by Jennifer Jonassen

I had the pleasure of meeting Jen Ponton through the modern miracle of cyberspace. Jen contacted me after reading one of my columns. I was immediately knocked out by her moxie and her positivity and would love to share her with you. Jen Ponton is working hard to make her dream come true in my old stomping ground of the NYC theatre world. She has recently been featured on ABC's "What Would You Do"  and I have no doubt we will be seeing much more of her in the future.

Jennifer Jonassen: Tell us a little about your career so far. Are you in any new & exciting projects?

Jen Ponton: So far (famousness-wise), my career highlight has been my starring role on ABC's "What Would You Do?" in their "Momzilla" episode. Conveniently, it was also a serious study on body image! The highlight of my career personally has been an *amazing* original play, "Sea Story," which I did with a regional company in NJ, as well as my off-Broadway premiere at Playwrights Horizons in NY!  Currently, I'm doing the first regional production of "Blue's Clues" at a professional theatre in NJ. But I'm thinking the best is yet to come when I get my own show up.

Jennifer Jonassen: Tell us more about that.

Jen Ponton: I'm feverishly working on a one-woman show which I'm hoping to self-produce and mount in NYC ASAP! It's called "Fat Chicks Don't Get Plotlines"--and it's about growing up fat, and then choosing to enter one of the least fat-friendly professions ever.

Jennifer Jonassen: Any dream roles?

Jen Ponton: My dream role? I have the soul of a leading lady, not a sidekick--so a dream role ?(that doesn't yet exist) would be a FABULOUS fat leading lady who is successful, comfortable in her body, in love (or on her way there)... just like any other starlet. The more we see fat women in those types of roles, the sooner it will be socially acceptable to BE fat. Out of roles that already exist? I am counting down the days until I play Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd!"