Jesse Sharp
Hi...I'm Jesse! I am a classically trained actor, singer, comedian and teacher based in New York City. I've spent most of my career in Los Angeles with several stints in New York over the years for professional stage and comedy work. I've travelled the US and the globe with 5 Musical Tours including playing Gomez Addams in The Addams Family Musical directed by Jerry Zaks. I have also done classical theatre at severel recognizable regional theatres and am the co-founder/co-artistic director of Loose Canon Collective, a classical theatre collective that takes new and unusual looks at Classical Texts. With Loose Canon, my partner Beth Lopes and I created The Hamlet Project, An ongoing series of Hamlet Productions that have played to rave reviews in New York, Chicago and LA for the past 3 years.
I began my career doing commercials and print work in LA and quickly became a ficture in the Improv and Sketch scene in LA. I studied and performed at The Groundlings, IO West, Upright Citizens Brigade, Comedy Sportz and was a founding company member of National Comedy Theatre New York as well as a regular performing standup at The Comedy Store and more.
After years of playing in the comedy scene, I shifted my focus to more serious stage endeavors and started working more with both Shakespeare and Musicals. On screen, I've apeared in several well known television shows, indy films as well as commercials, industrials and voice overs.
My teaching career has ranged from teaching undergraduate acting, voice and speech at UC Irvine to Kids Shakespeare at The Utah Shakespeare Festival, Youth Improv at the NOHO community center and several master classes in Musical Theatre Acting all over the country. I have also worked as a private acting coach, helping my clients with Film/TV, Musical Theatre and Classical auditions, Grad School prep as well as coaching non-actors to be more comfortable and confident in their everday work enviroments.
I hold an MFA in acting form UC Irvine and a BA in Theatre from UCLA. I also studied privately in New York at The Atlantic Theatre Company and with the legendary coach and Actors Studio member, Gene Frankel.
I use a little bit of everything in my teaching that I have gathered in my 20 + years of professional experience and study; a little bit of Meisner, a little bit of Robert Cohen, a little bit of Del Close...whatever works for the actor and for the scene is my personal dogma and I work tirelessly to help you reach your absolute potential as a performer!
With legendary broadway director Jerry Zaks, whom I had the great privallage to work on the Addams Family Muscial.
Coaching Romeo and Juliet at San Marcos High in Gilroy, CA.
Master Class in musical theatre through the Dayton OH Broadway League. Class was focused on acting in musicals and "Monologuing the Song."
Grease - International Tour as
Vince Fonatine.
Backstage with the cast of The Addams Family Musical joined by the original movie Lurch and TV Cousin Itt.
Beth Lopes' production of Shakespeares Cymbeline.
Poster from LOOSE CANON COLLECTIVE'S ongoing national show: The Hamlet Project.
"...Because of all those cold beers, I can’t remember every detail. But I do recall having a pretty good time."
New York Times
Poster from the critically praised Antaeus production of Peace in Our Time for which I shared the
LA WEEKLY THEATRE AWARD for Best Ensemble with my remarkable castmates!
