"I absolutely loved working with Bessie. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable in her craft but she also made the room feel so safe. While working with her on The Sound, Bessie respected boundaries while also pushing everyone to be their best self. Our show had not only intimate moments but we also worked with blood and for myself it was my first time working with blood, but Bessie made me so comfortable and now I feel like an expert on blood work. Everyday while in rehearsal we knew as soon as Bessie entered the room, we would have fun while still getting the work done with precision and thoroughness. She is truly dedicated to her work and it’s such a joy and relief as a director to have someone so great in your rehearsal room with you. Anybody would be lucky to have her a part of their team."
-Ashley Keys, Stage Manager& Director
"I’ve worked on productions with Bessie where I was in the cast and where I was on the production team. She makes a point to take care of you no matter what your position on the project is. She’s excellent at the choreo itself, but more than that, she knows how to take care of the team if something goes wrong. We worked on a production where the content that played with consent, and it became too much for me at one point. Bessie was excellent in the way she handled the situation. I felt protected and taken care of and we were able to move forward with the production. I highly recommend Bessie!"
-Shoana T. Hunt, Actor& Assistant Stage Manager
"I have had the pleasure of working with Bessie Zolno on multiple projects over the years and I could not recommend her more as an intimacy director, collaborator and artist. Bessie creates a safe and collaborative space to work and opens the floor for everyone to have their creative input. She has always allowed artists to push the boundaries of their work while keeping the environment safe for everyone involved. Bessie challenges those around her to produce results that everyone involved can be proud of and I look forward to the chance to work with her in the future."
-Carson Schroeder, Actor
"With Intimacy for stage and film being in its young stages, Bessie Zolno is a fierce and thorough advocate of the industry and a collaborative designer. She is a great representative of how Intimacy Coordination can elevate even the smallest details. Always hungry to research what is required for each project, Bessie showcases the bountiful ways an intimate moment can be portrayed in accordance with scene requirements while honoring an individual's consents and boundaries. As her colleague, her joy for this work is infectious and fun to hive mind with. I have seen her research and innovation produce storytelling that the actors enjoyed performing, regardless of the content. Always ready with new information, always ready with Plan insert-letter-here and always ready to laugh, Bessie Zolno is a great guide to have through this young and rapidly growing industry."
-Sheryl Williams, Intimacy Coordinator
"It was great working with Bessie as an Intimacy Coordinator. I realized during the production that I had started calling her the Intimacy Director and subconsciously I was right because she went beyond for the production. She understood the script completely and was on the same page with me and the producer to execute what we wanted. The performance she got out of the actors were very realistic and much better than we even imagined. I remember her reciprocating with a humble smile after I asked her how she managed to make two strangers this comfortable in such a short period of time... Although an Intimacy Coordinator, I have always collaborated with her as a Co-Director and would not want it any differently for our future projects together."
-Tejo, ScreenWriter& Film Director
"Bessie's presence in our rehearsal process for the opera 'Acis and Galatea' was smart and calming, as she helped us in finding physical solutions and giving consultation when needed. She was an address for the singers when they needed to work through physical encounters, whether violent or intimate, and a smart outside eye for me, to note when something was stuck in a scene because of physical or movement-oriented issues."
-Ari Teperberg, Stage Director
-Ashley Keys, Stage Manager& Director
"I’ve worked on productions with Bessie where I was in the cast and where I was on the production team. She makes a point to take care of you no matter what your position on the project is. She’s excellent at the choreo itself, but more than that, she knows how to take care of the team if something goes wrong. We worked on a production where the content that played with consent, and it became too much for me at one point. Bessie was excellent in the way she handled the situation. I felt protected and taken care of and we were able to move forward with the production. I highly recommend Bessie!"
-Shoana T. Hunt, Actor& Assistant Stage Manager
"I have had the pleasure of working with Bessie Zolno on multiple projects over the years and I could not recommend her more as an intimacy director, collaborator and artist. Bessie creates a safe and collaborative space to work and opens the floor for everyone to have their creative input. She has always allowed artists to push the boundaries of their work while keeping the environment safe for everyone involved. Bessie challenges those around her to produce results that everyone involved can be proud of and I look forward to the chance to work with her in the future."
-Carson Schroeder, Actor
"With Intimacy for stage and film being in its young stages, Bessie Zolno is a fierce and thorough advocate of the industry and a collaborative designer. She is a great representative of how Intimacy Coordination can elevate even the smallest details. Always hungry to research what is required for each project, Bessie showcases the bountiful ways an intimate moment can be portrayed in accordance with scene requirements while honoring an individual's consents and boundaries. As her colleague, her joy for this work is infectious and fun to hive mind with. I have seen her research and innovation produce storytelling that the actors enjoyed performing, regardless of the content. Always ready with new information, always ready with Plan insert-letter-here and always ready to laugh, Bessie Zolno is a great guide to have through this young and rapidly growing industry."
-Sheryl Williams, Intimacy Coordinator
"It was great working with Bessie as an Intimacy Coordinator. I realized during the production that I had started calling her the Intimacy Director and subconsciously I was right because she went beyond for the production. She understood the script completely and was on the same page with me and the producer to execute what we wanted. The performance she got out of the actors were very realistic and much better than we even imagined. I remember her reciprocating with a humble smile after I asked her how she managed to make two strangers this comfortable in such a short period of time... Although an Intimacy Coordinator, I have always collaborated with her as a Co-Director and would not want it any differently for our future projects together."
-Tejo, ScreenWriter& Film Director
"Bessie's presence in our rehearsal process for the opera 'Acis and Galatea' was smart and calming, as she helped us in finding physical solutions and giving consultation when needed. She was an address for the singers when they needed to work through physical encounters, whether violent or intimate, and a smart outside eye for me, to note when something was stuck in a scene because of physical or movement-oriented issues."
-Ari Teperberg, Stage Director
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