Member Bio
Hometown: Eugene, Oregon
Education: BFA, Theatre School at DePaul University
Member since 1999
Vanessa grew up in Eugene, Oregon and moved to Chicago to attend The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she received her BFA in Acting. Productions with the Griffin include playing Countess Skriczevinsky in Flare Path (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination-Best Actress), Constance in The Constant Wife (Jeff Award winner-Best Actress), the Witch Queen in Stardust and Adult Woman in Spring Awakening. Other notable credits include Judith in Vitalist Theatre’s The Night Season ( Jeff Award winner-Best Supporting Actress) and Rosaura in Vitalist’s Life is a Dream (Jeff nom-Best Supporting Actress), Jenny in The Hypocrite’s production of The Three Penny Opera and Olivia in City Lit Theatre’s Twelfth Night. Other Chicago credits include work with Porchlight Music Theatre (Into the Woods, Nine, Promises, Promises and Merrily We Roll Along), Chicago Children’s Theatre (Jackie and Me) Eclipse Theatre (Talley & Son) Live Bait (Death on a Pink Carpet and Paramount Girl), and Noble Fool’s (Vikings! A Musical in Two Axe, and Ruthless). Vanessa is a Pilates and Gyrotonic® instructor and teaches movement as an adjunct faculty member of The Theatre School, DePaul University.
Productions with the Griffin
The Constant Wife (Jeff Award-Actress in a Leading Role)
Stardust
Ella Enchanted
Catherine Called Birdy
Spring Awakening
Flare Path
London Wall