Jessica Cerullo

Jessica Cerullo is a theater artist and educator whose research and creative scholarship investigate the Michael Chekhov Technique and somatic practices as catalysts for relational repair and community engagement. As a leading voice in the field, she serves as the Head of Teacher Training for MICHA and Michael Chekhov Europe, facilitating international research in psychophysical acting and physical dramaturgy. In New London County, Connecticut, she directs Connect to Create, an initiative that utilizes arts-based practices to foster deep connections to nature and to one another.

Rooted in classical and contemporary ensemble practices, Jessica’s performance career spans regional theater and original play development, including a tenure as a company member of the Stanislavsky Theater Studio. She is an active member of the Body Mind Centering, Contemplative Dance, and Six Viewpoints communities and is a featured actor in the MICHA Masterclasses in the Michael Chekhov Technique series, a definitive archival resource for the methodology. Her award-winning solo play, Miracle Tomato, was a hallmark of her performance-as-research model, touring professional theaters and farming communities to explore the intersection of art and agriculture.

Jessica’s scholarship frequently takes the form of devised performances and "living archives" created in collaboration with diverse partners, including environmental advocates and immigrant rights coalitions. She is the editor of the expanded edition of Michael Chekhov’s Lessons for Teachers and the author of Some Stranger Somewhere, which documents her community-engaged performance projects. Formerly an Associate Professor at Whitman College, she is currently affiliated faculty at Emerson College. Jessica holds an MFA in Contemporary Performance from Naropa University and a BA from Hofstra University; she is also a graduate of the National Theater Institute (USA/Moscow) and is currently pursuing certification in Body-Mind Centering®.