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Jessica Blank (born in New Haven, Connecticut), is an American actress, writer, and director who works in film, television, and theater.^[1] She is also a consultant and public speaker on story and social change.

Life and career

Blank grew up in New Haven and Washington, D.C., and attended Macalester College^[2] and the University of Minnesota.^[3] In 2001, she married the actor, writer and director Erik Jensen.^[4] They frequently collaborate professionally, primarily as writing partners for theater, film and television.

As an actress, Blank appeared regularly in CBS' "Made in Jersey". She has also appeared on "Blue Bloods", "Elementary", "The Following", "The Mentalist", HBO’s "High Maintenance", "Bored to Death", "Rescue Me", "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", "The Bronx Is Burning",^[5] and several other shows. In film, she has appeared in The Namesake, Slender Man, The Exonerated, and You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You, and over a dozen indies including "Creative Control" (Grand Jury Prize, SXSW 2015) and "On the Road With Judas" (Sundance). She has acted in theaters throughout New York City.

Blank and Jensen co-wrote The Exonerated,^[6] a play based on interviews they conducted with more than 40 exonerated death row inmates.

In spring 2002, they co-directed The Exonerated at The Actors' Gang Theater.^[7] That production was nominated for five Ovation Awards and three NAACP Awards, won the Ovation for Best World Premiere Play, and has toured universities nationally. The New York production of The Exonerated ran for more than 600 performances off-Broadway, toured nationally, and won the Outer Critics Circle, Lortel, and Drama Desk awards, as well as awards from Amnesty International The American Bar Association National Council of Criminal Defense Lawyers and more. .^[8] It was adapted as a movie for Court TV starring Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Delroy Lindo, Aidan Quinn, and Susan Sarandon.^[9]

The play has been produced internationally in Dublin,^[10] Edinburgh,^[11] and London, in the United Kingdom;^[12] and in Japan, Mexico, France, China, Thailand, Iran, and Italy. It has been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, and Japanese. Blank and Jensen's book Living Justice (2005), a memoir about the making of "The Exonerated", was published by Simon and Schuster.^[13]

Blank and Jensen also co-wrote the documentary play Aftermath, based on interviews they conducted in 2008 with Iraqi civilian refugees in Jordan. Blank directed Aftermath off-Broadway at New York Theater Workshop; it was nominated for two Drama League awards and toured internationally for two years. They have a new documentary play under commission at The Public Theater with original music by Grammy-winning songwriter Steve Earle.

Their play, "How To Be A Rock Critic" (based on the writings of Lester Bangs), received a commission from Center Theatre Group and was produced at the Kirk Douglas Theater, South Coast Repertory, ArtsEmerson, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Off Broadway at The Public Theater, with Jensen starring and Blank directing. Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). "Almost Home" was optioned for feature film and adapted by Blank and Jensen. They co-directed that film.^[14]

Her second novel, "Karma For Beginners," was published by Hyperion in 2009. Her third novel "Legacy" was published by Penguin in 2018.

Her writing has also been published in magazines and journals including The Believer,^[15] The Dramatist, Another Magazine, and Theatre History Studies.

Blank also writes for television with Erik Jensen. In 2015 she wrote a pilot for "The Negotiator" for Gaumont TV. In 2015 she played the role of Heather Drake in the 16th episode of the 5th season of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods on the episode "In The Box".

Jessica is also a coach for professional writers <ref> [www.jessicacblank.com/one-on-one] and a consultant and frequent speaker on story, neuroscience and social change.

References

^ Jessica Blank at IMDb
^ Macalester Today
^ 'The Exonerated' : critically acclaimed play by U alum examines the death penalty: UMNnews: U of M
^ Erik Jensen at IMDb
^ The Bronx Is Burning at IMDb
^ Brantley, Ben (2002-10-11). "THEATER REVIEW; Someone Else Committed Their Crimes". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-12-28. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
^ exonerated Archived 2012-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
^ Culture Project
^ monterey media: The Exonerated - DVD - Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon
^ The Exonerated at Liberty Hall Theatre - 2006 (archive) Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin
^ Gardner, Lyn (2005-08-11). "The Exonerated". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
^ The British Theatre Guide: The Exonerated in London Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
^ Simon & Schuster: Living Justice: Love, Freedom, and the Making of The Exonerated (Trade Paperback)
^ Hannah Marks, "Most Home Movie", Deadline, 11 November 2016
^ The Believer - Contributors: Jessica Blank

External links

[1] Jessica Blank at IMDb

[2] Macalester Today

[3] 'The Exonerated' : critically acclaimed play by U alum examines the death penalty: UMNnews: U of M

[4] Erik Jensen at IMDb

[5] The Bronx Is Burning at IMDb

[6] Brantley, Ben (2002-10-11). "THEATER REVIEW; Someone Else Committed Their Crimes". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-12-28. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)

[7] xonerated Archived 2012-01-12 at the Wayback Machine

[8] Culture Project

[9] terey media: The Exonerated - DVD - Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon

[10] The Exonerated at Liberty Hall Theatre - 2006 (archive) Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin

[11] Gardner, Lyn (2005-08-11). "The Exonerated". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-06.

[12] The British Theatre Guide: The Exonerated in London Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine

[13] Simon & Schuster: Living Justice: Love, Freedom, and the Making of The Exonerated (Trade Paperback)

[14] Hannah Marks, "Most Home Movie", Deadline, 11 November 2016

[15] The Believer - Contributors: Jessica Blank

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-'''Jessica Blank''' (born in 1975 in [[New Haven, Connecticut]]), is an American [[actress]], [[writer]], and [[Theatre director|director]] who works in film, television, and theater.<ref>{{IMDb name|1264624}}</ref>
+'''Jessica Blank''' (born in [[New Haven, Connecticut]]), is an American [[actress]], [[writer]], and [[director]] who works in film, television, and theater.<ref>{{IMDb name|1264624}}</ref> She is also a consultant and [[public speaker]] on story and social change.
 ==Life and career==
-Blank grew up in New Haven and [[Washington, D.C.]], and attended [[Macalester College]]<ref>[http://www.macalester.edu/mactoday/2006winter/theateralums_blank.html Macalester Today<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and the [[University of Minnesota]].<ref>[http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/The_Exonerated_critically_acclaimed_play_by_U_alum_comes_to_Minneapolis-407aebe47809e.html 'The Exonerated' : critically acclaimed play by U alum examines the death penalty: UMNnews: U of M<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2001, she married the actor and playwright [[Erik Jensen (actor)|Erik Jensen]].<ref>{{IMDb name|0421421|Erik Jensen}}</ref> They frequently collaborate professionally, primarily as writing partners for theater, film and television.
+Blank grew up in New Haven and [[Washington, D.C.]], and attended [[Macalester College]]<ref>[http://www.macalester.edu/mactoday/2006winter/theateralums_blank.html Macalester Today<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and the [[University of Minnesota]].<ref>[http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/The_Exonerated_critically_acclaimed_play_by_U_alum_comes_to_Minneapolis-407aebe47809e.html 'The Exonerated' : critically acclaimed play by U alum examines the death penalty: UMNnews: U of M<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2001, she married the actor, writer and director [[Erik Jensen (actor)|Erik Jensen]].<ref>{{IMDb name|0421421|Erik Jensen}}</ref> They frequently collaborate professionally, primarily as writing partners for theater, film and television.
-As an actress, Blank appeared regularly in CBS' "[[Made in Jersey]]". She has also appeared on "[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|Blue Bloods]]", "[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]", "[[The Following]]", "[[The Mentalist]]", HBO’s "[[High Maintenance]]", "[[Bored to Death]]", "[[Rescue Me (U.S. TV series)|Rescue Me]]", "[[Law and Order: Criminal Intent]]", "[[The Bronx Is Burning]]",<ref>{{IMDb title|0790477|The Bronx Is Burning}}</ref> and several more. In film, she has appeared in  ''[[The Namesake]]'', ''[[The Exonerated]]'', and ''[[You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You]]'', (prod. Spike Lee)  and over a dozen indies including "[[Creative Control]]" (Grand Jury Prize, SXSW 2015) and "[[On the Road With Judas]]" (Sundance).  She has acted in theaters throughout New York City.
+As an actress, Blank appeared regularly in CBS' "[[Made in Jersey]]". She has also appeared on "[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|Blue Bloods]]", "[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]", "[[The Following]]", "[[The Mentalist]]", HBO’s "[[High Maintenance]]", "[[Bored to Death]]", "[[Rescue Me (U.S. TV series)|Rescue Me]]", "[[Law and Order: Criminal Intent]]", "[[The Bronx Is Burning]]",<ref>{{IMDb title|0790477|The Bronx Is Burning}}</ref> and several other shows. In film, she has appeared in  ''[[The Namesake]]'',
+''[[Slender Man]]'', ''[[The Exonerated]]'', and ''[[You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You]]'',  and over a dozen indies including "[[Creative Control]]" (Grand Jury Prize, SXSW 2015) and "[[On the Road With Judas]]" (Sundance).  She has acted in theaters throughout New York City.
 Blank and Jensen co-wrote ''[[The Exonerated (play)|The Exonerated]]'',<ref>{{cite news| url=http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9906E4DC173AF932A25753C1A9649C8B63 | work=[[The New York Times]]|subscription=yes|title=THEATER REVIEW; Someone Else Committed Their Crimes|access-date=2015-12-28|date=2002-10-11|first1=Ben|last1=Brantley}}</ref> a play based on interviews they conducted with more than 40 exonerated [[death row]] inmates.
-In spring 2002, they co-directed ''The Exonerated'' at The Actors' Gang Theater.<ref>[http://www.theactorsgang.com/archives/exonerated.htm exonerated<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112022340/http://theactorsgang.com/archives/exonerated.htm |date=2012-01-12 }}</ref> That production was nominated for five Ovation Awards and three [[NAACP]] Awards, won the Ovation for Best World Premiere Play, and has toured universities nationally. [[Bob Balaban]]'s production of ''The Exonerated'' ran for more than 600 performances off-Broadway; and toured nationally.<ref>[http://www.cultureproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=2&id=2 Culture Project<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It was adapted as a movie for [[Court TV]] starring [[Brian Dennehy]], [[Danny Glover]], [[Delroy Lindo]], [[Aidan Quinn]], and [[Susan Sarandon]].<ref>[http://www.montereymedia.com/independent/exonerated.htmll monterey media: The Exonerated - DVD - Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
+In spring 2002, they co-directed ''The Exonerated'' at The Actors' Gang Theater.<ref>[http://www.theactorsgang.com/archives/exonerated.htm exonerated<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112022340/http://theactorsgang.com/archives/exonerated.htm |date=2012-01-12 }}</ref> That production was nominated for five Ovation Awards and three [[NAACP]] Awards, won the Ovation for Best World Premiere Play, and has toured universities nationally. The New York production of ''The Exonerated'' ran for more than 600 performances off-Broadway, toured nationally, and won the Outer Critics Circle, Lortel, and Drama Desk awards, as well as awards from [[Amnesty International]] [[The American Bar Association]] [[National Council of Criminal Defense Lawyers]] and more. .<ref>[http://www.cultureproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=2&id=2 Culture Project<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It was adapted as a movie for [[Court TV]] starring [[Brian Dennehy]], [[Danny Glover]], [[Delroy Lindo]], [[Aidan Quinn]], and [[Susan Sarandon]].<ref>[http://www.montereymedia.com/independent/exonerated.htmll monterey media: The Exonerated - DVD - Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
-The play has been produced internationally in Dublin,<ref>[http://www.dublintheatrefestival.com/festival_programme/2006/The_Exonerated/184.htm The Exonerated at Liberty Hall Theatre - 2006 (archive) Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Edinburgh,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,11712,1546534,00.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=The Exonerated | first=Lyn | last=Gardner | date=2005-08-11 | accessdate=2010-05-06}}</ref> and London, in the United Kingdom;<ref>[http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/exoneratedriverside.htm The British Theatre Guide: The Exonerated in London<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207062804/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/exoneratedriverside.htm |date=2012-02-07 }}</ref> and in Japan, Mexico, and Italy.
+The play has been produced internationally in Dublin,<ref>[http://www.dublintheatrefestival.com/festival_programme/2006/The_Exonerated/184.htm The Exonerated at Liberty Hall Theatre - 2006 (archive) Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Edinburgh,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,11712,1546534,00.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=The Exonerated | first=Lyn | last=Gardner | date=2005-08-11 | accessdate=2010-05-06}}</ref> and London, in the United Kingdom;<ref>[http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/exoneratedriverside.htm The British Theatre Guide: The Exonerated in London<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207062804/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/exoneratedriverside.htm |date=2012-02-07 }}</ref> and in Japan, Mexico, France, China, Thailand, Iran, and Italy. It has been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, and Japanese. Blank and Jensen's book ''Living Justice'' (2005), a memoir about the making of "The Exonerated",  was published by [[Simon and Schuster]].<ref>[http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?pid=515885 Simon & Schuster: Living Justice: Love, Freedom, and the Making of The Exonerated (Trade Paperback)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
+Blank and Jensen also co-wrote the documentary play ''Aftermath'', based on interviews they conducted in 2008 with Iraqi civilian refugees in Jordan. Blank directed ''Aftermath'' off-Broadway at New York Theater Workshop; it was nominated for two Drama League awards and toured internationally for two years. They have a new documentary play under commission at [[The Public Theater]] with original music by Grammy-winning songwriter [[Steve Earle]].
-''The Exonerated'' has been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. Blank and Jensen wrote ''Living Justice'' (2005), a memoir about the making of "The Exonerated", which was published by [[Simon and Schuster]].<ref>[http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?pid=515885 Simon & Schuster: Living Justice: Love, Freedom, and the Making of The Exonerated (Trade Paperback)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
+Their play, "[[How To Be A Rock Critic]]"  (based on the writings of [[Lester Bangs]]), received a commission from [[Center Theatre Group]] and was produced at the [[Kirk Douglas Theater]], [[South Coast Repertory]], [[ArtsEmerson]], [[Steppenwolf Theatre Company]], and Off Broadway at [[The Public Theater]], with Jensen starring and Blank directing. <ref> [https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/lester-bangs-and-the-soul-of-rock-criticism]
-Blank and Jensen also co-wrote the documentary play ''Aftermath'', based on interviews they conducted in 2008 with Iraqi civilian refugees in Jordan. Blank directed ''Aftermath'' off-Broadway at New York Theater Workshop in 2009; it was nominated for two Drama League awards and toured internationally for two years.
-Their new play, "[[How To Be A Rock Critic]]"  (based on the writings of [[Lester Bangs]]), was workshopped at the Public Theater and the La Jolla Playhouse. In 2015 it had a sold-out run at the Kirk Douglas Theater and South Coast Rep, with Jensen starring and Blank directing.
 They are at work on a new documentary play, under commission from the [[Public Theater]], in collaboration with the Grammy-Award winning musician [[Steve Earle]].
-"Liberty City," a play co-written by Blank and April Yvette Thompson, was produced Off-Broadway by New York Theater Workshop in 2008 (with Blank directing). It has toured to Miami and elsewhere. It was nominated for Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards, and won Chicago's Jeff award in 2015.
+"Liberty City," a play co-written by Blank and April Yvette Thompson, was produced Off-Broadway by New York Theater Workshop in 2008, with Blank directing. It has toured to Miami and elsewhere. It was nominated for Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards, and won Chicago's Jeff award in 2015.
+In 2017, Blank and Jensen adapted and directed the film "Almost Home" based on her novel [[Almost_Home_(novel)]].
 ==Novels==
@@ Line 31: / Line 32: @@
 |isbn=1-4231-0642-3
 |pages=256 pages
-}}</ref>  "Almost Home" was optioned for a feature film and adapted by Blank and Jensen. They co-directed that film, which was in post-production as of December 2016.<ref>[http://deadline.com/2016/11/hannah-marks-most-home-movie-1201852676/ Hannah Marks, "Most Home Movie"], ''Deadline'', 11 November 2016</ref>
+}}</ref>  "Almost Home" was optioned for feature film and adapted by Blank and Jensen. They co-directed that film.<ref>[http://deadline.com/2016/11/hannah-marks-most-home-movie-1201852676/ Hannah Marks, "Most Home Movie"], ''Deadline'', 11 November 2016</ref>
-Her second novel, "Karma For Beginners," was published by Hyperion in 2009. It is being developed for adaptation as a feature film, with screenplay again by Blank and Jensen. Her third novel was to be published by Penguin in 2018.
+Her second novel, "Karma For Beginners," was published by Hyperion in 2009. Her third novel "Legacy" was published by Penguin in 2018.
 Her writing has also been published in magazines and journals including ''[[The Believer (magazine)|The Believer]]'',<ref>[http://www.believermag.com/contributors/?read=blank,+jessica The Believer - Contributors: Jessica Blank<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ''The Dramatist'', ''Another Magazine'', and ''Theatre History Studies''.
 Blank also writes for television with Erik Jensen. In 2015 she wrote a pilot for "The Negotiator" for [[Gaumont International Television|Gaumont]] TV.  In 2015 she played the role of Heather Drake in the 16th episode of the 5th season of the [[CBS]] police procedural drama ''[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|Blue Bloods]]'' on the episode "[[Blue Bloods (season 5)#ep105|In The Box]]".
+Jessica is also a coach for professional writers <ref> [www.jessicacblank.com/one-on-one] and a consultant and frequent speaker on story, neuroscience and social change.
 ==References==

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	United States