Jessica Penzias is an award-winning librettist and playwright. Her shows have received
more than 1,700 productions in more than 75 countries. Selected works include: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankweiler, The Fox Sisters, The Claw,
Could You Hug a Cactus?, Super Happy Awesome News,
The Show Must Go Online, BOTS!, The Prince’s New Pet, The Whole Damn Thing, Boomer
and the book Group Scenes for Young Actors. Penzias is an alumna
of the 92Y Musical Theater Development Lab and a member of the Tony Award-honored
BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, where she was awarded the Jerry
Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Musical Theatre. Her
work has been developed with McCarter Theatre Center, New York Theatre
Barn, The Lark,
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, Berklee College of Music and the South
Carolina New Play Festival. As an associate at Jill Furman Productions, Penzias
aided in the development and production of Hamilton, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Suffs and Freestyle Love Supreme. She holds a degree in creative writing and theatre arts from the
University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
with honors. When she’s not writing, Penzias works as an executive coach.
