Meet Tippy Canoe! Come see her spectacularly spooky new show "The Haunted Trumpet" on Halloween weekend. "The Haunted Trumpet" deals with what it's like to be haunted by your past and looks at how we process trauma in order to move on with our lives. All of this is done through original songs, spoken word and dance.
Jill Usdan was born and raised in New York City where she began acting professionally at the age of five. After graduating from Barnard College of Columbia University as a theatre major and recipient of the Kenneth Janes Theatre Prize for her contributions to the theater department, on and off stage, Jill pursued her passion for acting in her hometown, which led her to the Alexander Technique. She immediately fell in love with the technique for the freedom of movement it gave her both on and off stage. It totally changed how she related to herself and to the outside world. The Alexander Technique opened the door for her to find joy and wonder in living in the unknown. Jill began studying the Alexander Technique in 2009 and received her 1,600 hour AmSat certification with Ann Rodiger at the Balance Arts Center in February of 2019. As a member of the faculty at The Balance Arts Center, Jill teaches classes, workshops and private lessons.
As an actress and puppeteer, Jill performed at Dixon Place, at The Access Theater with Polybe & Seats, and at the Barrow Group with Marvel Repertory Theater, among other theater companies in New York City.
Jill’s EP “Numbers” can be found on Spotify, iTunes and Amazon.com. The first and last songs are jazz standards and the four in between are originals. The album art is part of a series of “number drawings” Jill drew, which were exhibited at the Jill Newhouse Gallery as well as a part of The Wilhelmina Project on the lower east side of New York City.
Jill has also freelanced as a photographer, specializing in Off-Broadway production and publicity photos that have been published in The New York Times, on Playbill.com, VillageVoice.com, and other publications.
Photo Credit: Bill Wadman