Jessi Lee Clayton

Playwright Screenwriter Director Dramaturg Academic

I am a working-class, care/prison experienced, lesbian, Texan screen writer currently based in the UK full time. I recently completed a PhD at Birkbeck, University of London in Experimental Writing for Performance with a focus on Ecological Sci-Fi and Queer Women's Experiences in the Rural. I am now interested in getting more representations of queer women on screen & stage - particularly at the intersections of class, race, and experience with addiction and the prison/care systems

As a director and dramaturg I am also interested in delving more into site specific work in order to explore queer relationships with nature as well as how theatre and performance can better engage with the natural environment. My past stage work has prioritised exploring class and gender identity and how that intersects with queer life in regional & rural areas.

I received the maximum Developing Your Creative Practice Grant from Arts Council England in 2023-2024 for my experimental nature performance practices with an application supported by Gate Theatre & Camden People's Theatre. I am currently working on my first TV pilot and have recently worked as a runner/assistant for a Various Artists Limited & Netflix writer's room. I have written, researched, taught, and directed at venues such as Camden People's Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe, The Gate London, Craftory Workshops, Karma Sanctum SOHO, Oxford Playhouse, University College Oxford, Birkbeck, University of London, and RADA Studios.

Credits

DRAMATURG AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, The Human Voice / The Gate Theatre, 4 weeks, 2018.
DIRECTOR, expectations, great / Camden People's Theatre, 2019
DIRECTOR, expectations, great / Craftory Workshop, 2019
DIRECTOR AND DEVISER, But I'm A... / Camden People's Theatre, 2019
DRAMATURGICAL & RESEARCH SUPPORT / Shakespeare's Globe, Education Department 2019-2020
CO-DIRECTOR & CO-WRITER / BUTCH JESSI & TERRY THE KID'S TRAVELLING HONKYTONK FOR COMMUNISTS, COWBOYS, & QUEERS / In development / Supported by Farnham Maltings & Royal Holloway University / 2021-present
DEVELOPING YOUR CREATIVE PRACTICE GRANT / Art's Council England / 2023-2024

Training

I completed my MA in Text and Performance at Birkbeck, University of London and RADA with a distinction in 2018. I won the Oberon Books playwriting award for best Play-text for Performance as a part of my dissertation. I completed my PhD in English, Drama & Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London in 2023. I also hold a BA Cum Laude in English Literature & Language with a minor in Theatre Arts - Acting & Directing from Midwestern State University.

Location

West Berkshire

Experience

5-10 years

Art forms / Disciplines

  • Film - feature
  • Film - short
  • Literature
  • Live art
  • Multi-disciplinary / cross art form
  • New technologies / digital
  • Other
  • Streaming
  • Theatre / Live perfomance
  • TV - drama
  • Visual arts

What I do

  • Creative Access
  • Devising
  • Dialect / Voice Direction
  • Directing
  • Dramaturgy
  • Movement Direction
  • Outdoor performance
  • Performance Art
  • Physical Theatre / Mime
  • Site Responsive/Immersive
  • Street Theatre
  • Teaching / Coaching
  • Theatre making
  • Verbatim theatre
  • Working with Deaf artists
  • Working with disabled artists
  • Workshopping & Development
  • Writing

Additional Languages

ENTRY-LEVEL SPANISH

Social

Directory Updates