My Story

I’ve always loved to play. Like any kid, really, but I never grew out of it. Even in seventh grade, I was still insisting on playing mermaids. Pretend was never something I could shake, so I decided to turn it into my life. I blame my fast, restless imagination on growing up gender queer in Los Angeles.

Hi. I’m J.J. Moore, a nonbinary trans artist born and raised in LA. I started making stories early. When being myself didn’t always feel safe, I built characters and worlds instead. That impulse followed me into scripts I wrote, roles I played, and projects that kept getting bigger as I did.

As an artist, I learned how to read people. I pay attention to behavior, rhythm, and subtext, the things happening just beneath the surface. That instinct shapes how I write, direct, and collaborate. I’m drawn to work that feels human first and entertaining always.

I work across theater, film, television, puppetry, and collaborative world building. I trained at LACHSA and later attended Emerson College. I co founded BlueJay Theater Collective, funded through Emerson College, where I now serve as Co Artistic Director, curating full seasons of work. I’m also the Assistant Director of Emerson Stage.

I’ve produced multiple plays and developed my writing into short films. I’ve worked in creative development at The Jim Henson Company and Balboa Productions, learning how ideas are shaped, evaluated, and made to land.

I’m a big picture thinker and a fast conceptualizer. I like building things from the ground up and getting ideas out of my head and into the world.

I make art because I’m obsessed with play. If there’s a vision, I’ll help make it real.

Experience

The Jim Henson Company — Los Angeles, CA
Feature Film Production Intern (Creative Affairs) | Summer 2025
• Provided script coverage and development notes for feature-length projects
• Assisted in creating pitch decks and internal development materials
• Worked with Creative Affairs to evaluate content quality, audience potential, and industry trends

Emerson Stage — Boston, MA
Artistic Assistant | 2024-2026
• Assisted in selecting the theatrical season and evaluating programming
• Helped judge playwriting fellowships and new work submissions
• Supported daily office logistics and administrative operations
• Led outreach to other schools and community partners
• Assisted with website updates and general administration

BlueJay Theater Collective — Boston, MA
Founder & Artistic Director | Spring 2022–Present
• Secured a $3,500 investment from Emerson College to launch a theater collective focused on work by marginalized communities
• Built and onboarded a 14-person board to structure production, administrative, marketing, and financial teams
• Evaluated 20 director production pitches and selected 2 plays to ensure cohesive, mission-aligned programming

Balboa Productions — Los Angeles, CA
Development Intern | Summer 2023
• Provided script coverage and strategic recommendations for 20+ screenplays
• Built and maintained writer-tracking databases to identify emerging talent
• Supported pre-production through research and creative analysis

Mythic: The Musical
Artistic Intern | Summer 2025
• Conducted research and outreach to support potential collaborations
• Assisted with social media strategy and content
• Helped develop pitch decks and presentation materials