Jade Patteri is a great example of multidisciplinary talent. Among her many accolades, she was honored as the 2019 Artist of the year at the National Youth Arts Awards. She is a multiple award-winning actress for her portrayals of Annie Sullivan in ” The Miracle Network,” Diana Steed in the world premiere of “The Human Comedy,’ and received nominations for her portrayals of Mrs. Banks in “Mary Poppins”, Mrs. Darling in “Peter Pan” and Jennie Mae in “The Diviners”. As a singer-songwriter, two of her original songs “Imperfectly Perfect” and “Drift” have won Best New Song at the NYA Awards two years in a row. We had the pleasure to catch up to discuss her new EP titled “Unity” and her forthcoming film “The Prom”.
Hi Jade, thank you for granting the interview. Congratulations on your career to date. Please share with our readers how you got into the arts.
Thank you for taking an interest in my career, I truly appreciate it. I’ve been working in the entertainment industry since I was a kid. My parents were and are my inspiration. I could not be more thankful to have their support and guidance as I pursue my career in the arts. Since the age of five, I’d either be backstage at my dad’s shows or taking dance classes from my mom. Their passion paved the way for this apple next to the tree to take root. Being an artist is who I am, it is the air I breathe and the canvas for which I can be an influence.
If my lyrics or storytelling can touch but one person…then it will have been a worthwhile creative journey.
You were the recipient of the 2019 Broadway Artists Alliance/ JRAYS (John Raitt) Award as one of three High School students chosen in Southern California to go to New York City to perform off-Broadway. Please share your experience of this opportunity and the impact it’s had on your career?
Yes! The JRAY awards gave me the most amazing opportunity! Not only did I receive scholarship money for my role as Marian in “The Music Man” but I was able to travel to New York and participate in intensive training with Broadway’s top stars, choreographers, casting directors, directors, and more. The classes were so exceptional and I learned so, so much. My father told me that luck is the intersection of opportunity and preparation; little did I know that when I took a masterclass and learned the original Broadway choreography from “The Prom” taught by one of the original Broadway cast members, that a month later when I returned to Los Angeles I would be auditioning for the Netflix original movie based on the musical “The Prom.” One month later I was cast and had the opportunity to work alongside Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, and more amazing A-list actors! So to sum it up yes, the JRAY awards have not only given me the confidence to pursue my craft but also have opened up doors for me that lead to jobs of a lifetime!
You are a multi-award-winning actress but which acting accolade are you most proud of and why?
This is tough and I am afraid I am going to have to say there were two that were very special for different reasons. First, Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. This role pushed me as a young actress and a young woman to find strength in my convictions and to learn how to really listen without using words. Life takes place between the words and we so often miss it. That is why we have so much hurt because words are too often the by-product of a broken or misguided heart. If only we learned, like the Annie Sullivan’s of the world, we would hear the beauty in places that we never knew existed.
And secondly, my performance as Marian the librarian in “The Music Man” I would say was the most rewarding and special role I had the pleasure of playing. Not only did I win the BAA actress of the year award for the John Raitt awards, but I also had the opportunity to play this role alongside some of my closest friends and eventually win an award that would bring me to perform in a showcase Off-Broadway. Playing this role was something that I was and still am very proud of, and the result of my performance as well!
What have been your most enjoyable experiences working in film and television so far?
On set of “The Prom!” Not only was the entirety of the cast and crew such a delight to work with but I also had the pleasure of meeting some of my closest friends to this day on the set. Working alongside coworkers is one thing but working alongside family is another. Furthermore, to be directed and choreographed by Ryan Murphy and Casey Nicholaw and to watch some of the greatest artists of our time create at my age was a humbling and life-changing experience. Every moment of rehearsal and filming was pure joy!
Is there any particular person in the industry you’d like to work with and if so why?
I would absolutely love to collaborate with Alessia Cara or Demi Lovato. Both of these artists have done an amazing job of not only inspiring this generation but future generations who will continue to listen to their music years from now. The example of authenticity to themselves, without compromise to the industry’s temptations and expectations, is what moves me to be true to my lyrics and to myself. It is so easy to ask myself, “what is popular now?” or “What would get me the most likes?” I pray I never fall into that trap, but rather “what story do I need to tell?” or “Who can I help to heal or feel something that might challenge their pain, bias, or status quo?”
We can look forward to seeing you in the film ‘ The Prom’ this winter. Please tell us more about the movie and what we can expect
The movie is all about unity in diversity. It’s about a troupe of hilariously self-obsessed theater stars who swarm into a small conservative Indiana town in support of a high school girl who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom. My character in The Prom was very interesting. I’m not sure how much I can give away about the film and what you’ll be seeing on screen from my character…but I will say that you won’t miss me! If you’ve seen the episode of Friends where Ross gets a spray tan… yep I will be his twin from head to toe! As far as what I did in the film, I was one of the principal dancers so you’ll be seeing a lot of live numbers throughout the movie that are very hip-hop heavy, which I was thrilled about as it is by far my favorite style!
You’re currently promoting your new EP “Unity” Please tell us the backstory for the album?
So all of the songs on the EP are based on real-life struggles that I had either been through or had witnessed. The EP includes 5 singles that are all based on a specific cause or subject matter that were important for me to voice. My first song “Invisible” came from a place of growth in one of my relationships and it really impacted the writing and subject matter of the tracks that came after. It was the most personal and vulnerable I’ve been and, as a young artist, hearing how the lyrics had inspired and impacted so many people, it made me strive to create more music that resonated just as deeply. Given the chaos and unrest in our society today there is an emotional toll that needs more harmony and light, and so from beginning with a more personal voice to collaborating on a larger scale that reflects everyone’s voice felt like a complete journey for the EP.
Tell us more about the making of music videos?
This song and the general concept of the video is about bringing people together despite their differences in Unity. The video features rapper Paul Toweh with Marcus Mitchell (Step it Up) and Kayla Radomski (So You Think You Can Dance) dancing with choreography by Fresh Redding and assistant specialty choreographer Outrage. This video is a response to the cultural, racial, and political divides that propagate the injustice in our current society. I won’t give too much more away other than the fact that we go back and forth between the dark conflict of our divides through a very emotional dance, to the influential innocence and light of a child’s eyes. Every age and race moves us through our story of Unity! Filming it was beyond humbling. The cast and crew were so talented and such a joy to work with and as many echoed, it was the best shoot that they had worked on. When people come together to create and spread an emotional mission like this, choosing unity in love, especially during a time like this, is so much bigger than us…it binds us together with faith and hope.
You’re a multidisciplined artist, busy on several fronts, so how has the COVID pandemic impacted on your activities this year, particularly producing the EP?
If anything it’s actually been much easier for me to work on my music. Being still is a good thing for an artist as solitude is most often where the muse awakens. I have seven new singles that will be released by the end of this year; both collaborations and my own original music. Because I am a singer, actress, and dancer, my schedule is usually pretty busy. However, with less acting and dancing opportunities due to COVID, I’ve had more time to dig deeper into my writing, producing, and finalizing my music. Furthermore, I’ve made a visual for two of my tracks on my new EP throughout quarantine.
If you had to choose between music and acting, which would be your preference and why?
Musactance! I am adding this word to the Webster dictionary! “An artist who is passionate about all three disciplines, acting, dancing, and music, and cannot separate themselves from one.” It’s like asking a Mother or Father, which one of the triplets do you love more? I am grateful for them all and each one compliments the other in my creativity of one. It’s as if the discipline of the one out front is the canvas and the other two complementary disciplines are the paintbrush and the hand that moves the paint.
What other projects should we look forward to seeing you involved in?
Other than “The Prom” and my new music videos releasing soon, there will be a great deal more original music that I have already produced and am in the process of finishing as well as many more visuals. I am also currently working on a charitable project associated with my song and video, Unity. When the video is released we will be launching a website that will be focused on testimonial stories and resources addressing our cultural divides. It will be a place where people can go to find hope and healing. Stay tuned for more information from the video of Unity. In general, you will be seeing a lot more content from me and you can stay updated with what I’m doing by checking out my website jadepatteri.com
Where will we find out more information about you?
Instagram- @jadepatteri
Twitter- @jadepatteri
YouTube- @jadepatteri
And my website! jadepatteri.com
Latest project: “The Prom” a Netflix Original coming December 11th!
Images provided by Key Elements
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