Jessa Wildemeersch (1978) is an actress, writer and theatre practitioner. She holds a Master Degree in Theatre from Studio Herman Teirlinck, Antwerp and an MFA in Acting from ASDS at NSU, New York. In 2005 she was awarded ‘Lifetime Membership’ at The Actors Studio in New York. She is not only working in theatre, but in film and television as well, both in Belgium and abroad. In 2006 Wildemeersch founded Les Yeux Bleus. This not-for profit organization, stimulates intercultural dialogue, community development and artistic innovation through theatre performances. The company allows Jessa Wildemeersch to develop her artistic work in collaboration and co-production with local and global artists, communities and venues. les yeux bleus remixes historical and present-day events into multi-media theatre performances.
Wildemeersch is actively working in the contemporary European and International Performing Arts field. She is developing her own voice against the backdrop of theatre traditions which have dominated western culture.
Wildemeersch is convinced that great storytelling is part of everyday life. Through audio-recording, interviews and field recordings, she captures everyday stories and places them in relation to the larger, universal myths. Wildemeersch enriches her work by juxtaposing documentary material with fiction and is constantly challenging her point of view through collaboration with artists from different practices and disciplines.
By re-examining the female perspective in the work of classical authors (like Shakespeare, Chekhov and Becket.) and by re-thinking how woman are represented on stage, Wildemeersch breaks with an ‘engrained’ identification of female representation on stage and chooses to highlight a female perspective in what is traditionally being perceived to be a mostly male field.
Work includes:
I am my street ( 2021-2023) is a new play in collaboration with Iraqi artist Mokhallad Rasem.
Wildemeersch and Rasem bring the streets from their childhood together in a playful and radical way. Wildemeersch received a writing grant from Flanders Literature. I am my street is performed both on location and in the theatre. The work is produced by Toneelhuis, Antwerp.
Paradise Blues (2019-2020) is a multi-media meditation on the afterlife. For the creation, Wildemeersch received a 2019 writing residency at Isola Commacina in Italy. The play received a grant from Flanders Literature to be translated in English (2020). Produced by Het Nieuwstedelijk.
The Boar is watching us (2018-2019) is a new play in development. What if Chekhov’s Three Sisters wake up today? What if they went to Moscow?) for which Wildemeersch received a 2018 writing residency at SPAR (St. Petersburg Arts Residency) in Russia. Produced by ARSENAAL/LAZARUS.
L’étude (when chaos strikes) (2015-2017) The Flemish Community supported Wildemeersch with a development grant (to research Shakespeare’s female archetypes and examine their relevance in a present-day context.) The research turned into a performance and toured Belgium extensively. Produced by Les Yeux Bleus
Days Without Dates (2014-2021) was researched and developed in The United States and Belgium, funded by Gone-West (Organization who supports artistic reflection on The Great War) and co-produced by Het nieuwstedelijk (BE). The performance toured Belgium and was selected for the Atlas Intersections Festival in Washington, DC, The United States. The play was selected by Maison Antoine Vitez (Paris) and translated into French. Des jours sans dates toured France (2021) as part of a reading festival for contemporary plays (focus on the Lowlands). Co-produced by Les Yeux Bleus and Het Nieuwstedelijk.
Waiting (2013-2018) is co-created in collaboration with Iraqi artist Mokhallad Rasem. ‘Waiting’ won 3rd prize at BE-Festival in Burmingham, was presented at The Barbican in London and toured Europe, Africa (Ubumuntu Arts Festival, Rwanda) and Asia. Co-produced by Toneelhuis and Moussem
For W.M.D (just the low points) (2008-2009) Wildemeersch was awarded an International grant (from the Flemish Community in Belgium) to create this work in collaboration with Brooklyn based theatre company ‘SBN’. The performance was developed and performed in The Puffin Room (NY) Chasama (NY) ,The Richard Forman Incubator Series (NY) Monty Arts Centre (Antwerp) De Balie (Amsterdam). The performance was selected for the 15th annual Ice Factory Festival in Soho, (NY) and premièred at the International ‘Game is Up!’ Festival in Ghent, Belgium.
Margaret’s Awakening (2008) was developed and performed at The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center in New York, toured North-America and Belgium and was selected for the Gulamekhak International Festival for Woman in Kurdistan, Iraq.
Wildemeersch’s theatre plays are published by De Nieuwe Toneelbibliotheek.nl,
Her work has been mentioned in Variety, Elle, De Standaard, De Morgen, Humo, Flanders International,… Wildemeersch’s work has been supported by The Flemisch Community in Belgium, The Flemisch Community in Brussels, The City of Ostend, The City of Louvain, Gone West, The Belgian Embassy, Goethe Institute,… Wildemeersch has been selected by Kunstenpunt as one of the four Brussels artists to participate in the IETM (International Theatre Meeting) plenary meeting in South Korea. This international network stimulates artist to develop and broaden their international connections and stimulates cross-cultural exchange. In 2022 Wildemeersch received a writing residency at the Academia Belgica in Rome to develop new work. http://www.jessa.be