A powerhouse presence with zero fear, NYC/NJ-based actor Jessa Blackthorne is equally at home breaking hearts as she is breaking rules. With a BFA in Musical Theatre from Rockford University, Jessa's favorite roles are those that let her commit without apology, whether it's to nonsensical comedy, vintage glamour, or deep emotional drama. Her onstage ability to command a room has been described as 'fearsome to behold,' a trait that also serves her well when behind the scenes as director.

When Jessa was 3 years old, she went to see the Rockefeller Center Rockettes for the first time. Her mother later told her that she’d never seen Jessa as still and enamored as she was watching that show, and when she got home she recreated the entire thing in the middle of the living room. This was the start of her lifelong love of performing.

Jessa and the stage have always been a perfect match. Jessa’s first professional production was The Wizard of Oz at DeBaun Auditorium in Hoboken, NJ, where she played a Munchkin and a Flying Monkey. She later went on to major in Musical Theatre at High Tech High School, a prestigious school known for its highly praised and award-winning Musical Theatre program. She continued studying Musical Theatre in college, eventually earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Rockford University in Rockford, IL.