Jelani Pitcher is an award-winning actor and artist currently living in Brooklyn, New York, and a recent graduate of Ithaca College- receiving his BFA in Acting.

 

Originally from the food and football capital of the world, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jelani has had a passion for theatre since he was a very young kid. Whether it's from performing as a Lost Boy in his community theatre's production of Peter Pan, or charging 25 cents admission to his one-man show of The Wizard of Oz in 3rd grade, he's always felt home on a stage. 

 

These creative cravings stuck with him throughout elementary school, through the awkward phases of middle school, and on to high school, where he was lucky enough to attend the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). Here is where he learned that a life doing theatre could actually become a reality, and following high school, the fates landed him at the wonderful Ithaca College. After four rigorous years of training, Jelani packed up his life and moved to start his career in Chicago.

 

Jelani debuted his career in Chicago portraying "George" in the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre's production of Sweet by Harrison David Rivers. He received 2 nominations from Chicago's Black Theatre Alliance Awards (BTAA) - Most Promising Actor, Best Actor in an Ensemble - for this role. The following year, Jelani won BTAA's Best Actor in an Ensemble for his role as "Booth" in Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre's Topdog/Underdog. Prior to the start of the Pandemic, Jelani joined longtime staple in the Black Chicago theatre community, MPAACT (Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre), as a company member, and the following year he became an ensemble member with HartBeat Ensemble in Hartford, Connecticut.

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Jelani now lives in Brooklyn, NY with his incredible fiancé and fellow actress, Brianna Joy Ford. They're very much looking forward to this next chapter in their artistic lives!

Onward to new adventures!