Biography
Jessica Lea Risco is an LA-based actress who hails from the lake country in northern Minnesota. With a B.A. in Theatre from Gustavus Adolphus College, she has had the opportunity to work in New York City, Dublin, Honolulu, Minneapolis, and Tucson. Jessica made her San Francisco debut in Savage in Limbo at the Actors Theatre of San Francisco. Since then, Jessica has worked with Berkeley Rep, The San Francisco Playhouse, Just Theatre, Shotgun Players, Custom Made Theatre and the Playwright's Foundation. Jessica originated the role of Dorothy in The Speakeasy, performing over 100 times and receiving a nomination for Best Feature Actress on Broadway World. Jessica moved in Los Angeles in 2019 and had completed two feature films and played the role of Maggie in The Shadow Box in Hollywood.
Jessica has started to venture into film acting, and her film debut, This Little Light, premiered a the Another Hole in the Head festival at the Roxie Theatre in November 2013. She has been working on several other film projects, including the short film, Rory, with Scary Cow productions and several commercial spots, including the SF International Jewish Film Festival trailer .
Favorite credits include Hooded or Being Black for Dummies (Debra), Good. Better. Best. Bested (Simone), Angels in America (Harper Pitt), Fool for Love (May), Heartbreak House (Ellie Dunn), and Balm in Gilead (Bonnie).
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Film
86 Melrose Ave Fiona Byblos Productions/Lili Matta
A Meal to Die For Sheila E'xpressions College
Rory Mother Scary Cow Productions/Patrick Fitzsimmons
The Confrontation Mother E'xpressions College/Kevin Willing
This Little Light Woman Missing Piece Productions/Jeff Cohelman
Theatre (partial list)
The Shadow Box Maggie McCadden Place Theatre/William Goldyn
Kiss Arabic Translator Shotgun Players/Evren Odckin
Good.Better.Best.Bested. Simone Just Theatre/Lauren English
Hooded or Being Black for Dummies Debra Custom Made Theatre/Lisa Marie Rollins
Insignificance The Actress Dragon Theatre/Laura Jane Bailey
Re:Orient Festival Ensemble Golden Thread Theatre/Susannah Martin, Erin Gilley
An Octoroon Dora (u/s) Berkeley Rep/Eric Ting
The Speakeasy Dorothy Boxcar Theatre/Nick Olivero, Michael French, Erin Gilley
Boeing Boeing Gloria Ross Valley Players/Christian Haines
The Nether Morris (u/s performed) San Francisco Playhouse/Bill English
The Birthday Party Lulu Off-Broadway West/Richard Harder
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Mae O'Neill FoundatioSFn/George Maguire
The Iceman Cometh Cora O'Neill Foundation/Eric Frashier-Hayes
T A Delicate Balance Julia Actors Theatre of SF/ Keith Phillips
Lost Love Barb Mojo Theatre/ Peter Papadopoulos
Death of a Salesman The Woman Actors theatre of SF/ Keith Phillips
Savage in Limbo Linda Actors Theatre of SF/ Carole Robinson
A Fool for Love May Beowulf Alley Theatre/ Mike Schaultzbach
Angels in America Harper Pitt Studio Connections/ Bill Fikaris
Blind Date Young Woman Borderlands Theatre Company/ Barclay Goldsmith
Languages
French
Moroccan Arabic
Skills
Improvisation
Folk Singing
Ashtanga Yoga
Accents: Standard British, Brooklyn, Minnesotan
Training
Master Class Seydways Studios Richard Seyd
Acting for the Camera Nancy Hayes George Maguire
Advanced Acting Studio A.C.T. Andrew Hurteau
Stanislavski Technique Bennett Lab Phillip Bennett
Irish Theatre/Acting Intensive Gaiety School of Acting Patrick Sutton
Modern Dance Lines Ballet Mary Carbonara
Bachelors of Arts- Theatre Gustavus Adolphus College Dr. Amy Seham, Robert Gardner, Rick Snyder