Jessa Wildemeersch
is an actress, artist and theatre maker, she works in Belgium and The United States and performs in Dutch, English and French. Jessa started her acting career at the age of fourteen, starring in the MTV award-winning music video Cold by the Sea. At the age of eighteen she received the audience award at the Ostend Theatre Festival for her performance in the monologue München.
She studied acting at Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp, Belgium and received her Master’s Degree in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at New School University in New York. In 2005 Wildemeersch was awarded a Lifetime Membership at the renowned Actors Studio in New York. The Actors Studio is her artistic home in The United States where she develops work and is coached by actors like Ellen Burstyn, Lee Grant, Alec Baldwin, Sandra Seacat and director Arthur Penn.
In 2006 she started her non-for profit organization JESSA. This structure allows her to develop, produce and perform plays with a social awareness dimension. Historical and present-day events are remixed into a theatre performance in collaboration with (inter)national artists and venues. Her first performance The Misfit in me was selected for the renowned theatre Festival TAZ in Ostend, Belgium. Other work includes Margaret’s Awakening, for which was awarded a grant by The Flemish Community of Belgium, the play toured Belgium and Canada and was selected for Gulamekhak Festival for woman in Iraq.
Another grant from the Flemish Community allowed JESSA to co-develop the play W.M.D.(just the low points) with the Brooklyn-based theatre company ‘Sponsored By Nobody’. The performance had it’s world première at ‘the Game’s up! Festival in de Vooruit in Ghent after which it toured Belgium and The Netherlands
JESSA also created Long Days. Short Stories for the celebration of Ostend as the Flemish Cultural Capital. In 2013 the Flemish Community of Belgium awarded her a grant to develop S L O W, a research and development project on Shakespeare’s female archetypes. Days Without Dates was created in collaboration with renowned theatre company Het Nieuwstedelijk and is supported by GoneWest (reflections on the Great War), The Flemish Government, The City of Ostend, VGC Brussels. The performance toured Belgium and was selected for the Atlas intersections Festival in Washington , DC (2015).
Jessa is currently touring with ‘L’étude’ a new theatre performance which is well received by critics and audience.
Apart from the artistic work with her own company, Jessa also performed in many theatre productions of the multiple award-winning director Mokhallad Rasem (Iraq). Monde.com premièred at Theatre de Bouffes du Nord in Paris (Peter Brook) and was selected for the International KunstenfestivalDesArts in Brussels. Caligula premièred at The Kleppers Festival in the Bourlaschouwburg in Antwerp and Waiting won third prize at the BE Festival in Birmingham (2014) and toured Belgium, Serbia, Poland, Egypt, India, Spain, Africa and the UK.
Since her first television appearance in the MTV award-winning music video Cold by the Sea, Jessa has worked on numerous television series, (Heterdaad, Recht op recht, Aspe, Witse, Engeltjes, …) shows ( Wie ben ik, De Laatste Show, De Jaren Stillekes,…) and in film (Verlengd Weekend, Beat the Bleu,…). She played the lead in the Belgian television series The Kavijaks, directed by the Oscar-nominated director Stijn Coninx. Jessa co-wrote the script for The Horseman, a short film directed by Julie de Clercq and shot in Ireland in the fall of 2013, the film was selected for the 2014 International Short Film Festival in Belgium.
SELECTED PRODUCTION HISTORY
THEATRE
LOOKING FOR VERSJININ (BE/RU) Belgian tour 2019-2020
A new take on Chekhov's Three Sisters
Concept , text and performance: Jessa Wildemeersch, Sien Eggers, Sofie Palmers
Production: ARSENAAL/LAZARUS
L’ETUDE (BE) Belgian tour 2017-2018
Concept: Jessa Wildemeersch. Performance and text: Jessa Wildemeersch, Sofie Palmers , Sien Eggers
In collaboration with: 30CC, CC Diest, CC Halle, CCStrombeek
With the support of: VGC Brussels, The Province of Louvain, The city of Louvain
WAITING (BE-IQ) / International tour 2014-2017
With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Lore Uytendale, Basim Altayed a.o Curated by: Mokhallad Rasem
Production: Toneelhuis, Moussem and BITEF Théatre Begrade
Third Prize at the BE Festival in Birmingham. Performed in Belgium, The Netherlands, Egypt, Iran, Spain, The UK, India, Africa, France, Germany and Tunis
DAYS WITHOUT DATES (BE/US) Belgian tour 2015+ International première in Washington, DC
Concept and performance: Jessa Wildemeersch
In collaboration with: Het Nieuwstedelijk
With the support of: The Flemisch Community in Belgium, Gone West, The City of Ostend, VGC Brussels
LITTLE EVA (BE) / extended tour in Belgium and The Netherlands 2016
Selected for TAZ summer festival and Louvain Jazz /
Written by: Louis Paul Boon. Performed by: Jessa Wildemeersch. Music compositon and performance: Tuur Florizoone. Production: JESSA
DJINNY (BE) / Belgian tour November 2013 - 2016
Multi media puppet performance
With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Lore Uytendaele. Directed by: Mokhallad Rasem Production: The Moon,
SOME USE FOR YOUR BROKEN CLAY POTS (BE) / June 2013 WTP #6
Work-in Progress
Created by: Christophe Meierhans. With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Christophe Meierhans, Jorre Vandenbusche
Production: Workspace Brussels
MY PARADISE (BE/ IQ) / October 2012
Directed by: Mokhallad Rasem
With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Lore Uytendaele, Basim Altayeb, Hussein Ali, Abuthar Abbas
Production: Mont Arts Centre, Antwerp
LAVINIA (BE) / April 5th-8th, 2012
A stage adaptation of Eugene O’Neills Oresteia trilogy ‘Mourning Becomes Electra’
Directed by: Jessa Wildemeersch. Performed by: De Figuranten. Written by: Hein Mortier.
SPOORZOEKEN (BE) / February 18th -19th, 2012
Performance and readings in honor of Belgian writer Kamiel Vanhole (1954-2008).
Presented by artists: Josse De Pauw, Benno, Barnard, Sien Eggers, Charles Ducall, Didi De Paris and Jessa Wildemeersch. Live Music by: Seraphine Stragier and Tim Vandenbergh Production: JESSA
Supported by: The city of Louvain, Kulturama Festival, the Library of the University of Louvain.
CALIGULA (BE) – February 2nd, 2012 premiére
Theatre Performance based on Albert Camus masterpiece Caligula.
Directed by: Mokhallad Rasem Performed by: Jessa Wildemeersch, Hussein Ali, Lore Uytendaele, Basim Altayeb, Abuthar. Produced by: Monty Arts Center and Toneelhuis, Antwerp
MONDE.COM (BE/NL) – May 2011 KunstenFestivaldesArts
Directed by: Mokhallad Rasem. With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Duraïd Abbas, Lore Uytendaele, Ahmed Khaled, Sara Eisha. Production: KunstenFestivaldesArts, TAZ, Monty Arts Centre
KID-NAP (BE) Work-in-progress 2011
Created by: Ahmed Khaled. With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Nele Verecken, Hussein Ali
Production: Workspace Brussels and Monty Arts Centre
MARGARET’S AWAKENING (BE/CA) North-American tour 2010
Written by: Kamiel Vanhole. Performed by: Jessa Wildemeersch. Production: JESSA
Supported by: The Martin E. Segal Theatre, New York, The Actors Studio New York
LONG DAYS. SHORT STORIES (BE) 2010
Testimonies of a summer night. Created by: Jessa Wildemeersch, Mokhallad Rasem and Roeland Luyten
Production : JESSA Supported by: The City of Ostend, The City of Louvain.
W.M.D (just the low points) (BE/USA) Belgium première and tour 2009
Created by: Sponsored by Nobody. Directed by: Kevin Doyle. With: Jessa Wildemeersch, Sean O’Hagan, Hanna Louise Poston, Scott Miller, Sara Stephens, Josh Edelman. Production: SBN, JESSA. Supported by: Vooruit Arts Centre, Beursschouwburg, Monty Arts Centre, De Balie Amsterdam.
FIN D’SAISON (BE) / August 31st, 2008
A summer festival in and around the beach cabins in Ostend. Created by: Jessa Wildemeersch. Music composed by: Sam Serruys (Les ballets C de la B)
LES NUITS AU CIRQUE (FR) / International tour March 5-9, 2008
Invited by Scéne nationale , le havre for short run of ‘Nights at the Circus’ on their main square. Directed By: Jo Roets . Produced By: Laika, Antwerp / t’Arsenaal, Mechelen / Le volcan, le Havre
ROADMOVIE (BE) / National tour February 14- May 5, 2008
A theatre piece with life music and film, based on the article ‘How to dissapear in America without a trace’.
Directed By : Adriaan Van Aken . Produced By: Braakland Zhe/Building, Louvain
NIGHTS AT THE CIRCUS (BE) / National tour Dec 28 - March 2, 2008
Jessa Wildemeersch in a lead role. Performance adapted from novel by Angela Carter. Opened at the Theatre Festival ‘Wintervuur’ in Antwerp.
W.M.D (just the low points) (USA)/ June 6-10, 2007
Recipient of the 2007 Performance development Award from the National Endowment for the Arts and Chasama, a New York non-profit organization dedicated to the support of emerging artists.
TRUST (NL) The Netherlands / Special performance April 26, 2007
Invited at Amserdam Theatre Festival. Produced By: Flemish House De Brakke Grond in Amsterdam
TRUST (BE) Belgium / National tour February 15 – March 26, 2007
Jessa Wildemeersch played lead role in Theatre play adapted from Hal Hartley’s movie TRUST. Live Music by: Rudi Trouvé and Mauro Pawlovski. Produced by: Braakland Zhe/Building
DE MISFIT IN ME (BE) / National tour August-November 2006
Spoken word performance with life music. Selected for the 7th annual Belgian Theatre festival ‘TAZ’ Written, directed and performed by: Jessa Wildemeersch. Live Music and composition by: Tuur Florizoone (accordion), Martijn Vanbuel ( upright base), Jo Zanders (percussion) Produced by: JESSA
THE SEAGULL (BE) / National tour 2005 February-April 2005
Jessa Wildemeersch played Nina in Anton Tsjechov’s ‘The Seagull’. Presented by: Het Zesde Bedrijf Coached By: Jan Decleir. Produced By: The Monty Arts Center, Antwerp
2/ FILM
THE DRUNKEN HORSEMAN Ireland 2013
Short film. Jessa co-wrote this story and plays the leading role in this short film shot in Ireland.
Directed by: Julie De Clercq
DE KAVIJAKS Belgium 2007
Series in 5 episodes. Lead role in this mini series about a family trying to make ends meet in Belgium during WWII. Directed By: Stijn Coninx. D&D productions
STARS AND BARS America 2006
Short Guest role. Directed By Leslie Leone . 48 Hour film Project New York
VERLEND WEEKEND Belgium 2005
Feature. Guest role. Directed By: Hans Herbots. A Private View Production
BEAT THE BLEU America 2003
Short.Guest role. Directed by: John Fucile. SmackDabMedia.
* Global Vision Award, Boston
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING America 2001
Feature. Guset role. Directed by: David Diskin. Monsterland Films
ZERO America 2001
Short. Lead. Directed By: John Fucile .SmachDabMedia
CONTAGION America 2001
Short. Lead. Directed By: Gabriela Saurel. New York Film Academy
SPOKEN KISS America 2000
Short. Lead. Directed By: Sean Condon. Mullarky Movies
FADE OUT Belgium 2000
Short. Lead. Directed by: Melanie Daems. Cine Light Film Production
3/ TELEVISION
GENT WEST - 2017
Season 2. Directed by: Jeroen Dumolein, Bart Vandael Produced by: Marmalade
FAMILIE - 2016
Daily. Directed by: Jeroen Dumolein
k'Oko - 2015
commercial. directed by: Ingrid Coppé
DANNI LOWINSKI – 2013
Season 1. Directed by: Gijs Polspoel. Produced by: Sultan Sushi
ASPE - 2012
Season 9. Directed by: Kurt Vervaeren. Produced by: Skyline Entertainment
ZONE STAD - 2011
Saison 6. Directed by: Produced By: Studio Amusement
DE JAREN STILLEKES - 2010
Episode: Sketches with Steven Van Herreweghe
POETRY MEETS MUSIC - 2009
Canvas and Klara
Jessa interprets the 5 nominated poems for radio and television, together with composer Tuur Florizoone.
DE KAVIJAKS
Series in 5 episodes. Lead role in this mini series about a family trying to make ends meet in Belgium during WWII. Directed By: Stijn Coninx. D&D productions
EVEN HER SHOPPING LISTS ARE POETRY - TMF / JIM Belgian National Television 2006
Lead in Music Video. Performed By: MINT. Produced by: Green LFAnt Records
WITSE - VRT Belgian National Television 2005
Popular detective series à la Morse.
Special guest. Directed By: Melinda Van Berloo
ASPE – VTM Belgian Commercial Television 2004
Series based on the thriller novels by Pieter Aspe
Guest appearance. Directed By: Jan Mathys . Skyline Productions
DE LAATSTE SHOW - VRT 2004
Late Night Talk Show. Comic Sketches. Produced by: Woestijnvis
PSYCHOTIC HOTLINE – MNN 2004
Hosting for Manhattan based television channel. Directed By: Stanley Noyes Lowe
RECHT OP RECHT - VRT 2000
Detective series
Guest appearance. Directed By: Melinda Van Berloo
ANGELS- VT4 2000
Hospital series.
Guest appearance. Directed By: Frank Van Mechelen. Skyline Productions
HETERDAAD - VRT 1996
Police Series
Guest appearance. Directed by: Mark de Geest.
ONS GELUK - VTM 1995
Prestigious drama series. About life in Belgium in the ’50.
Guest appearance. Directed By: Frank Van Mechelen. D&D Productions
COLD BY THE SEA - MTV 1994
Leading role in Music Video Performed By: Betty Goes Green. Produced By: Mike Rathke
*nominated for MTV Grand Prix Awards
EDUCATION
2005: Welcomed to Lifetime Membership at The Actors Studio in New York
2003: MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at New School University, New York
2000: BA in Acting from the Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp, Belgium
2000-2003: Alvin Aley American Dance Theatre (Tap dance, Jazz Dance, Balroom Dancing)
AWARDS
2019: Granted with a writing residency for the creation 'Paradise Blues' at Isola Comacina in Italy.
2018: Granted with a writing residency in Russia for the creation of 'Looking for Versjinin'.
2016: Best Actress , 24 hour film/Antwerp
2015: 3rd prize for WAITING at the BE Festival in Birmingham
2014: Short film ‘The Horseman’ is selected for the International Short Film Festival in Louvain, Belgium
2014: Received Grant from Flemish community to produce ‘Days without dates’
2013: received Grant from the Flemish Community to develop S L O W ( a research and development project on Shakespeare’s female archetypes)
2008: received International Grant from the Flemish Community in Belgium to co-develop work-in-progress W.M.D (just the low points).
2006: received Grant from the Flemish Community in Belgium as an individual Artist to develop the solo performance ‘Margaret’s Awakening’.