Dr. Jenny Jacobs (she/her)

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Jenny grew-up exploring the performing arts through voice and piano lessons, dance classes, and community theatre.  She earned a BA in Theatre and English, with a Musical Theatre Minor from Santa Clara University; and an MA in Theatre from Villanova University, where she graduated with distinction for her work in Dramaturgy in 2007.

In 2008, Jenny began lecturing and teaching at local colleges, universities, and working with educational programs at professional performing arts centers.  In the years that followed, she worked as a freelance dramaturg, choreographer, performer, director, and costume designer; managed development and marketing for Theatre Exile in Center City Philadelphia; founded an international theatre company that produced devised performances via online collaboration tools with artists from around the world; and served as the Co-Artistic Director of Wolf Performing Arts Center, a children's performing arts center dedicated to enriching the lives of young people through theatre.  In 2013, Jenny returned to her hometown in California and was hired as the Education/Outreach Coordinator for Musical Theatre West and continued to perform solo shows and cabarets. 

In 2019, Jenny became Dr. Jacobs when she earned an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) from CSULB's Educational Leadership Department with a dissertation about the Value of Performing Arts in Higher Education.  Dr. Jacobs went on to teach in the Theatre Departments at Cypress College and Chapman University, serve as a Project Director for CSULB's Center for Evaluation and Educational Effectiveness, and a Dramaturg for staged readings and world premieres at Chance Theatre. 

In June of 2023, Dr. Jacobs joined the ranks of Full-Time, Tenure-Track Faculty at Irvine Valley College where she will be leading the Department of Theatre's Acting and Musical Theatre Programs.  She continues to work as a freelance dramaturg and theatre artist pursuing my personal mission to deepen my community's appreciation for the arts as an educator, artist, leader, and always a dreamer.