Tell us about yourself. Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Jordan Reed. I'm a theater and performance artist that enjoys wearing a lot of hats- actor, divisor, dramaturg, costumer, writer, and producer. I enjoy creating and engaging with work that generates spaces of healing, as well as community. Within my work, I aim to critique the varying oppressive systemic structures within American hegemony and the politics behind them using movement, ensemble, horror, comedy, sensuality, ritual, and glamour.
Why did you decide to become an artist?
I've always been a creative and artistic person, but realized theater was my passion in high school. When I was a freshman I got the lead in Bye, Bye Birdie and it was a magical experience. As a teenager, I struggled a lot emotionally and acting felt like the only way I was able to feel truly present and vulnerable. Once I landed on theater there were so many aspects of it that engaged my creativity, so wearing many hats always appealed to me. Growing up while struggling financially also influenced this versatility, because if I was able to do it myself I could rely less on outside resources. Then when I studied devising, Theater of the Oppressed, and traveled to South Africa to study and attend their National Arts Festival, I was like "Oh man- so this is a whole school of thought!"
Tell us about some projects you have worked on. Which one was your favorite and why?
A big one for me is FLAMBOYAN, which is a performance art piece that the Noho Arts Center has hosted a couple times. I love this piece because it's so deeply personal and interactive with the audience. It also is a spiritual experience, and I feel like I'm able to speak with my ancestors when I perform it. Through that work, I've been able to process a lot of trauma while still celebrating who I am, or anyone that sees themself in my struggle. Under lockdown, I've been deep diving into burlesque work, and collaborating with other friends and artists under the drag collective of Queer & Now (you can find them on instagram). We've been hosting zoom chats where we hold virtual cabaret parties with drag and burlesque. I'm so proud of this work in particular because I get to celebrate my sexuality and femininity on my own terms. Most important- we've been using this platform to advocate for Black Lives Matter, particularly Black Trans Lives, and over the last few shows have raised over $1000 for different orgs (ie Okra Project).
How has the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine affected your process/creating/teaching? Has anything surprised you about adjusting to this quarantine?
I've been working a lot through video in ways that I wouldn't have felt compelled to try if it wasn't for being in lockdown. Turns out I actually enjoy video editing a bit! I've also taken this time to try to lean into this forced pause so that I can concentrate and build my portfolio and body of work. I think the biggest surprise I've learned under lockdown is what a romantic I am, and manifesting that in ways I've never experienced before. I've been separated from my partner a lot during this time, so the love we share and missing each other has been a huge muse for me.
Where can we find your work?
I give updates and archive my work on my website and on instagram:
@jordanelizabethreed
Jxexr7.wixsite.com/website