Broadway actress shares her wisdom with JF students

    You have to be committed.

Tom Wilmoth

Jennifer Simard (center) is pictured with Niki and Spence White. The Whites first met the Broadway actress in New York City. Simard came down for a visit last week and Spence White asked her to speak to his drama classes.

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Tom Wilmoth

Andrew Jernigan and Heather Neas show their "scared" look as part of the exercise led by Jennifer Simard Friday.

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Tom Wilmoth

Broadway actress Jennifer Simard leads JFHS drama students in an exercise to get them focused.

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    That was the advice a Broadway actress gave Jefferson Forest High School drama students Friday about how to be successful in that business.
    And, she added, “you have to be lucky.”
    Jennifer Simard has been both and she shared with the JF students in Spence White’s drama classes the ups and downs of pursuing an acting career.
    Simard is a three-time Drama Desk Award nominee and is currently starring in Broadway’s Sister Act. She previously appeared as the Wicked Witch in the original Broadway production of Shrek the Musical and as Rora in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, alongside Mo Rocca.
    She was in the original Off-Broadway cast of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change as well as several different incarnations of Forbidden Broadway.
    Simard’s television credits include “The King of Queens,” “Law and Order,” and numerous television commercials.
    Simard met Spence White and his wife Niki early on in her pursuit of an acting career in New York City. They became fast friends and when she made plans to visit the area, White quickly lined her up to speak to his classes.
    Friday’s classes began with some warming up exercises, led by Simard, to help the     students  learn  to  “be   in  the