Live from Oregon: Developing Description for New Works
Guest Hosted by Susannah Mars
Join Guest Host Susannah Mars live from Oregon in conversation with special guests Jessica Wallenfels and Pearl Outlaw as they explore how accessibility is woven into the creative process of developing new work—highlighting their current project, The Hatchery.
We’re thrilled to welcome Susannah Mars as our guest host for this session. A celebrated performing artist and passionate access advocate, Susannah brings decades of stage experience—from Evita to Next to Normal—as well as her work in audio description, teaching, and community engagement.
Whether you’re an artist, arts supporter, or simply curious, this discussion will offer fresh insight into how new works can be inclusive from the ground up.
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Guest Bios
Susannah Mars is a lifelong performing artist who has appeared in over 100 productions across the country. Her standout roles include Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Eva in Evita with Portland Opera, as well as Margaret in The Light in the Piazza and Golde in Fiddler on the Roof. A resident artist at Artists Repertory Theatre, her credits there include Next to Normal, Rabbit Hole, and her original holiday show Mars On Life.
She has also performed at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and appeared on NBC’s Grimm as Dr. Richet. In addition to her stage and screen work, Susannah is an award-winning recording artist, arts envoy with the U.S. State Department, and a passionate advocate for accessibility as an audio describer, teacher, and access ally. Learn more at www.susannahmars.com
Jessica Wallenfels is a director, choreographer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Many Hats Collaboration, where she creates movement- and music-driven new works. She also works freelance across the region and teaches movement, devising, and acting at Portland State University and Mt. Hood Community College.
Her directing and choreography credits include The Wolves (Portland Playhouse), Into the Woods (Broadway Rose), Everybody (Artists Repertory Theatre), and Scarlet, a new musical at Portland Playhouse. She has also directed family favorites like Dragons Love Tacos and Pete the Cat at Oregon Children’s Theatre. Through her 5 in 5 project with Many Hats, she has developed seven original works centering BIPOC voices and inclusive storytelling.
Jessica was a choreographer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for four seasons and has worked with major regional theatres including Portland Center Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Artists Rep. Her work has been presented in New York, Los Angeles, and nationally.
As an educator, Jessica has directed and choreographed productions at PSU, Western Oregon University, Willamette University, and more. She’s a four-time Drammy Award winner and a passionate advocate for inclusive, collaborative creation.
Pearl Outlaw is a blind athlete, musician, and advocate. Diagnosed with a retinal disease at age 9, she has been a member of the U.S. Para National Rowing Team since 2018 and made history as part of the first U.S. para coastal rowing team. Pearl has earned multiple international accolades, including a bronze medal at the 2019 World Rowing Championships, gold at the 2022 International Para Rowing Regatta, and gold at the 2024 Copa America Coastal Regatta. She also holds several national titles in rowing, Nordic skiing, and biathlon. Beyond athletics, Pearl is a passionate advocate for inclusive policy in sports, working to ensure blind athletes are recognized for their expertise and lived experience. She is also an emerging singer-songwriter whose original music was recently featured in a Hyundai campaign. Pearl continues to explore new sounds and instruments as a form of personal expression and storytelling.
