{{short description|American activist and actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Jeanmarie Simpson | image = Jeanmarie Simpson, 2022.png | caption = Jeanmarie Simpson Headshot | birth_name = Jeannemarie Simpson | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|11|20}} | birth_place = Ray, Arizona, United States | occupation = Actress, director, choreographer, playwright, peace activist | spouse = Daniel Joseph Bishop (m. 1976) | years_active = 1972–present | children = 3 }}
'''Jeanmarie Simpson''' (born November 20, 1959) is an American theatre artist and peace activist best known for writing and playing the title role in the 2004 play ''A Single Woman'', and its 2008 film adaptation, based on the life of first US Congresswoman, Jeannette Rankin.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://electwomen.com/2009/03/discover-americas-real-first-lady-first-congresswoman-jeannette-rankin-watch-trailer | title=Discover America's Real First Lady – Our First Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin - WATCH THE TRAILER - ElectWomen }}</ref>
==Early life== Simpson was born in Ray, Arizona. Her parents were Maria Luisa Jugo,<ref>Maria J Simpson Obituary [http://www.kleinfh.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=2042286 Klein Funeral Home]</ref> a Venezuelan immigrant, and Donald Leroy Simpson, an American mining engineer.<ref>Donald L Simpson Obituary [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tucson/obituary.aspx?pid=163170198 Legacy.com]</ref> She is the great-granddaughter of Carlos López Bustamante. She was raised in rural Arizona. Her family's move to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1970 led to her theatre training.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.copperarea.com/pages/jeanmarie-simpson-artivist-for-change/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205082610/http://copperarea.com/pages/jeanmarie-simpson-artivist-for-change/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2013|title=Jeanmarie Simpson: 'Artivist' for Change|date=March 28, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://old.korepress.org/CIHAbout.htm|title=CIHAbout|website=old.korepress.org}}</ref>
==Career== She was founding artistic director of the Nevada Shakespeare Company for which she directed many acclaimed productions and played iconic characters including Maude Gonne and Lady Macbeth. She retired from the company in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |last=Estepa |first=Jessica |url=http://www.onlinenevada.org/nevada_shakespeare_company |title=Nevada Shakespeare Company | ONE |publisher=Onlinenevada.org |date=2011-05-19 |accessdate=2013-11-30 |archive-date=2011-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203005753/http://onlinenevada.org/Nevada_Shakespeare_Company |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Simpson appeared in the American premier of the one-woman play, ''Shakespeare's Will'', by Canadian playwright, Vern Thiessen. The production was presented by Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills, California, and was produced by Leonard Nimoy and directed by Susan Bay.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leonardnimoy.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1445:exclusive-interview-with-leonard-nimoy-&catid=23:articles-and-quotes&Itemid=11 |title=Exclusive Interview with Leonard Nimoy |publisher=Leonardnimoy.de |date=2007-06-28 |accessdate=2013-11-30 |archive-date=2015-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150301060557/http://www.leonardnimoy.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1445:exclusive-interview-with-leonard-nimoy-&catid=23:articles-and-quotes&Itemid=11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In one of his few American directing projects, Tony Award winner, Zakes Mokae cast Simpson as Elsa in Athol Fugard's ''The Road to Mecca'' in 2003.The production was a collaboration between the Nevada Shakespeare Company and the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, based at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2003/mar/13/out-of-south-africa-helen-martins-compelling-life-/|title=Out of South Africa: Helen Martins' compelling life brought to stage in 'Road to Mecca' - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper|date=March 13, 2003|website=lasvegassun.com}}</ref>
She starred in the film version of her play, ''A Single Woman'', based on the life of Jeannette Rankin. The film was produced by Heroica Films and directed by Kamala Lopez, a cousin of Simpson's.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.prlog.org/11512132-civilization-needs-peace-as-bread-needs-yeast-jeannette-rankin-back-in-the-kitchen.html |title=Civilization Needs Peace as Bread Needs Yeast - Jeannette Rankin, Back in the Kitchen |publisher=PRLog |date=2011-05-26 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref> Though the project includes the voices of many celebrities, including Martin Sheen, Peter Coyote, Judd Nelson and Patricia Arquette and includes in its soundtrack the iconic Joni Mitchell songs "Woodstock" and "The Circle Game", the film has not been picked up by a distributor, nor has it had a theatrical release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asinglewomanmovie.com |title=A Single Woman - Movie About Historic Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin |publisher=Asinglewomanmovie.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref> Simpson was unhappy with the film, and in October 2011 she is quoted in the Huffington Post saying of it, "That's probably the biggest disappointment of my life."<ref name="huffingtonpost1">{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/dylan-brody/jeanmarie-simpson_b_985669.html |title=Dylan Brody: Jeanmarie Simpson - Artivist in the Modern Landscape (Part 1) |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date= 2011-10-03|accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref> [[File:Jeanmarie Simpson and Judd Nelson.jpg|thumb|upright|Jeanmarie Simpson with actor Judd Nelson on the set of ''A Single Woman'', the film.]]
In September 2009, Simpson opened in Tucson, Arizona in the one-woman show, ''Coming In Hot,'' based on the book ''Powder: writing by women in the ranks from Vietnam to Iraq.'' The show subsequently toured extensively, and garnered praise and also a fair amount of criticism by peace activists who thought it glorified war.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://korepress.blogspot.com/2010/09/tucson-is-buzzing-about-coming-in-hot.html|title=Persephone Speaks: Tucson is Buzzing About Coming in Hot|first=Kore|last=Press|date=September 27, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsreview.com/reno/content?oid=1861571 |title=Reno News & Review - Warrior woman - Arts & Culture - Arts&Culture - October 21, 2010 |publisher=Newsreview.com |date=2010-10-21 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/dylan-brody/just-the-facts-maam-a-rev_b_761525.html |title=Dylan Brody: Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Review of Coming in Hot |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date= 2010-10-14|accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/092310_cominginhot |title=Fightin' words: Kore Press presents 'Coming In Hot' |publisher=Tucsonsentinel.com |date=2010-09-23 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.prlog.org/10866546-boulder-actress-is-coming-in-hot.html |title=Boulder Actress is Coming In Hot |publisher=PRLog |date=2010-08-17 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
On July 4, 2012, Simpson presented at the University of Rhode Island a reading of her play, ''Heretic - The Mary Dyer Story,'' about the life of Mary Dyer, a Quaker hanged in Boston in 1660.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jeanmariesimpson.wordpress.com/ |title=Jeanmarie Simpson | Theatre and film artist, peace activist, mother, grandmother… |publisher=Jeanmariesimpson.wordpress.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref> In January 2015, it was announced that Simpson would tour the UK and Europe with ''Heretic,'' presented by The Leaveners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prlog.org/12417704-marys-joy-tours-the-uk-and-europe.html|title=Mary's Joy Tours The Uk And Europe|first=Performance|last=Artivism|website=PRLog}}</ref> The play was subsequently filmed with an ASL interpreter on camera and Simpson's voice. Titled ''Heretic - the Mary Dyer story'' the film may be viewed at no cost on YouTube with subtitles in more than 300 languages.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXJJDXGcSA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/3HXJJDXGcSA |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=HERETIC - the Mary Dyer story|date=3 November 2020 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==Activism== Jeanmarie Simpson is a Lifetime Member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), serving as treasurer of the US Section as of March, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wilpfus.org/index.php|title=WILPF|website=wilpfus.org}}</ref> She has been a pacifist and human rights/peace activist since 1984, when she observed the disparity between the wealthy and socio-economically challenged members of society while working as a Special Projects Coordinator for Consolidated Agencies of Human Service in Hawthorne, Nevada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://copperarea.com/pages/?p=2887#more-2887 |title=Copper Area News Publishers Covering Eastern Pinal County Jeanmarie Simpson: 'Artivist' for Change » Copper Area News Publishers Covering Eastern Pinal County |publisher=Copperarea.com |date= 28 March 2012|accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
After September 11, 2001, Simpson, a "self-described artivist," retreated from traditional theatre and began creating biographical works, political in nature, based on the lives of historical women.<ref name="huffingtonpost1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prlog.org/11271512-interview-with-an-artivist.html |title=Interview With An Artivist |publisher=PRLog |date=2011-02-02 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://ondemand.azpm.org/videoshorts/watch/2009/10/8/kuat-coming-in-hot/ |title=Video On Demand - Arizona Public Media |publisher=Ondemand.azpm.org |date=2009-10-08 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref>
Several political commentaries by Simpson can be found on ''Common Dreams''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commondreams.org/author/jeanmarie-bishop|title=Jeanmarie Bishop|website=Common Dreams}}</ref>
==Personal life== Simpson has three children and four grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://copperarea.com/pages/?p=3347#more-3347 |title=Copper Area News Publishers Covering Eastern Pinal County Jeanmarie Simpson: 'Artivist' for Change » Copper Area News Publishers Covering Eastern Pinal County |publisher=Copperarea.com |date= 25 April 2012|accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref> She remarried her first husband, Daniel Bishop, on August 28, 2015. The two were first married on July 24, 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2336080/bio|title=Jeanmarie Simpson|website=IMDb}}</ref>
==Current activities== Simpson is one of the founders and the Artistic Director of Arizona Theatre Matters, based in Phoenix, Arizona.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://azstarnet.com/news/local/new-company-looks-for-tucson-actors-with-disabilities/article_000ef459-ef02-504b-be79-e811a56036f4.html |title=New company looks for Tucson actors with disabilities |publisher=Azstarnet.com |date=2013-01-27 |accessdate=2013-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Kylie Werner, Glendale Star Staff |date=2024-05-08 |title=Nonprofit provides universal access to productions |url=https://www.glendalestar.com/features/nonprofit-provides-universal-access-to-productions/article_5a5f2f8a-08ca-11ef-8010-83f9e5313775.html |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=The Glendale Star |language=en}}</ref>
In 2024, audio/sign language productions of her plays ''The Jewish Question'', ''Bambino Mio - Bright Little Flame (about the life of Maria Montessori), When Churchyards Yawn - (Hamlet in Purgatory),'' and ''Pineapple and Other Options'' were launched on YouTube.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-20 |title=PHX Stages: Arizona Theatre Matters embarks on new adventure creating audio theatre |url=https://phxstages.blogspot.com/2023/04/arizona-theatre-matters-embarks-on-new_20.html |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=PHX Stages}}</ref>
As of January 2024, Simpson was clerk of the [https://fqaquaker.org/ Fellowship of Quakers in the Arts].
In 2025, a collection of four plays by Simpson titled ''When Churchyards Yawn and Other Plays'' was published by [https://upstageleftpress.carrd.co/ Upstage Left Press], a feminist publishing house dedicated to original dramatic literature by female-identifying writers.<ref name="upstageleftpress.carrd.co">Upstage Left Press. "When Churchyards Yawn and Other Plays." Accessed May 11, 2025. https://upstageleftpress.carrd.co/</ref> The anthology includes ''When Churchyards Yawn'', ''Lear (A Solo Adaptation)'', ''Ghosts of the Gilded Stage'', and ''Even Unto Death''. Written during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the plays explore themes of legacy, isolation, grief, and memory through revisionist and feminist perspectives.
The title play, ''When Churchyards Yawn'', imagines the characters of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'' confined in Purgatory forty years after their deaths. Critics have noted its mix of irreverence and moral inquiry, and Simpson's reimagining of characters such as Gertrude and Claudius has been praised for its depth and nuance.<ref>Reno Arts News. "Workshop Production Review: ''When Churchyards Yawn'' by Jeanmarie Simpson." July 16, 2023.</ref><ref>Nevada Sagebrush. "Review: ''When Churchyards Yawn'' Offers Reconciliation in Purgatory." September 2023.</ref>
''Lear (A Solo Adaptation)'' reinterprets Shakespeare's tragedy as a one-person show set during the king's final moments, described by Simpson as a “non-linear fever dream” blending Shakespearean and original text.<ref>Simpson, Jeanmarie. ''Lear (A Solo Adaptation)'' in ''When Churchyards Yawn and Other Plays''. Upstage Left Press, 2025.</ref> ''Ghosts of the Gilded Stage'', a pandemic-informed monodrama, centers on an aging actor alone onstage with the detritus of his career, confronting memory and artistic mortality.<ref>Simpson, Jeanmarie. ''Ghosts of the Gilded Stage'' in ''When Churchyards Yawn and Other Plays''. Upstage Left Press, 2025.</ref>
''Even Unto Death'' focuses on Joan of Arc's posthumous legacy, particularly through the eyes of her mother Isabelle Romée. The play interrogates the politics of sainthood and how trauma is inherited and remembered, reframing Joan not as an icon of fearlessness but as a terrified girl caught in an impossible choice.<ref>Simpson, Jeanmarie. ''Even Unto Death'' in ''When Churchyards Yawn and Other Plays''. Upstage Left Press, 2025.</ref>
The collection has been recognized for its structural experimentation and its resonance with contemporary theatre movements, including feminist adaptations, post-pandemic storytelling, and the resurgence of solo performance. Upstage Left Press described Simpson's work as “potent, enduring… [that] commands the page, with or without production history.”<ref name="upstageleftpress.carrd.co"/>
==See also== *List of peace activists *''A Single Woman'', play
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== *[http://jeanmariesimpson.wordpress.com Official Website] *{{IMDb name|2336080|Jeanmarie Simpson}} *[https://arizonatheatrematters.org Arizona Theatre Matters Website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Jeanmarie}} Category:1959 births Category:Activists from Arizona Category:Activists from Toronto Category:American stage actresses Category:American socialist feminists Category:Living people Category:American anti-war activists Category:American pacifists Category:American feminist artists Category:American emigrants to Canada Category:American women dramatists and playwrights Category:Actors from Pinal County, Arizona Category:People from Ray, Arizona Category:American Quakers Category:American people of Venezuelan descent Category:Actresses from Arizona Category:Actresses from Toronto Category:Pacifist feminists Category:Writers from Arizona Category:Writers from Toronto Category:Women's International League for Peace and Freedom people Category:Quaker feminists Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses