Joanna Pickering

Last updated

Joanna Pickering
Actress Joanna Pickering.jpg
Pickering at Chelsea Film Festival, 2018
OccupationActress, playwright, screenwriter
NationalityBritish
EducationBachelor of Science in Pure and Applied Mathematics
Years active2014–present
Website
joannapickering.com

Joanna Pickering is an English actress and playwright. She is known for her Trilogy Truth, Lies and Deception and her acting in Pellea[s].

Contents

Early life

Pickering was born in Northumberland, England. [1] She was educated at La Sagesse Convent School and Central Newcastle High School and graduated from University of Stirling with a Bachelor of Science degree in pure mathematics. [2] [3] [4] She worked in Southern France selling yachts and high performance cars to fund acting school. [5] She trained in method acting in stage and film at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. [6]

Acting

Early roles

Pickering began her acting career working in low-budget, cult, avant-garde, and experimental film. [5] She worked as a fashion model [7] while taking bit roles in UK television shows, such as Nathan Barley , radio plays and theatre work. [8] She performed a minor role in the British comedy film Svengali . In 2013, Pickering was cast as John Lennon's first wife, Cynthia, in an adaptation of Steven G. Farrell's novel Mersey Boys centred around The Beatles, and in its off-Broadway play. [9] However, the film ran out of post-production budget and was not completed. In 2014, filming on location in Berlin, Pickering portrayed the dada artist, Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven. [5] The film was shown at The Filmballad of MamaDada screening at the Whitney Museum of American Art [10] [11] and at the Copenhagen International Film Festival. [12] Pickering then had a supporting role in Leave Yourself Alone selected for the 2016 Anthology Film Archives Theater [13] and released on VOD and Amazon Prime in 2017. [14] [15] In 2017, Pickering was cast for stage in The Vagina Monologues , performing in New York to raise money for V-day organization. [16] In 2018, she performed on stage as Lady Macbeth [17] sponsored by Pittsburgh Shakespeare in Park in a televised series for US Public-access television.

Later roles

In 2018, Pickering was cast in a role in Pellea[s], directed by Josephine Meckseper an adaptation of Maeterlinck's play Pelléas and Mélisande . [18] [ failed verification ] In May 2018, Pellea[s] screened at Whitney Museum of American Art in The Incomplete history of Protest exhibition. [19] [ failed verification ]

In 2019, she appeared in a 1950s thriller Alice Fades Away with a United States theatrical release in 2020. [20] In 2021, Pickering performed two lead roles on stage in her own trilogy in Paris. Reviews were positive and that she played her role with "depth and sophistication". [21] [22] Followed, in 2022 to 2025, by principal roles on stages for her own plays Bad Victims, The Endgame, Don't Harm the Animals, and Lara's Journey. [23]

In 2024, Pickering won a best actress in an indie film award at the Los Angeles Film Awards, for her work on independent film, Diva. [24]

Writing

Early work

Pickering first performed her own creative writing airing on live radio for The Fall of Babylon show on Resonance FM in London. [25]

Pickering was selected for The Women in Film challenge as screenwriter. [26] [ failed verification ] Her short film Boardwalk was made with an all female cast and crew. [27] It screened at Anthology Film Archives Theater, September 2018. [26] [28] [27] It was described in online magazine Indieactivity as "sensational, fluid and beautiful". [27] It was nominated as best film and best mystery thriller at NY Web Fest in 2019. [29]

In 2018, her short play Beach Break was selected by Primitive Grace Theater to run at the Bridge Theater as part of The Duende Reading Series as a one act play. [30] It was a 2018 official selection by ScreenCraft Stage Plays. [31] As a radio play podcast it was selected as a top ten finalist for HBO's ITV festival broadcasting live in October 2018 with Pickering performing. [30] It aired in UK on Resonance FM in February 2019. [32] The full play Beach Break was awarded a scholarship from Rocaberti Writers to mentor with HBO's Kelly Edwards, in an adaptation for screen in 2021. [33]

Pickering published a Trilogy of plays, Truth, Lies and Deception with Next Stage Press. [34] The plays released in August 2021. [35] The plays as a trilogy first showcased at The League of Professional Theatre Women, and included Beach Break, Cat and Mouse, and Sylvie and Sly. The readings were performed with Broadway actors Dan Lauria and Caroline Aaron. The plays tackle themes of sexism, assault and ageism. [34] [35] Truth, Lies and Deception ran at Le Pave d'Orsay Theatre in Paris in December 2021. [21] [36] Pickering played a lead role alongside Robert Bradford, Koel Purie and Eugenia Kuzmina, directed by Christopher Mack and Pulcherie Gadmer. [22] Angela Mcluskey provided music. [37] The plays were described in BroadwayWorld as "brave, masterful, suspenseful with comical dark interchanges." [22] Cat and Mouse was reviewed as controversial as it approaches subject matter from a yet untouched angle. [21] Truth, Lies and Deception was read with Pickering and Dan Lauria at The Drama Book Store in New York, in 2023, where it is stocked. [38]

In 2022, Pickering's play The Endgame, as a one act play, was developed and announced as part of the Woman's Work lab festival with The New Perspective Theatre Company to run on stage in New York. The play takes place over a game of chess and addresses issues of reporting acquaintance rape. [39]

Later work

In October, 2022, Pickering's full play Bad Victims opened at the Courtyard Theatre, London, directed by Erica Gould. Bad Victims released in press (Broadway Worldwide and off West End) as a thriller centered around sex, power, and crime that "picks up where psychological thrillers like Promising Young Woman and Anatomy of a Scandal left off. Pickering's writing style was described as "Sarah Kane meets Noël Coward with the deviousness of Phoebe Waller-Bridge to flip a scenario on its head". [40] The play was re-booked for a second run in early 2023 starring Pickering. [41]

In 2023, Pickering wrote and performed in her first one act solo show Don't Harm the Animals. It had its premier run at The Chain Theatre, New York. It was reviewed by Broadway World as shocking and powerful. [42] Its success led to a commission for Pickering's full length one-woman play Laughing in the Dark, to open in 2025, with Tony award-nominated Broadway producers, who cited Pickering, in BroadwayWorld, as a more exciting Spalding Gray. [43]

In 2025, they announced Pickering's second solo full play, Cease and Desist, opening off-Broadway, at Theater 555 in New York. The play is described as a startling take on the psychological thriller. [44] In March 2025, Pickering debuted and performed in a new one act solo-play, Lara's Journey, at Chain Theater, New York. The play tells the journey of a displaced Ukrainian refugee. It was directed by Karen Lynn Carpenter. [45] In May 2025, the play was presented by Ukraine internet star, psychologist and TV presenter Natalia Kholodenko and streamed live to over one million people live on social media. The play was included alongside Gloria Gaynor and Kathy Sledge's anthems "I Will Survive" and "We Are Family" to support refugees. [46] [47]

Other work

Pickering performed as the lead actress for experimental feature film Kubricks directed by Dean Cavanagh and produced by Alan McGee. [48] [49] She is the actress for The Band of Holy Joy in a musical feature film City of Tales. [50]

Pickering is the album cover model for The Band of Holy Joy album City of Tales released in 2015. [51] For Spectorbullets she is the album cover model, [52] the actress in 2010 music video Goldmine and she wrote the lyrics for the song Drop on their album released in 2012 [52]

In 2018, she was a participant speaker and selected film maker at United Nations for Create2030, engaging artists in Sustainable Development Goals, [3] [53] attending at UNNIGO 2018, and UNGA2018. [3] She moderates the Imagine This Female Film festival, [54] and is on Female in Film panel for New York Independent Film Festival. [3]

References

  1. ↑ White, Alice (8 November 2017). "Joanna Pickering UK talent breaking in US". spindlemagazine.com.
  2. ↑ Joanna Pickering, Alumna (Mathematics), Academia.edu, retrieved 15 July 2017
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sowa, Lauren (7 August 2018). "Women in Film Portraits: Joanna Pickering". Independent Magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  4. ↑ ScreenCraft (27 May 2020). "Interview with Writer Joanna Pickering". ScreenCraft. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 Forson, Kofi (1 September 2017). "What If Bond Was A Girl: The Transcendental Life of Actress Joanna Pickering".
  6. ↑ Troester, Eva (23 August 2017). "Joanna Pickering talks Acting, Alice Fades Away, New York City, Much More". downtownmagazine.com.
  7. ↑ Burnette, Emily (2016). "Picking Her Destiny: Interview with Actress Joanna Pickering". fashionweekonline.com.
  8. ↑ "The Sunday Play, Podcast Archives". resonancefm.com. 1 July 2007.
  9. ↑ Robbins, Caryn (21 January 2013). "Beatles Film Mersey Boys Begins Production". BroadwayWorld .
  10. ↑ "Filmballad of MamaDada, The Whitney Museum" (PDF). whitney.org. 1 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "The Filmballad of Mamadada". roulette.org. 1 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Mamadada Screenings". mamadada.com. 13 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "New Filmmakers in New York". 21 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Thriller Leave Yourself Alone Due on Digital". mediaplaynews.com. 1 October 2018.
  15. ↑ "Leave Yourself Alone to Release on VOD". PopHorror. 21 October 2018.
  16. ↑ "Cast of Women to Perform in a Production of The Vagina Monologues in New York to Raise Funds for Women in Need". BroadwayWorld . 5 June 2018.
  17. ↑ Reid, Pat (1 July 2018). "Joanna Pickering Plays Lady Macbeth". shakespearemagazine.com.
  18. ↑ Binlot, Ann (25 January 2019). "The Surrealist Film Noir Set in the Aftermath of Trump's Inauguration". documentjournal.com.
  19. ↑ "An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney's Collection". whitney.org. 1 April 2018.
  20. ↑ McNary, Dave (21 November 2018). "William Sadler Joins the Cast of Thriller Alice Fades Away". Variety .
  21. 1 2 3 johnrobb (25 January 2022). "Theatre review: Intimate Theatre Returns to Paris with Joanna Pickering's Impacting Debut Trilogy – and Sell Out Dates". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  22. 1 2 3 Wild, Stephi (20 December 2021). "Joanna Pickering's Trilogy Truth Lies and Deception Premieres in Paris". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "Joanna Pickering: Credits, Bio, News & More". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  24. ↑ Michael (5 April 2024). "Joanna Pickering on Winning Six Awards for Best Actress, Outstanding Performance, and multi-nominations for 12 time winning Diva—Strong Female Agenda!". indieactivity. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  25. ↑ "Resonance 104.4FM Schedule". resonancefm.com. 23 March 2013.
  26. 1 2 "Women's Film Challenge". womensweekendfilmchallenge.com/copy-of-past-challenges. 5 August 2018.
  27. 1 2 3 Nichols, Peter (3 January 2019). "Movie Review: Joanna Pickering, Rachel Kenaston & Becca Roth's "Boardwalk"". indieactivity.com.
  28. ↑ "Boardwalk". womensweekendchallenge.com.
  29. ↑ "The Sixth Annual NYC Web Fest Nominations Have Been Revealed". CelebMix. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  30. 1 2 "ITV Festival Podcast Selections 2018". itvfest.com.[ dead link ]
  31. ↑ "Announcing the ScreenCraft Stage Play Quarterfinalists". screencraft.org. 16 November 2018.
  32. ↑ "Resonance FM Feb 22nd Schedule (Podcast Archive)". resonancefm.com. 22 February 2019.
  33. ↑ Cristi, A.A. (28 April 2020). "Joanna Pickering's Beach Break Awarded Full Scholarship to Adapt to Screenplay". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  34. 1 2 Wild, Stephi (23 July 2021). "Playwright Joanna Pickering Inks a Deal with Next Stage Press". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  35. 1 2 "Truth, Lies and Deception". Next Stage Press. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  36. ↑ Julie Schittly (12 December 2021). "En Centre-Morbihan, l'actrice et autrice Joanna Pickering prend du recul par rapport à Hollywood". Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  37. ↑ johnrobb (13 December 2021). "Joanna Pickering new play debuts in Paris this week!". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  38. ↑ Cristi, A. A. (1 May 2023). "The Drama Book Shop Reading of Truth, Lies, and Deception with Star Cast and Conversation with Playwright Joanna Pickering". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  39. ↑ Cutler, Grace (24 July 2022). "New Perspectives Theatre Company (NPTC) Presents ENDGAME This August". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  40. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "Joanna Pickering's Bad Victims Comes to The Courtyard Theatre Next Month, Directed by Erica Gould". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  41. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "Cast Confirmed for the London Return of Joanna Pickering's Bad Victims". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  42. ↑ Wild, Stephi (6 June 2023). "Joanna Pickering's New Play Don't Harm the Animals Is Selected to Run at the Chain Theatre Festival". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  43. ↑ Wild, Stephi (23 April 2024). "Joanna Pickering's One-Woman Show Laughing in the Dark and New Play Secure Development Deal and Stage Run With Broadway Producers". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  44. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (27 January 2025). "Joanna Pickering's New Play Cease and Desist to be presented at Theater 555". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  45. ↑ Cristi, A. A. (4 February 2025). "Joanna Pickering's New Play Lara's Journey Will Be Directed by Karen Carpenter". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  46. ↑ Cristi, A. A. (14 April 2025). "Natalia Kholodenko To Present Joanna Pickering's Play Lara's Journey". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  47. ↑ Butler, Kristen (21 April 2025). "Natalia Kholodenko To Sing With Gloria Gaynor After Viral Success Of Song With Kathy Sledge". www.starmagazine.com. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  48. ↑ "Kubricks Premier Feature Trailer". dangerousminds.net. 26 January 2013.
  49. ↑ "Kubricks, 9 Go mad in Tribute to the Great Director, Sabotage Times". 15 August 2012. Archived from the original on 20 August 2012.
  50. ↑ "Band of Holy Joy, Album City of Tales". stereogramrecordings.co.uk. 2014.
  51. ↑ "Band of Holy Joy Interview". pennyblackmusic.co.uk. 22 February 2014.[ dead link ]
  52. 1 2 "Spectorbullets Album Review". isthismusic.com. 10 July 2010.
  53. ↑ "Create2030 Artist Roster: engaging in SDG at United Nations". create2030.org. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  54. ↑ Michael (1 March 2018). "Joanna Pickering Actress Writer on Independent Films Feminism and Surviving the Entertainment Industry". indieactivity.
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