Melanie Jeffcoat

Melanie was born in Watts, LA to political activist parents which absolutely shaped the kinds of stories she wishes to tell. An award-winning documentary film producer/director, credits include writer/director of the film "Open Secret" which was requested by the U.S. Department of Justice for their Voting Rights Section Library, Producer: "Man in the Glass: The Dale Brown Story," about the LSU men's basketball coach with Matthew McConaughey and Shaquille O'Neal. The award-winning feature documentary "Gip" about the Alabama juke joint owner Henry "Gip" Gipson which aired on PBS. She was the writer/director of the short film "Requiem" and producer of the film "Uncle Glen's Hygienic Panty" both of which premiered at Sidewalk Film Festival. Most recently she completed work on the documentary feature "The Color of Cola" as the Second UPM. Melanie's screenplays have placed as Finalist at numerous comps/fellowships and she is an alum of Stowe Story Labs. Her most recent short film, Lockdown, inspired by her own experience with a school shooting as a high schooler decades ago, is currently on the festival circuit and has won top awards in Berlin and The Hague. As an actor, Melanie works in TV and Film in the southeast and is the co-founder of Chaotic Good Improv (CGI) which streamed free live improv shops via Twitch throughout the pandemic and is now back on stage! She is a prolific stage actor, having co-founded the critically acclaimed Circle X Theatre Company and continues to embrace telling the stories of powerful mature women. She is currently adapting her award winning historical feature script to the stage as it brings to life a remarkable voting rights true story that has never been told.