A Frontmezzjunkies interview: With Greenheart Productions’ Co-founders Susan Jacobson & Andrea Lynn Green

In an era when empathy can feel like a niche subscription service rather than a shared value, Greenheart Productions was born from a quietly radical idea: that theater can still bring people into the same room and ask them to really listen. Co-founded by Susan Jacobson and Andrea Lynn Green, the company didn’t emerge from a five-year strategic plan or a late-night spreadsheet spiral, but from a simpler, more human instinct—the kind that says, this story matters, and it matters now. Greenheart’s mission is clear: to curate live performance that leads with compassion, sparks dialogue, and trusts audiences to be thoughtful adults.

That instinct found its first and unavoidable home in 17 Minutes by Scott Organ, a play that refuses to be tidy or polite. It’s the kind of piece that lingers long after the lights come up, tapping you on the shoulder on your walk home and asking uncomfortable but necessary questions. When Susan and Andrea encountered the play, they didn’t wonder if it should be produced so much as how quickly they could get people in a room to experience it together. The upcoming staged reading, planned for early 2026, marks both Greenheart’s inaugural public event and an open invitation to sit with complexity, curiosity, and a little productive unease.

For both founders, Greenheart Productions is less a pivot than a continuation—just with more clipboards. Susan’s career has moved fluidly between dance, memoir, and performance rooted in movement and truth; Andrea’s acting work has long centered on character, nuance, and emotional precision. Together, they are building a company that honors the artist’s life while widening its lens—creating work that takes its subject matter seriously without taking itself too seriously. What follows are their reflections on launching Greenheart, choosing 17 Minutes, and stepping into a new chapter where purpose, partnership, and a shared sense of humor are very much part of the plan.

FRONT MEZZ: Susan, your career has woven together dance, theater, memoir, and movement. How does the creation of Greenheart Productions feel like a natural evolution of that artistic path?

SUSAN JACOBSON: I have never quite fit into a neat category. I was always asked, “So, are you a dancer, choreographer, actor, writer, teacher, director?” and the answer was “Yes.” But that tended to confuse people, so I kept those categories separate and divided my time among these creative pursuits. As time went by, I realized all these creative outlets are connected, enhance each other, and provide unlimited ways to communicate and express what I am trying to get across to an audience. Greenheart Productions is a place where we can create work and nurture pieces that communicate in multifaceted ways, similar to the evolution of my creative, personal path.

FM: You’ve worked with iconic teachers like Uta Hagen, Anna Sokolow, and Mary Anthony. How have their lessons shaped your philosophy as a producer and artistic leader today?

SJ: These women sit on my shoulder, whisper in my ear, and challenge me to work creatively.  In their company, I experienced what it meant to be an artist in terms of priorities, philosophy, heart and soul, and way of life. I remember Mary Anthony reminding me that technique is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. It didn’t matter how high you could lift your leg, but why you were lifting it in the first place. The intention behind the movement is what mattered. Anna Sokolow was a genius at distilling human emotion through gesture and growled at that vacuous saying “have a nice day” with the accompanying smiley face logo. She was interested in what was the source of desire, pain, and longing, not in having a nice day. Studying with Uta Hagen and being hired by her as a movement teacher at HB Studios reinforced the importance of being in the moment and remaining true to your physical being. If you were honestly, authentically in your body, everything else would fall into place. Being in the presence of these women, and working with these artists, has reinforced for me that the body never lies and that many of the most memorable moments on stage and screen are silent while speaking volumes.

FRONT MEZZ: What was the moment you knew that 17 Minutes by Scott Organ was the play you wanted to build Greenheart Productions around?

SJ: Lee Brock from the Barrow Group suggested I read this play. I was immediately swept up by the relationships and devastating simplicity. Without pointing fingers, the playwright, Scott Organ, manages to convey and capture the heart-wrenching experience of every character devastated by this tragedy.  I feel, as a country, we have lost our way when it comes to dealing with important, existential issues.

ANDREA LYNN GREEN: We cast it together with local Connecticut pros we’ve worked with in the past on various projects, and read the play around a kitchen table. Something shifted in the room. We were all moved and motivated to find a way to get this play onto a Connecticut stage. We brainstormed. Who would be willing to produce a play about a school shooting, here, in Connecticut, financially, artistically, and emotionally? This play demands a conversation, and we realized the way to get it started was by sparking it ourselves. 

FRONT MEZZ: Looking ahead, Andrea, how do you envision Greenheart Productions evolving over the next few years? And how do you hope it will expand the kinds of stories you get to tell, whether as an actor or artistic leader?

ALG: Over the next few years, I envision Greenheart growing steadily and intentionally. I want us to build trust by doing a small number of projects well, establishing partnerships, and becoming known for exciting work that invites reflection and conversation. I’d also love to begin a development wing of the company for unpublished plays that fit into our mission. 

FRONT MEZZ: Greenheart emphasizes collaboration at its core. What does collaborative storytelling mean to you, and how do you hope to foster that environment with the artists you work with?

SJ: Collaboration begins with the wonderful women who are part of this venture, Andrea Lynn-Green and Luisa Tanno. Beginning this adventure from its infancy, I rely on and enjoy what each of us brings to the table and how we support each other. Once it stops being fun and inspiring, it’s over. Not that we don’t appreciate the hard work and inevitable frustrating and disappointing moments, but collaborating with these women makes this venture invigorating and possible. In terms of collaborating with fellow artists, Greenheart is dedicated to finding and nurturing exciting new work and providing experiences, such as creative salons at the Driftway Barn, which can foster an environment of collaboration among artists and between audience and artists.

ALG: Collaborative storytelling, to me, means everyone is working toward the same goal: telling the story as clearly and honestly as possible. It’s a shared process where the director’s vision is clear, and the actors, playwright, and creative team are invited to bring questions, discoveries, and expertise that make the work stronger. When feasible, we would also bring in subject-matter experts early in the process to deepen our understanding and help us approach the material with care.