Meet Jody Christopherson | Theater and Filmmaker

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

Hi Jody, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?

A piece of conventional advice I enthusiastically disagree with is, “artists should specialize in one thing, because it’s too difficult to brand yourself if you don’t.” When I was beginning the process of writing and performing and producing my own work I was often told “it’s too much for you to do and it’ll look like a vanity project.” To borrow a phrase from my colleague, Kodi Lynn Milburn, “it’s radical to be be vain in a society that’s constantly telling us not to value ourselves.”

Sometimes the only way to break down barriers is to do it yourself. If you enjoy doing multiple things and have a vision, follow it and don’t be afraid to fail. It’s not always easy and often not glamorous, but I’ve learned a lot and expanded my skills so that I have multiple opportunities to work as a writer, performer, director, filmmaker, photographer. There are some fun words that have emerged to brand all that too- “Generative Artist”, “Filmmaker”. And at the end of the day I’m really proud of the work I’ve created. This is also not to say that I don’t need other collaborators, investors, etc, I absolutely do. But it’s exciting to be able to follow a vision in multiple ways without needing to ask permission, to be and learn in multi-faceted ways simultaneously.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have two shows running  this Fall/Winter. A new production, Tussaud/Antoinette, which reimagines the historical fantasy of Madame Marie Tussaud’s relationship with one of her most famous subjects, Marie Antoinette at IRT Theater Oct 1-17th. I’m the Writer/Director and am performing it in rep with another actor, Kodi Lynn Milburn. Kodi is also a talented musician who is creating a score for the piece and a person who is skilled behind the scenes as well. We’re taking turns running eachothers lights and sound. While the other person is on stage performing the role of Madame, the other one of us will be firing off the technical cues, while playing the ghost of Marie Antoinette in the booth. It’s been great to be able to keep the production team compact due to Covid safety. I’m thrilled to open IRT’s season and return to in person presenting with this show. K8 August is designing our lighting and we’ve been working with dramaturg and French language consultant Amelia Parenteau.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I don’t really go out much but after drinking iced tea on my terrace we’d get crepe’s at Le Grainne Cafe, a little French bistro & family business in the oldest building in Chelsea and rotisserie chicken at Malecon in Washington Heights, and on Saturdays head to Flushing for The Queens Night Market for $5 dishes from over 100 different vendors from all over the world.

For theater, we’d head to HERE, IRT, and then ride our bikes over the Williamsburg bridge to The Brick, The City Reliquary and finally make our way to Crown Heights to visit JACK-NY.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
David Anzuelo, Meredith Schade, Clove Galilee and Ruth Maleczech, Matt Bross, Anna Orlova, Kodi Lynn Milburn, Amelia Parenteau, Kate August, The Coldharts (Katie Hartman and Nick Ryan), Alexander Sanger, The New York Society Library, The Studios of Key West, Amy Marin, HERE, The Brick, Westbeth, Vern Thiessen, Queens Theater, Rob Urbinati, Actors Theater of Louisville, Penn South and of course my life partner Michael Niederman and Adele Niederman.

Website: https://jodychristopherson.wixsite.com/jodychristopherson

Instagram: @redheadjody

Other: https://www.pfaphotonyc.com/ https://www.so-fi-festival.com/

Image Credits
photos by; Anna Lekhovitser, Jody Christopherson, Hunter Canning, Michael Niederman, Kacey Anisa and Natalie Deryn Johnson