Growing up in a small suburb outside of Philadelphia, PA, I spent most of my afternoons making up songs to serenade the trees in my backyard.
It wasn’t until a concerned neighbor came over to ask my mom if she knew that I was doing this and whether or not she had considered putting me into therapy or musical theatre class, that I realized there was a socially acceptable outlet to release my creative passions (...therapy came later).
Once I found theatre, I never left. It's home.
In high school, I didn’t believe in myself enough to try to pursue a college degree in performance, so I applied for "normal college". While studying Elementary Education, French, and History during undergrad at The University of Virginia, I trained and performed for fun.
In my final semester, I had a quarter life crisis while reading The BFG to a class of fourth graders and realized life without singing was simply unlivable. I closed the book and decided to pursue a Masters degree at New York University studying my lifelong love: musical theatre.
I spent ten years in Brooklyn before the pandemic turned a west coast road trip into a residency. While my permanent address may be on the East Side of LA, you'll most likely find me on a JetBlue flight to/from NYC. Truly, I'm Carmen San Diego.
In NYC, I've appeared Off and Off-Off-Broadway; In LA, in Hollywood and at Center Theatre Group; regionally at places like Paper Mill Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse, and the Walnut Street Theatre; worked with with TONY winning directors like Jeff Calhoun, Kristin Hanggi, and Kathleen Marshall; have sung rich scores composed by writers including Sheryl Crow, Duncan Shiek, Steven Lutvak, Jason Robert Brown, Alan Menken, and Mark Shaiman; and performed roles that have garnered rave reviews and recognition, including a Carbonell Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
I combined ALL of my passions (teaching, history, music, performance) to build a private voice studio, Innovative Voice Studio. By choosing the challenging and rewarding path of being a small biz owner for my side hustle as well, I am a true teaching artist, thriving in the unknown and possibilities that come out of relationship building and creativity.
As a voice teacher, I work with Broadway performers, regional theatre actors, cruise ship dancers, and pre-professional college and high school students in mastermind programs like The BADassery, private voice lessons, group classes, workshops, and in academia, collaborating with colleagues to build and maintain reputable programs like those at USC, MTCA, and the gone too soon University of the Arts.
Whether you're an artist, an entrepreneur, seeking a career path change, or hiding behind being a perpetual student, I can help you conquer your fears to get out of your own way because I’ve been there.
explore ivs
Let's collaborate.
Time is a wildly valuable resource.
Let’s not waste it in “what ifs”.
Instead, let's embrace the present moment.
My openhearted, honest, dry vulnerability is one of my biggest storytelling strengths. Let me put it to good use by showing up in service of the stories you want to tell.
Podcasts are like the cereal aisle at the grocery store: look hard enough, and you'll find exactly what you're in the mood for. From entrepreneurial leadership, jokes and vocal advice, to mom real talk, I've shared it while the recording light was red.
I thought you'd never ask! Email me at jennapastuszek@gmail.com.
On living the multi-hyphenate dream
On Ghosts and judy garland
on overcoming the fear of failure
On singing every day
On THE COLLEGE JOURNEY
On becoming a mom
Born and Raised
23 and me results
Philadelphia, PA
Ukrainian and Scottish. More Neanderthal than you.
searching los angeles for...
Culture36 (fight me)
The Best Breakfast Burrito
dogs or cats?
can be caught ordering...
Both! (I have one of each)
Coor’s Light or an overpriced Matcha
favorite running song
secret single behavior
Black Betty by Ram Jam
Eating bagged lunchmeat out of the fridge
favorite music genre
If I Were a Candy I’d Be A...
Yacht Rock
Cadbury Egg. Hard on the outside, gooey in the middle.
COMMUNITY
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
PERFORMING & AUDITIONING