Jenna Jaxon Shares Her Life In Theatre

My Life in the Theatre by Jenna Jaxon

Long before I began writing romance novels, I had a whole other career in another romantic form of creativity—the world of theatre. My love of the stage began in 3rd grade when I created a puppet show based on a children’s story I had written (my first effort at prose fiction was called Miss Priss Finds a Kitten). In fourth grade, I did an adapted script for another children’s book called The Littlest Witch, and in a high school English class I gave a very bad presentation of Edward Albee’s The Sandbox (which I certainly did NOT understand at the time).

Outside class projects, however, I fell in love with theatre in Mr. Zaruba’s Driver’s Ed class when he described the plays he was directing for the high school. I volunteered to be the follow-spot operator, and a career was born. I ran lights throughout my high school years and was convinced I would go to college to study technical theatre [to] become a techie. (I did have one role on stage, Juror Five in 12 Angry Men—adapted as 12 Angry Jurors—in which I had fun, but not as much fun as off stage.)

When I got to college, however, I discovered early on that a career in lighting was simply too technical for me. I stage managed (ran the show and called the light and sound cues) and enjoyed that very much, but when I volunteered to be the assistant director for a friend’s boyfriend, I was completely hooked on directing. The first plays I directed were two one-acts—written again by me and a friend—and the day of the first show there was a blizzard and only six people showed up in the audience.

From there I went on to direct other shows I enjoyed—The Chalk Garden, No Exit, Annie Get Your Gun (my first paid directing job for a local high school). I ended up going back to school and getting a Master of Fine Arts in Directing and I have been directing something ever since. After getting a Ph.D. in Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism, I accepted a job at a small college in Virginia and have been happily teaching theatre and directing ever since. I’ve directed Shakespeare—Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream—and lots of modern plays, such as Crimes of the Heart, A Streetcar Named Desire, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Dearly Departed, How I Learned to Drive, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and a dozen more.

Now I juggle theatre with writing and I will say, they are two full-time jobs. But I wouldn’t trade either world for the other, or my life in the theatre.

About Jenna Jaxon

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise—so expect her to incorporate these elements into her work! She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets where she is currently working on the next House of Pleasure book, Only A Mistress Will Do, as well as a Regency series.

When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage when she writes. Jenna equates her writing to an addiction to chocolate—once she starts she just can’t stop!

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Title: Only A Mistress Will Do by Jenna Jaxon
Published: 4/4/2017
Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis

The man of her dreams . . . belongs to another woman.

Destitute and without friends, Violet Carlton is forced to seek employment at the House of Pleasure in London. She steels herself for her first customer and is shocked when the man rescues her instead of ravishing her. A grateful Violet cannot help but admire the handsome Viscount Trevor. But she must curb her desire for the dashing nobleman she can never have because he is already betrothed to another…

Tristan had gone to the House of Pleasure for a last bit of fun before he became a faithful married man. But when he recognizes the woman in his bed, he becomes determined to save her instead. Now, his heart wars with his head as he falls for the vulnerable courtesan. Unable to break his betrothal without a scandal, Tris resolves to find Violet proper employment or a husband of her own. Still, his arms ache for Violet, urging him to abandon propriety and sacrifice everything to be with the woman he loves…

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