Jessica Polsky

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Austin, Texas native Jessica Polsky lacked only the ringlets to be this generation's Shirley Temple. But the straight, sandy blonde hair was no detriment as this feisty toddler found her way on to the stage by the age of 3.

Dance school was the logical choice of the parents of a child who, as soon as she was able to walk and talk, was putting on one-woman shows for anyone she could find, boogeying and singing to the soundtracks of “Grease” and Broadway musicals such as “A Chorus Line”, as well as accompanying her dad on vocals as he strummed the guitar. Jessica was soon pouring all of this energy into her lessons at Dancers' Workshop, Austin's, and one of Texas' and the country's, leading local dance schools under the direction of Dawn Weiss.

As the years passed it was clear that her interest in and talent for performing reflected far more than a childhood extracurricular activity. Her youth became more and more defined by her study of the arts and performing as each year she increased and diversified her studies until she was completely immersed in acting, singing, and dancing instruction, while somehow still remaining at the top of her academic game. Before even entering high school she was already traveling regularly to New York and LA for performing opportunities and studies, and enjoying recognition and awards for her talent and dedication.

After graduating from high school with honors Jessica left Texas with a purse full of scholarships to attend the University of Arizona in Tucson, to follow a degree in Dance and the Arts. This highly prestigious dance department was home to some of the best instruction in the country on a university level for pre-professional training. Halfway through the four-year program Jessica left to study and perform abroad in Florence, Italy. There she studied at the exclusive, intensive language institute, Centro Linguistico Dante Alighieri, performed and trained with a dance company, and traveled and explored Italy and all of Europe.

After these months overseas she returned to Tucson in order to complete her Dance degree, but after the highly positive, rich, and horizon-broadening experience Jessica had just lived out in Italy, suddenly the one degree and one course of study were not enough for her active mind and she decided to add a second degree in Italian to that of her fine arts studies.

With a BFA in Dance and Performing Arts and a BA in Italian, both magna cum laude, under her belt, Jessica moved immediately to New York to follow the only dream she had ever had: Broadway. Her arrival in Manhattan was met with immediate success as she was cast right away in a number of music videos, commercials and began to make the rounds of musical theatre auditions. The persistence paid off and before long Jessica was chosen by the esteemed director/choreographer Alan Johnson to join the cast of the European tour of the original Broadway production of "West Side Story" as “Graziella”. The months on this production took her from Paris to Munich to Zurich and everywhere in between.

Once back in New York she was immediately snatched up and sent back to Europe for the European tour of the Duke Ellington Broadway musical "Sophisticated Ladies", alongside world-reknowned Grammy winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater.

The subsequent return to New York found Jessica assisting and collaborating with many of show business's most well known directors, choreographers and agents and she began to earn a reputation, as well as valuable experience, as not only a stellar performer but a force to be reckoned with on the production side of the industry. This period was spent "on the other side of the table", conducting auditions, assembling casts, choreographing and trying out her wings as the boss. In addition she began to venture further into TV and film and spun out a number of commercials, TV appearances, more music videos and independent films.

Her next stage appearance was a remake and update of the famous Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Pirates of Penzance", done Off-Broadway in NYC and met with rave reviews. Not long after, she was hand picked for the Broadway version of the hit movie "Jeffrey", made into a play and done at Lincoln Center, starring Tony winner Bryan Batt.

After the fantastic success of “Jeffrey”, Europe wanted her back and she left immediately following to join the cast of the European tour of the musical "Grease" where she performed the roles of “Patty”, and often “Marty”, for many months. The stunning success and popularity she attained in this production lead to offers for other Europe-based work, particularly in the Italian market, which began to take great interest in the Italian-fluent, blonde Texan with a head on her shoulders and talent to boot.

Following yet another stellar run of "West Side Story" as "Graziella" at the world-reknowned "Musical Theatre Basel" of Basel, Switzerland, Jessica was courted heavily by the Italian showbiz industry. She answered the call with a semi-permanent trans-Atlantic move and before long was choreographing, casting, directing, starring in commercials, modeling and catching the eyes of film and television producers and directors from all over Italy. Finally combining her two greatest talents and passions: performing, and the language and life in Italy, Jessica's niche was clearly marked.

After a number of television appearances and as the film proposals steadily came in, Jessica was discovered by the director of a new hit sitcom, “Camera Café”, and he immediately created a role for her. She was instantly on prime time national television seven nights a week. ”Camera Café” stars Italy's hottest young, uberfamous comic duo, Luca and Paolo, and overnight became a religiously followed, cult-forming program that attained unheard of popularity and ratings.

This unique sitcom takes place in an office and is filmed by a hidden camera within the office coffee machine. Much like the infamous “water cooler” of American offices, the coffee machine in Italy is witness to all the gossip, espionage, scandal, complaints, plotting, sordid affairs and dishonesty that are part of daily life in a corporate setting. The camera is stationary, as if it were truly “spying”, and the actors interact with it and each other in small sketches on coffee breaks.

The role created for Jessica, whose character the production left named “Jessica”, is the representative from the London office of this particular company and was brought to the Italian office to kick the employees in shape, keep them in line, and manipulate the men of the office with her looks and charm to get whatever she wants. The show’s success can only be compared to that of “Ally McBeal” or “Friends”, with bars, restaurants and groups of friends hosting “Camera Café Nights” and viewing parties.

The country, press and showbiz industry exploded in unanimous adoration for the Texan actress. In fact, the first season on the air Jessica won the Italian Emmy-equivelant from the Italian Television Academy for the Best New Actress of the Television Season for her role as “Jessica” in Camera Cafè. The first foreigner ever to receive this recognition, it was an enormous honor.

Following the 2nd season of Camera Cafè Jessica was presented another fabulous opportunity: to participate in the presentation of the annual, televised concert series “Festivalbar” as the backstage correspondant. She spent the whole summer on tour throughout Italy with the concerts and interviewing international music stars like Sheryl Crow, the Backstreet Boys, Natalie Imbruglia, Simply Red, Jamiroquai, James Blunt, Daniel Powter, Michael Bublè, Craig David, Mario, Mel C (ex Spice Girl), Tears For Fears, and many others. She had her own show “Behind the Scenes at Festivalbar” on a major network (Italia 1) for the entire summer.

Not long after the end of Festivalbar she was contacted to host a prime-time televised special on the world-famous pop sensation Robbie Williams. She was flown to Berlin as a special guest of his to cover his history-making concert there, and then Williams was soon after in Milan where Jessica held an exclusive interview with him. Robbie Williams Live With Jessica! was one of the most important television events of the season.

She now finds herself juggling her work demands with the circus of celebrity life, finding time between filming and traveling to be a guest on talk shows, give her signature lively tv, radio and print interviews, attend publicity events, participate in ad campaigns and events for the various designers and lines she is the endorsement celebrity for, and, of course, sign autographs for and take pictures with the many fans that stop her on the street. The immediate future is full of numerous exciting projects, in all markets of showbusiness, and the best is yet to come!