Jessica Feldman

"Kitten"

Jessica Feldman is well known in the Rocky Horror community for quite a few reasons: she is a diverse performer, having played multiple roles in Rocky Horror (Frank-N-Furter, Magenta, Columbia, Rocky) and is also a Shock Treatment veteran (she has been Janet Majors at many, many Shock Treatment shows). Jessica has visited many casts and is a semi-regular at the New York City show. She has earned her standing in the RHPS scene by virtue or her acting ability, her desire to help out in any way possible and with her enthusiasm. She also has a pair of legs that just wont quit, as anyone who has seen her in her Little Black Dress can testify. Jessica is also one tough little cookie: it is NOT east to dance about in spiked heels on a raised table. The woman also has a RHPS/ST wardrobe that is to DIE for. :)

Jessica is a sweet person and a good friend and a mainstay of the Rocky Horror scene, and it's a pleasure to be able to highlight her here. YOU ROCK, JESS!

Jessica "Kitten" Feldman had her first Rocky Horror experience back in 1990. Her only memory of that night was a rather robust Dr. Frank-N-Furter who used her for the throne during Sweet Transvestite. Knowing not what to say, she meekly offered her Kit Kat, what an experience. Three years later, after feeling a mixture of curiosity and being completely terrified, she went back to the theater. Four viewings later, she performed for the first time as the spunky Columbia with an early Baltimore cast known as Fishnet Dreams and Stranger Things. This later led to becoming a member of the Towson, Maryland's Castle Transylvanians cast, where she became one of the main performers to play Frank for the first year.

Once the fishnet bug hit Jessica, it wasn't long after that she began to travel. She found herself visiting New York City frequently with her friend Shannon Rosendale. She eventually became a part time performer there at Movieland 8th Street, and then at the 12th Street show. She then briefly pursued creating a cast with her friend Randy Brown, which found its roots in Springfield, Virginia and was affectionately named Frank's Babies. This lasted a short 6 months and the movie was let go from the theater.

In 1997 Jessica joined the Satanic Mechanics cast located in College Park, Maryland, at the college there. As Rocky got bigger and more groups began to perform, Jessica found herself involved with a cast called Transsexual Misfits located in Elkton, Maryland, and this group was exactly as it sounded. There were people from all over the Tri-State area with a large portion of them being old Rocky cast members. They proved to be a fun bunch. She then rejoined Castle Transylvanians who had relocated Glenn Burnie, Maryland and then again to Fairfax, VA. This cast at the time combined with a Delaware cast and the group was renamed Sincerely Lusting Castle Transylvanians.

Currently Jessica is an independent performer. She has performed with many casts around the United States and has had the honor of performing in 11 of 12 national conventions she's been to. Jessica is known for her eye for detail and has been a costume judge at 2 conventions (Allentown in 2000 and Philly in 2002) as well as a guest judge for Magenta at Frankie goes Hollywood for MI's 2001 Con.

She has performed as every character in Rocky except for Ralph, and has shared roles as Frank, Magenta, Janet, and Columbia at conventions. Jessica is also a member of the National Shock Treatment Cast, performing as Janet Majors. Kitten is not only known for judging costume contests, she has also competed in them, winning several:

Albany, NY '95 as Dr. Frank N Furter
MI '97 as Magenta
Vegas Rocky Con '98 placing 3rd as Frank
Tucson, AZ '99 as Magenta
She was a top 5 finalist at the 25th Anniversary in Las Vegas in 2000
Frankie Goes to Hollywood 2001 as Columbia

Jessica has also cast several RockyPaloozas in Allentown, PA with her friends Bill Brennan and Ryan. She also helped cast Philly Con 2002. As she found from these experiences, casting can be a real challenge, but she considers those to be some of the best and most fun times of her Rocky career thus far. As you all know not only is the Rocky show important, but it wouldn't be Rocky without the Pre-Show and Jessica has done her fair share of those, here are just a few of the pre-show themes Jessica has performed: Spice Girls, Phantom, Shock Treatment, Weird Al, Thriller, Time Warp, Garbage, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Musical Episode and many, many more, in addition to the normal shows and Cons. If there is such a thing, Jessica also performed for special Birthday shows and a multitude of live shows with the NYC cast back in the mid 1990's (playing Frank, Janet and Trixie.) Some locations included The Vault, The Limelight, Hellfire, and a special show on Fire Island started by Perre Poley (an old time NYC Frank). She also had the pleasure of playing Magenta at some of the Underground Rocky shows as a last minute fill in for the play. She wishes to do it again one day.

Jessica was thrilled to be a part of the 25th Anniversary where she performed Time-warp and Sweet Transvestite as Magenta for the Saturday viewing and was seen on the VH1 that year along with many of her friends from all over the world. She has performed Columbia with the (W/ TNP/ TM cast) in Philly for the 2000 Millennium show to a packed house of screaming fans and the Mayor of Philly. This was a 4 am show and they Time Warped right past Y2K's Bug. Big crowds really get Jessica's heart going a mile a minute! In '97 she played Frank in College Park, MD with the SM cast to a crowd of 750+ screaming Rocky fans. It's this kind of rush and the strong friendships that are made that keeps Jessica coming back for more.

Some of the other misc. shows Jessica has performed include but are not limited to:
A college show as Magenta, with Larry Viezel and the cast of The Home of Happiness and Karaoke Rocky show in Delaware. Needless to say she has met some characters through her travels and experiences both strange, wonderful and memorable, many of these people have become lifelong friends, here are a few special mentionable: Bill Brennan, Perre Poley, Kim Woodworth, Shannon Rosendale, Jeff Baker, Randy Brown, Hillary and Ron Maxwell and Ben Garrish, there are so many more that have touched her life that we could fill multiple pages, but for time's sake, she wanted to say "Thank you all you know who you are."

One really remarkable Rocky memory she was in Los Angeles for Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and she had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Patricia Quinn again (after meeting her at the 25th anniversary) and got to hang out with her for several hours by the pool. This actress/icon was elegant, gracious, and honestly a veritable joy to talk with. Not only did Jessica buy her a sea breeze, but Lady Pat returned the favor by buying Jess and 2 other friends pina coladas the next day. Pat spoke of film, theater, some things on a more personal level, and some of the exciting new projects to come. For Jessica this was a surreal moment, and a beautifully treasured experience. It was a dream come true for Jessica and she will always hold the highest opinion of Ms. Quinn and remember her kindness. Jessica has also had the pleasure of meeting Bob Simon for a fun breakfast with her mom and her friend Levesque Richard (Q. for short) Richard O'Brien Crusader. Along with the above named she has also met Nell, Richard, Lou Adler, Anthony Head and has seen Barry Bostwick at a 4th of July show in DC.

Jessica shared her Rocky bug with her mom, Barbara Gilkin, who performs an adorable Trixie and Betty in Rocky, as well as Betty and Vance Parker in Shock Treatment. She is very proud of her mom for having the courage to get up on stage and go for it! Jessica doesn't get the opportunity to do RHPS much these days but when she does the theatrical sparks of life fly and she loves every minute of it.

Jessica has a BA in theater (Acting) and has a wide range of theatrical productions including extra work for film and TV, local theater, and local and national tours. She also keeps busy doing stage and makeup design. To keep up with the many forms of artistic expression out today, Jessica studies voice and belly dance, she has been seen in theaters both professionally as an actress and in the community theater for fun. Recently Jessica played Annelle in a local production of Steel Magnolias and performed as Charlotte Sophia in Gorey Stories (which she also did makeup design for).

Jessica loves all things faerie, vintage clothing, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Absolutely Fabulous, Tim Curry, Pat Quinn and Tori Amos!

The "Kitten" works in a hippie store and resides in Maryland with her mom, her boyfriend master illusionist and magician Shawn Anthony (not to be confused with the SA that does Rocky costumes), and her two cats Sammy and Sienna.

Jessica is excited to continue her career in acting and has taken another step in performance art by becoming a magicians' assistant/co-star with Shawn in his new 2007 Grand illusion show entitled Seeing is Believing.

Jessica wanted to say: "Thank you to everyone who encouraged me throughout the years. It meant a lot because you boosted my self-esteem as a performer and made me feel special to be part of something extraordinary. Thank you to all cast and people I've shared the stage with. I truly cherish the experiences and memories, because they have molded me to become the type of performer that I am today. Here is to all of you and many more memories and adventures to come. I encourage all of you to follow your dreams no matter how small or far you believe them to be. DON'T DREAM IT BE IT!"

Love and Purrs - "Kitten"