BEYOND THE CURTAINS

JESSICA R.

SELF-ADVOCATE & TRIPLE THREAT

Hi everyone, my name is Jessica, and I'm thrilled to share a bit about my journey with DramaWay Productions.

I've been part of DramaWay since I was 14 years old and it's been an amazing experience. DramaWay is about so much more to me than a place to learn about acting and performing. It’s also helped me build confidence, find my unique voice, and meet a lot of incredible friends along the way. DramaWay isn't just a group of people I’m in a class with, they're like my second family.

Thanks to DramaWay, I've become super confident on stage, in front of the camera, and with public speaking. I played lots of fun roles in the DramaWay Annual Showcases, including the Wicked Witch in the Adventures From the Yellow Brick Road and Darth Vader in Galaxy Trek of The Star Guardians to name a few. Outside of DramaWay, I have also been featured in several documentaries and TV shows over the years. Whether I'm dancing, singing, or modeling, DramaWay has helped me shine in every kind of performance. Beyond the stage, DramaWay has opened a lot of doors for me in the community. When I was in the Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) program at Humber College, I had the opportunity to be co-founder and co-president of the Best Buddies Club. I am working at the Centennial Infant and Child Centre and my original greeting cards are now for sale at Kid Icarus in Kensington Market.

I am really proud to have been part of a lot of amazing events in the last few years. In 2023, I had the privilege of hosting a World Down Syndrome Day event with 250 attendees at my high school, Heydon Park Secondary School. This was a really incredible day! I also co-hosted events for the "Love Means" campaign at Guelph Humber and Humber North campus, and I’ve participated in several Black History Month events. And as the first Canadian Global Ambassador for Best Buddies International, I'm so proud to advocate for inclusion and acceptance in a big way.

A lot of my hard work and advocacy has been noticed and recognized by news outlets, ministers, and politicians. I’ve even gotten standing ovations after being announced by politicians like MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and Minister Lecce in Toronto! I’ve had articles about me in publications like Humber Today and I was featured on Sunnybrook hospital’s social media (you can check me out there). And recently, I got a lot of great feedback for my involvement in planning my high school's upcoming 100th-anniversary celebration.

DramaWay has given me the skills I need to be a confident advocate and successful public speaker and helped me achieve these really cool things. I now fearlessly take the stage, whether it's in front of a camera or a live audience. I feel like DramaWay has helped me grow into the amazing young woman I am today, filled with confidence, passion, and a love for life (and a love for performing)! I'm forever grateful to Danielle and the incredible helpers at DramaWay for their positive influence on my life. Thank you for believing in me and helping me become the best version of myself!

Please support DramaWay and the programs they create to help participants like me do so many amazing things Beyond the Curtain.