Hello! Thank you for visiting my website!
My name is Jeff (though sometimes I go by JT). I am a queer Multidisciplinary Artist, Arts Educator, and Administrator based in Chicago. I do a bit of everything from writing plays and novels, to working as an arts educator, to even performing and working in arts administration.
Across all my diverse and varied work I have two primary goals: Inspiration and Inclusivity. In my teaching I aim to inspire a new generation of creative thinkers and artists, and in my writing I hope to make audiences think critically about the world around them so they may be inspired to create change. So much of Chicago, and America at large, is incredibly divided and segmented. Individual viewpoints isolated to separated groups. Through all my work, I always focus on ensuring that all voices can be heard, regardless of gender, race, sexuality, or ability. In all spaces, I work to ensure that all voices are given equal respect, and as a writer I work to include narratives that shed a light on those whose voices are not often heard.
I firmly believe that all people are natural born story tellers, and through my work I hope to inspire others so that the next generation is far more creatively minded and inclusive than today.
Headshot by Collin Quinn Rice
Who am I?
Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, storytelling has long been core to who I am and what I do. As a child I was introduced to music through playing piano and cello. I found a love for the power of storytelling and creation. With every piece I played I began imagining vibrant and exciting stories, where every instrument in the orchestra is a character. Eventually, I was inspired to join theatre where I was able to bring those stories in my mind to life on stage.
I recently refined my craft with a BA in Theatre and Performance from UIC where I learned all there is to know about theatre. While at UIC, I learned everything from Acting to Directing to Technical Theatre. By the time I finished my degree, I discovered a love for arts education and playwrighting. Since graduating, I have written two full-length plays, IRIS and Fishing at the End, and am currently working on an untitled play, and science fiction novel. Additionally, I have worked all over the city as a teaching artist, creating classrooms where all voices get an equal opportunity to be inspired to create just as I was so many years ago.
