), I could find the stage wings, crawl in the dark, or learn to pivot or save the emotions for another time. It takes a crew to “put on a show,” whether it is a technical, creative, or angelic crew, I am never alone.

Also, when I pivoted into producing and directing, again, unseen forces moved me around to learn and grow. While it may seem I could shape the narrative even more, it was simply a facet of the whole jewel that we co-created together.

And then, the most significant pivot of my life–when I was producing a live event in Berkeley, CA, Abdy, a spiritual conduit, touched me on my first eye, and I went into an instant state of bliss. I was laid on the floor, where I lost all ability to think, speak, or understand anything. I only had an awareness that all was well. Here, after an hour or so, I had the gentlest awareness that my hands were dancing. This was later dubbed by the man who’d touched my forehead as the gift of the Dancing Hands.

For ten years, this gift of the Dancing Hands (and now, all parts of my being) has helped others connect with their gifts and come to a place of tremendous healing. Tumors or pain have disappeared, addictions have dissolved, careers have flourished, broken bones have fused, and people have fallen in love with others or their lives. There are myriad testimonials of how this gift has helped people of all faiths (believers and non-believers), animals, or even situations. Using all the tools in my purposeful, often funny toolbox taught as a young actress, every person and every piece is essential to the puzzle. Every situation is a metaphor. We all can access our stories and revise for the highest and best good for one and all, as we go.

I remain, humble and grateful. I still love my creative life as an actress, writer, director, producer, and now, also a dancer of prayers and all that is, but I know the story of our best life is still in the evolution of our life’s creative alchemy–the shaping and the play of our silly putty of life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite spots in the city have shifted since the LA Fires. Love to all for the ongoing healing. We may have to hopscotch routes now.

If I couldn’t get seated at Marmalade in Malibu for a Cross Creek breakfast, I would get scones and mocha to-go and drive a little north up PCH to Zuma for the church of the surf and meditate with the dolphins and surfers on dawn patrol. And if the conditions weren’t ideal, I would simply breathe in the peace of the Pacific Ocean and send its healing out to every community that is touched or inspired by this vast ocean.

If Topanga Canyon Blvd. from PCH is still closed, I’d drive through beautiful Malibu Canyon, swing by Calabasas Saddlery to inhale leather and my more than 50-year horsie dreams before driving over to Topanga Canyon Blvd and into my home canyon of Topanga. Of course, I’d have to head into the State Park to have a glorious hike with friends and send prayers to our old Trust Ranch across the way. After, we’d head south, stop at my favorite shop for more than twenty years–Topanga Home Grown to see “the other Jane,” Topanga Homegrown’s owner, and ask her about the latest gorgeous journals, clothes for my growing grandchildren and kids, and a homegrown gift or ten for my friends. If we weren’t too hungry, we’d dive into Hidden Treasures for second-hand clothing and costumes, but then we’d have to come right back to Waterlily Cafe for the most delicious sandwiches and Big Train Chai tea lattes.

Years ago, just as we moved from Hancock Park to Topanga, a man was driving slowly through “town,” and he yelled out the window, “What IS this place?” We laughed but we knew what he meant because he was so enchanted by the time-out-of-time feel of our magical home canyon. I still have to roll down my windows all the way to breathe in the delicious air as we wend through the curves of fragrant sage and oak. There is nothing like Topanga.

I could spend all day hiking or chatting with friends at any cafe or on any trail, journaling, or just watching the hawks lazily circle above, but if I could end up at the Inn of the Seventh Ray, eating their delicious thoughtfully prepared food under canopies of twinkling lights and the sound of genuinely happy people, I would explain to my friends and any table within earshot for the 100th time, “This is why the definition of Topanga is ‘where heaven meets earth.'”

The perfect after-dinner nightcap would be an alcohol and drug-free out-of-body experience at InnerSense, Inc.’s Reality Management Center for Expanded States, (on the Santa Monica Promenade, 1428 2nd St. #400, 90401) to work with a dear friend of 35 years, Don Estes, neuroscientist, and vibrational therapist to go for “a ride” into some of the deepest work I’ve done outside the Dancing Hands. This is more than Disneyland for your consciousness. This is where one doesn’t just trip, but one connects for altered states’ awareness (again, drugless), and spectacular expansion. (InnerSense-Inc.com) It’s hard to explain, but Don is doing something anyone wishing to safely access the deepest realms of our collective would be profoundly encouraged to try.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate my Shoutout to my Continuum. In 1983/1984, I was selected by Professor Jennifer Penny Rountree to be a part of the UCLA Acting Continuum. It was the first of its kind, but Jenny essentially plucked 15 students from the undergraduate program for three quarters of Master level work with Jenny as our instructor.

After we’d all graduated, in 1985, Jenny assembled nearly all the women of the Acting Continuum for tea at her home where she said, “You are a force to be reckoned with. Keep working together and see what you women can create.” So, for a year, we ‘worked out,” continuing with our Method exercises in my ancient garage, and then, began writing our own play. With Jenny’s encouragement and the focused talent of our women’s Continuum, we wrote, mounted, and acted in our award-winning play for a good, long run in LA.

Jenny gave us wings, tea, and a push. And somehow, because of her love for our creative alchemy, we six students and the magical seventh in our mentor, Jenny, have had 40 years of the deepest friendship and support that still infuses us all with thriving, creative careers and a great love for tea and our Continuum. Shoutout to the gatherers of women who share the magic of art through our best collaborative hearts is far more precious and long-lasting to the soul than any shiny award.

Website: jane@janesibbett.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janesibbett/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jane-sibbett

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparklingcirclejanesibbett

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetRealCollaboration

Other: Bluesky: @janesibbett.bsky.social

Image Credits
Eric Snyder, (photographer of dancing at the beach, orange sunset pictures only.)