Plus Size PLUS Model Magazine [The Pulse of Plus Size Fashion, Beauty, Arts and Plus Size Models] » Jennifer Jonassen

An Interview with Paris Bradstreet

Natalie Monet, Editorial Assistant — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:24:41 +0000

Paris Bradstreet has carved out a successful career as a theatrical performer. From New York City to California, she has played many of the most prestigious regional theaters in America. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Bradstreet while she was on the national tour of the smash Broadway musical: Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening is the Tony Award winning musical that is based on the classic play of the same title. The show is provocative as it explores the lives of young men and women coming of age in a rigid and repressed turn of last century. This production runs through May 2011. For more information please checkwww.springawakening.com.

JJ: What is it like to be on tour with Spring Awakening?

PB: It’s awesome and exhausting!

JJ: You understudy the adult women roles in the show. How did you land the job?

PB: Last summer they posted on Playbill that they were looking for somebody to play 30-50 and I’ve been doing that since 18 (she laughingly recounts) so I submitted a video and they hired me to be the understudy.

JJ: Is being an understudy extra stressful since you’ll never know when you will have to go on?

PB: Yes & No. I’ve been an understudy before in equity houses and have gone on lots of times. I do take it very seriously because you never do know when you’ll have to go on. And because we are a touring company if someone has a family emergency and needs to leave you have to be prepared.

JJ: Tell us a little about the characters you play in the show.

PB: The fun thing about this show is there are only two adult characters and they play all of the adults in the show. And you don’t change costumes or anything, you are in the same costume, and your playing four or five authority characters. As an actor it’s a challenge because you have to make very clear, specific choices to delineate them from one another. It’s a thrilling opportunity.

JJ: What is it like to be on tour? It sounds like it’s a grueling schedule!

PB: We travel by bus a lot which can be exhausting.

JJ: What is a typical day like?

PB: We usually are only in each town for one or two nights at a time. Usually we board the bus between 6 a.m. and 9a.m. We ride for between four and eight hours on the bus.. We usually have about an hour and a half when we get to our housing to unpack and get ready for the evening performances. the next day we start all over again!

JJ: Wow that must require a lot of stamina! Can you tell us a little about what Spring Awakening is about?

PB: It’s about kids dealing with sexuality.Dealing with abuse. Dealing with puberty. Dealing with the pressures of school. It is a timely message with what is going on in the world today. For example all of the teen suicides that happened- this show is another reminder that it gets better. There is always somebody to reach out to. The important thing about the show is that parents and teens should come together to see the show . This is a great way to get them talking to one another about the issues that this show raises. In Spring Awakening the tragedy stems from the fact that there is no communication and that nobody is speaking the truth. It is over 100 years later since the original play was written and yet the issues raised are still topical. We have teens come up to us after the show and say “my friend killed themselves and this show helped me through it.” There are so many real stories we are getting from our audience members . Its amazing to have that kind of real impact.

Go to PLUS Model Magazine to read more about Paris.

Catching Up With Jennifer Jonassen

Natalie Monet, Editorial Assistant — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:07:14 +0000

PLUS wanted to catch up with one of our contributor’s of PMM, Jennifer Jonassen, and her amazing year.

She was recently nominated along side Jessica Simpson and Kate Winslet for a Nourishing Body Image Award. The Documentary FAT and ADIOS BARBIE were also honored. Jennifer has also got to play a (dancing) Cantor in a great film called LOVE PARADE. In keeping with the love theme you can catch her dancing in the music video LOVE IN THE CIRCUS.

You can also catch Jennifer as a guest on Las Vegas’ Curvaceous Bounty Of Sin City Radio Show. Also read her latest article on R.A.I.D. for Adios Barbie.

You can also catch Jennifer perform in Stefan Haves’ Your Town Follies. Directed by directors Bill Malone & Simone Bartesaghi and on the cover of Spain’s El Correo Newspaper.

Keep up the great work Jennifer! We can’t wait to see what you have in store for this year.

Exciting News From Jennifer Jonassen – PLUS Entertainment & Arts Editor

Editor-in-Chief, Madeline Figueroa-Jones — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:57:00 +0000

Jennifer Jonassen made the cover of El Correo’s Vivir Magazine (Spain!)

Here is the link to the translated article: http://www.littleurl.net/7cb715

Other recent press:
http://dailyvenusdiva.com/2010/06/meet-jennifer-jonassen-star-of-the-new-documentary-film-fat/

http://www.peopleofsize.com/articles/16/Interview-with-Jennifer-Jonassen-by-El-Correo-for-FAT-Film

http://www.adiosbarbie.com/jennifer-jonassen-a-sizeless-star/

Congratulations Jennifer! We wish you much continued success.

Congratulations to our very own Jennifer Jonassen!

PLUS Model Magazine — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:11:14 +0000

Congratulations to our very own Jennifer Jonassen who was featured in the popular body image blog “Adios Barbie!” Check out this wonderful article, “Jennifer Jonassen: A Sizeless Star,” written by Sharon Haywood.

Way to go Jen!

SCENTUALITY! Meet Jennifer Hardaway

PLUS Model Magazine — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:40:55 +0000

OK every woman needs to find her signature scent. Something delicious or mysterious that reflects who you are as well as attracts people to you. This past summer I was lucky enough to find such a scent and I am happy to share this company run by Jennifer Hardaway with you!

JJ: Tell us about Klean!

JH: We formulate high quality, affordable skin care and pride ourselves on our unique fragrances & natural ingredients. Our products range from Body Scrubs to Perfume Oils and are paraben and sulfate free. We guarantee soft, great smelling skin.

JJ: Your scents are particularly yummy! Did you create them yourself?

JH: I created many of the fragrances myself, Blue Hawaii, Ginger Tea, Vanilla Sandalwood, Lemon Love etc…

JJ: Why is scent so important?

JH: Scent is important because it is creates an aromatheraputic experience. It evokes wonderful feelings and a sense of well being for people!

JJ: I always ask my interviewees this question- how do you describe yourself?

JH: I refer to myself as the “Scentual Mixtress”…A 6ft Tall and size 18 gal creating lot’s of yummy goodness!

JJ: What do you love most about your body?

JH: I love that I am proportional and have curves. I have a great neck love my skin and hair!

JJ: What would you tell a young girl struggling with body image?

JH: I would tell a young girl to love herself and own her own body. You are a light and bright human being, so let your light shine!

JJ: Great answer! How has size helped or hindered you?

JH: Being plus sized has helped and hindered me. I have been self-conscious about being in my body, being in a bathing suit and it has kept me from doing certain things because I am not a small person. It has helped me be compassionate to others.

JJ: Who inspires you?

JH: Women entrepreneurs inspire me! Anyone who walks through their fears and get’s to the other side.

JJ:You are truly inspiring as an entrepreneur yourself!

JH: Thank you! I love what I do and am so grateful to be doing it! I love having a connection to my customers. It is so fulfilling. Also, if you join my newsletter, you get an instant coupon for 25% off!

JJ: Where can we find your products:

JH: www.kleanspa.com — Check it out! Dozens of intoxicating scents from spicy to floral-to sweet & yummy! I have never gotten so many compliments or felt as sexy or confident as when I wear KLEAN perfume. I bet you find your signature scent there too!

Diving In With Jennifer Jonassen

Valery Amador, Executive Director — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:05:00 +0000

The casting call read:

PIRATE/NINJA/SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMER/MEXICAN WRESTLER
Male and Female, ages 21-50, good movers and strong personality. Sense of rhythm and coordination. Trained dancers preferred but not necessary. STRONG sense of ensemble. Will be performing in club….

And somehow I knew I was supposed to submit myself! Now please bear in mind that I am not a trained dancer and at present I still weigh way over 300 pounds. But I have always been something of a daredevil so I pressed send and submitted myself online to the casting director. And I honestly didn’t think I would hear back…

Read more at PLUS Model Magazine

The Play’s The Thing…Jennifer Jonassen Interviews Director Kym Pappas and Actress Carla Nell

Valery Amador, Executive Director — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:35:00 +0000

When I first moved west from New York, I was fortunate enough to spend some time doing theatre in San Diego. From the bigger professional houses such as the Old Globe and La Jolla Playhouse to the dozens of smaller venues, San Diego is practically teeming with theatrical life! Two of these theatres (Inner Mission Theatre & Onstage Playhouse) are co-producing Neil LaBute’s provocative play: Fat Pig which was first produced Off-Broadway by MCC theatre (and ironically at my old stomping ground: The Lucille Lortel Theatre where I worked for many years!)

Read more at PLUS Model Magazine

Carson Kressley Reveals, ‘How to Look Good Naked’! An Interview with Jennifer Jonassen

Valery Amador, Executive Director — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:31:00 +0000

Whether you’re in the nude, in the buff, in your birthday suit, or (as my mom used to say) naked as a jaybird (do other birds wear clothes?) – we all want to look and feel like a million bucks! That is why I knew I just had to interview Lifetime TV’s “How To Look Good Naked” star: Carson Kressley. We first met & loved Kressley on another makeover series: Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.

Read more at PLUS Model Magazine

Clowning Around With Jennifer Jonassen

Valery Amador, Executive Director — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Well true to my word and my ongoing quest to find my inner clown, I have indeed been taking some classes here in the land of la. And believe you me, this is the biggest challenge I have had as a performer to date! There is something so inexplicably terrifying to me about comedy. Perhaps it is that sink or swim element to clowning that particularly sets the stakes up super high as a performer. And let’s face it, it can be daunting when thrown up onstage alone with the expectation of not just entertaining an audience (as my teacher Stefan Haves points out) but causing an audience to erupt with laughter.

Read more at PLUS Model Magazine

A Year in Review…

Valery Amador, Executive Director — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:00:00 +0000

I have been in Los Angeles for a year now and what a year it has been! I have to admit that although I have managed to score a few roles here and there, that aren’t completely offensive, it has been difficult. Particularly in the past few months where I have really started to get called in, and offered roles for parts on television and in film. However, I am sad to report that at this time many if not all of the roles I have been called in for are degrading and in a lot of cases, cruel. Every time my agent calls (instead of being thrilled that some major network wants to call me in for a pre-read) I become wary and anxious.

Read more at PLUS Model Magazine