Jesse Merz

Jesse Merz (born November 15, 1973 in Hood River, Oregon) is an American semi-active, actor, director, producer, writer, and professor. As an actor, he has appeared off-Broadway, in regional theatre, summer stock, feature films, in radio and in 120 cities in 34 states nationwide. He has directed more than 50 theatrical productions, which have included directing Tony winner Daisy Eagan in the new musical Suburban Dreams. He is the artistic director of the Columbia Gorge School of Theatre.
Early life and education
Merz received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he studied at the Atlantic Theater Company and the Meisner Extension. He later received a Master of Arts degree in teaching with a drama endorsement from George Fox University in Oregon. He also received a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from University of California, Davis.
Career
From August 2008 to June 2012, he was an Assistant Professor of Acting at Wayne State University.
He is currently writing a book on the acting technique of Sanford Meisner, entitled "The Meisner Interviews," for which he has already interviewed such Meisner experts as Lauri Peters, Dr. José Angel Santana, James Price, Suzanne Shepherd, Bill Esper of the William Esper Studio, with more interviews soon to follow.
Merz is currently in pre-production on his first feature film with the working title Embraceable Me, which is he writing and producing. He is also producing a new musical, The Gospel According to Tammy Faye, in New York City about Tammy Faye Messner, directed by Mindy Cooper and starring Tony-nominee Sally Mayes.
He is a member of the Actors' Equity Association, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Dramatists Guild, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
He is the former artistic director of Longview Stageworks.
Stage acting credits
Off-Broadway
* "The Phantom of the Opera" (David Spencer Version) Promenade Theatre (1997)
* "Machinal" Atlantic Theater Company (1994)
* "Good Evening" Atlantic Theater Company (1994)
* "The Frog and Peach" Atlantic Theater Company (1994)
* "Two Gentlemen of Verona" Atlantic Theater Company (1993)
Off-Off-Broadway
* "Jonestown" Snapple Theater Center Studio (2009)
* "Wild Dogs" Manhattan Theatre Club Studio (2007)
* "Suburban Dreams" Producers Club Theatre II (1999)
* "Waiting in Oblivion" Intar Theatre (1999)
* "Fitting in on Saturn" Raw Space Theatre (1997)
* "Anton Chekhov's Vaudevilles" Abe Burrows Theatre (1996)
* "SF" Theatre 22 & Todo con Nada (1996-1997)
* "Arcadia" The Present Company (1996)
* "1920s Tribute" Frederick Loewe Theatre (1995)
* "Betrayal" Playwrights Horizons at NYU's Studio Theatre (1993)
National tours
* "Matyred: The Chet Bitterman Story" Wycliffe Theatre Productions 35 City Tour (2000)
* "The Phantom of the Opera" (David Spencer Version) Theatreworks USA 50 City Tour (1997)
* "From the Magic Pen: Aesop's Fables" Young People's Theatre Project 25 City Tour(1995)
* "Going Up" CenterStage USA Touring Company 11 City International Tour (1991)
Regional theatre
* "Measure for Measure" UC Davis Main Theatre (2008)
* "Nights at the Circus" Wyatt Pavilion Theatre (2008)
* "Urinetown" UC Davis Main Theatre (2007)
* "Bye Bye Birdie" Longview Stageworks (2002)
* "The Merry Wives of Windsor" Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (2002)
* "Troilus and Cressida" Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (2001)
* "The Glass Menagerie" Longview Stageworks (2001)
* "See How They Run" Longview Stageworks (1999)
* "Into the Woods" Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (1999)
* "Once on This Island" Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (1998)
* "The Dancers" Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (1998)
* "Six Degrees of Separation" Portland Repertory Theatre (1995)
* "Baby" Lakewood Theatre Company (1994)
* "Grease" Broadway Rose Theatre Company (1991)
* "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Broadway Rose Theatre Company (1991)
* "Leader of the Pack" Sylvia's Dinner Theatre (1991)
* "Godspell" Lakewood Theatre Company (1990)
Stage directing credits
New York City
* "American Homefront" Manhattan Theatre Club Studio (2007)
* "Suburban Dreams" Musical Theatre Works & Producers Club Theatre II (1998-1999)
* "The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton" Producers Club Theatre II & the Sanford Meisner Theatre (1999)
* "Tennis Anyone" Intar Theatre & The Theatre-Studio, Inc. (1999)
* "The Dialogue Between Men & Women" Intar Theatre (1999)
Regional theatre
* "The Best of Intentions" (also co-writer) Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (2005)
* "A Few Days Earlier" (also writer) Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre (2004)
* "Les Misérables School Edition" Longview Stageworks (2003)
* "The Foreigner" Longview Stageworks (2002)
* "Jake's Women" Longview Stageworks (2002)
* "A Christmas Carol" Longview Stageworks (2002)
* "On Golden Pond" Longview Stageworks (2001)
* "Sylvia" Longview Stageworks (2000)
* "The Gin Game" Longview Stageworks (2000)
* many more
Film acting credits
* "The Green Piece" (2008)
* "Peel" (2007)
* "The Legend of the Tree of Life" (2006)
* "Party of the Year" (2005)
* "A Day at the Beach" (1998)
* "Forest of Dreams" (1996)
* "City of Roses" (1996)
* "Running" (1995)
* "Raw MacBeth" (1994)
* "If At First You Don't Succeed" (1994)
* "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" (1993)
* "Count Dracula" (1993)
* "Sonnet LXI" (1993)
* "Another Manhattan Sunset" (1993)
* "My Life's in Turnaround" (1993)
* "Frozen Assets" (1992)
* "My Own Private Idaho" (1991)
* "Deadly Game" (1991)
* "The Clock Ticks: It's a Matter of Time" (1990)
Film producing credits
* Embraceable Me (pre-production)

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