55B is led by theatre artist Jenny Tibbels.

Drawing on a foundation in acting, directing, and teaching, 55B fosters new and multidisciplinary projects that expand our thinking.

Directing

The image shows a theater or comedy club with an audience watching a stand-up or panel discussion. There are three men on stage, one standing and two seated at a table. Audience members are seated in the dark, illuminated by stage lights.

As a director, I gravitate toward staging stories that are evocative and socially relevant, inspiring dialogue: Personnel Best by Pete Holmberg at The Secret Theatre, Dance with the Sun by Scott Ramsey & Stella Hlad at The Wild Project, and Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act by Athol Fugard at Baltimore’s Theatre Project.

Acting

A magazine cover featuring the title 'STATIC APNEA (2020): A PERFORMANCE INSTALLATION' and a badge with a 'Critic's Pick' review from The New York Times. The cover shows a person with a glowing light source at the top of their head, with a quote at the bottom: 'Fascinating to behold.' Photo credited to Simon Courchel.

I started my journey as an actor, laying the groundwork for how I produce: with the artist’s best interests at the forefront of my mind.

Some of my favorite performances include the american vicarious’s Static Apnea at The Invisible Dog, Creative Time's Doomocracy, SITI Company Lab, MOTUS Empathes by Arantxa Araujo, the World Wide Lab's Agamemnon at Irondale, and The Chocolate Factory's AUDIT by Brian Rogers.

Teaching

Theater stage with actors, some standing and some sitting, under purple and blue stage lighting, with a blank screen or backdrop in the background.

I learned how to be an educator through osmosis; my mother started and ran New Song Academy in Baltimore. Education has been a major part of my journey as an artist, and I seek to incorporate an educational component into projects I produce.

I started and ran the theatre program at Bard High School Early College in Manhattan for five years and have taught classes at Baltimore School for the Arts, Towson University, St. John’s University, and Eastern University where I served as Director of Theatre.