submitted by Yavapai College
Actress and Yavapai College graduate Julie Ann Woolsey, known to Greater Prescott audiences for her work in Jane Eyre, Hello Dolly! and Chicago, is now performing in an off-Broadway show in New York.
Woolsey, a graduate of Yavapai College’s Performing Arts Department, is playing a featured role in the world premiere of Screaming for Life, which opened March 14 at the Crown Theatre.
“I am thrilled to be a part of this show and specifically playing the role of Joanne!” Woolsey says from New York. “She’s a beautiful and empowering role with an inspiring story behind her.”
Produced by the Milky Way Theatre Company, Screaming for Life tells the story of a sales representative-turned-sculptor who faces profound artistic sacrifices. Broadway World reports that the cast also features two-time Emmy nominee Aaron Philip Watkins and Tony nominee Stephen Multari, Giaime Lewis and Leah Eckardt.
Woolsey describes working on the show as an honor.
“The meaning behind it is inspiring and resonates deeply with everyone who’s seen it. I moved (to New York) be an actress and instead feel like I’m a part of something far more impactful.”
She also noted that Kathryn Annibale, who worked as a sound engineer at YC’s Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center, recently moved to New York and works as the sound designer for Screaming for Life. “So there’s a lot of Prescott representation in this new play!”
Screaming for Life is Woolsey’s second off-Broadway production. Since moving to New York in 2023, Woolsey — the daughter of YC Speech & Communication Professor Mark Woolsey and Business Administration Professor Denise Woolsey — has also acted in independent films while balancing acting with a day job as a performer for corporate events.
“It’s been great out here,” she said in 2024. “The initial move was quite a shift. But there are so many opportunities and cool things to do.”
She holds great memories of Prescott and YC’s Performing Arts Department. “The teachers deserve a huge round of applause,” she says. “They help you reach for the stars and train you to get there.”
