Jessica Michna - Golda Meir: the Journey Home

Originally from Pennsylvania, Jessica Michna developed a love of history at an early age. She and her family visited the many historic sites throughout America. Her school years would find her appearing in various productions, in addition to costume design and construction. Upon graduation several scholarships were offered to further her studies in theater arts. She would opt to earn a degree in psychology from the UW system working several years as a researcher and lecturer.

Her love of theater and history would eventually bring Jessica to found her company, “First Impressions”. Since its’ founding in the year 2000, Jessica has expanded her repertoire to include seventeen historic figures.

In 2016 she was awarded the Presidential Service Center’s Distinguished Service award for her riveting portrayals of First Ladies. While she has appeared before a wide range of audiences, including appearances at the National Churchill Museum, the Lincoln Boyhood Home National Site, and Valley Forge, Jessica is particularly fond of performing for senior groups and communities. The life experiences of those in her senior audiences enhances her understanding of life stories. She often reminds her audiences that everyone has a history and encourages them to record their own life stories. “History is not a litany of which general died under which tree. It is the story and life experiences of each human life.”

Meier is just one of 20 characters Michna portrays for her first-person program called Historical First Impressions. The characters range from first ladies to civil war nurses to Ukrainian-born Wisconsin resident Golda Meir who would become the first and, so far, only female Prime Minister of Israel. Since 2000, Michna has combined her love of research and performing to share her joy of history with the world.

Meier is just one of 20 characters Michna portrays for her first-person program called Historical First Impressions. "I look at it as history isn't which general died under which tree. It's all the personal history of the people who lived in those times. That's what I try to bring across in introducing a character as a person in those widows' weeds."

"From clothes to accents, Michna is very thorough, as she can spend up to two years researching each character's life. "It's grand when people come up to you and say, 'I've got to go to the library and read more about that, she was such an interesting person, I didn't know she did all that," "I look at it as history isn't which general died under which tree. It's all the personal history of the people who lived in those times. That's what I try to bring across in introducing a character as a person in those widows' weeds."

She also spends countless hours making the costumes she wears. “Most of the stuff I have to make," she explained. "I have to research everything from the construction to the fabric to the styles. Then I have to analyze, would that person wear that garment?  A seamstress since she was just three years old, Michna sews everything from undergarments to buttons to coats for her ladies. Her props are also historically accurate, usually made by hand by her husband.

"I don't make fun of my characters. They are sometimes fun. They have their foibles, and they all made mistakes because they were human, but I never poke fun at them. They're too important, all of my characters."

For more information on Historical First Impressions, visit their website.

https://www.cbs58.com/news/historical-costumer-jessica-michna-brings-womens-history-to-life

Jessica Michna - American Historical Characters Impressionist