Jessica Dardarian is an actress who trained under Allen Schmeltz, Daniel Bonnet and Robert Amico at Sutter Street Theatre in Folsom, CA (2010-2015), Stagedoor Manor in Loch Sheldrake, NY (Summer 2013), and NoHo London Music Hall in North Hollywood, CA (2016-present).
Jessica Dardarian is an actress who trained under Allen Schmeltz, Daniel Bonnet and Robert Amico at Sutter Street Theatre in Folsom, CA (2010-2015), Stagedoor Manor in Loch Sheldrake, NY (Summer 2013), and NoHo London Music Hall in North Hollywood, CA (2016-present). She also studied dance, voice and combat trained with Chris Tyer (2013).
She has also worked in theatre. Her credits are King Lear, The Vampire Masquerade, Mary Poppins, A Winnie The Pooh Christmas Tale, Starting Here Starting Now, Into the Woods, Annie, Disney’s Jungle Book, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Bugsy Malone and Disney’s Aladdin
She is skilled in American Sign Language, swimming, horseback riding, dialects (British, English, Midwestern, Bostonian, Australian, New Yorker, Brooklyn, Cockney and Southern), and singing (Musical Theater, Opera, Jazz, Classical and Pop).
indieactivity : Please give a concise autobiography of yourself?
Jessica Dardarian: The first time I ever acted was in a first grade school play as the Gingerbread Man. Some of the parents at the school were so impressed that they mentioned to my mom that I should get involved in a local theatre company called Sutter Street Theatre in Folsom, CA. Later on, at the age of thirteen, I was in a productions of “Honk (based upon the “Ugly Duckling” fable) at Runaway Stage Productions in Sacramento, CA.
indieactivity : How did you become an actor?
Jessica Dardarian: One of the main reasons I wanted to become an actress was that I watched a ton of classic Disney films, including, but not limited to the Disney Renaissance, old school MGM musicals; i.e. “The Wizard of Oz,” but the main ones were “Mary Poppins” and “Funny Girl.” I just loved watching Julie Andrews shine on screen as the famous magical nanny and Barbra Streisand killed it as Fanny Brice in the latter. Both of those women influenced me in wanting to take a gander at the acting industry.
indieactivity : What acting technique to you use?
Jessica Dardarian: Right now, I study at Brian Cutler Actors Studio in Burbank, CA to better hone my craft on-camera with cold-reading and commercial technique. The founder, Brian Cutler wants us pupils to cold read thirty minutes every day to improve on memorization, work on our five senses, and not to act, but just be in the moment. The other plus side is that they film your performances with quality equipment and you can have your footage to use for your acting websites and reel.
indieactivity : Describe wrong impressions actors hold about acting?
Jessica Dardarian: Acting is NOT acting, like in theatre, you just want to look like you’re having a normal conversation and not ACT out the scene. For example, if I was filming a scene where I meet a friend at a coffee shop, I would talk normally like all of us people do in our everyday lives. Just be natural and not do it.
indieactivity : Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Jessica Dardarian : I currently take on-camera acting classes at Brian Cutler Actors Studio in Burbank, CA.
indieactivity : What acting books do you read?
Jessica Dardarian : “Acting is Everything, An Actors Guidebook to a Successful Career in Los Angeles” by Judy Kerr
indieactivity : How do you keep fit as an actor: mentally, physically?
Jessica Dardarian : The way I keep fit as an actress is to take some yoga classes to relax my mind and body, plus going for walks as much as I can to keep myself active.
indieactivity : How do you prepare for a role, after you get it?
Jessica Dardarian : I make sure I read the script as many times as I can to better understand the character and who she is, plus look at the character description of what personality trait she carries. As with self-tape auditions, one of my acting coaches definitely recommends that we memorize the material prior to submitting it online to the casting director.
indieactivity : How do you create a character from a script into a person?
Jessica Dardarian : I use my imagination to make the character my own interpretation and not copy someone else, plus look over the script to get a feeling of the plot.
indieactivity : How do you stay fresh on a production set?
Jessica Dardarian : I tend not to stay in character, due to the fact that I’m not a method actor, but the way I do it, I read over my lines as many times as I can when I go for a take or re-take; in between separate cuts, I go over my scene a couple times to myself to get in the moment.
indieactivity : Explain one creative choice you took on set?
Jessica Dardarian : One memorable experience I had with a director was when I did a production of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” playing the Queen of Hearts and if I needed to change something that didn’t seem right to the director, I listened, changed what I was told, and wasn’t corrected again. That’s one of the assets I have, someone tells me something once and I never get told the same thing again.
indieactivity : Describe a memorable character you played?
Jessica Dardarian : Cordelia and the Fool “King Lear” 2016
indieactivity : What do you want most from a director?
Jessica Dardarian : What I want most from a director is to have a good working relationship with them and not to have difficulties working with them. Thus, I just want to remain business partners, not to be friends.
indieactivity : What actor do you long to work with?
Jessica : Meryl Streep
indieactivity : Why her?
Jessica Dardarian : Because she’s one of my favorite actresses and when she’s in her character mode in film, you feel for that particular character. When her character’s in agony, you feel it, like in “Sophie’s Choice.”
indieactivity : What advice would you give actors around the world?
Jessica Dardarian : I have a few advices to give to actors around the world, cold read thirty minutes every day, work on your five senses, be dependable, never stop learning, and stay in the best shape for your type.
indieactivity : Briefly write about your career?
Jessica Dardarian : “Starting Here, Starting Now” Female Soloist; how this show impacted me was how well I could command the whole stage during my big solo number and I thoroughly enjoyed working with the director of the show.
“King Lear” Cordelia and the Fool; the fact that I played two characters in this show was an unbelievably wonderful experience and for someone who has a knack for Shakespeare, it really helped.
“Death of Harlequin” Mime; I really enjoyed playing this role, because I can really act this character out without any line of dialogue, just like a mime would.
“Cut and Run” Gemini; I recently did this film and I enjoyed being on camera for most of the film and just being in a sci-fi/horror/thriller is quite a thrill indeed!
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