I Know I'm Somebody! The Musical

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  Sheba Jordan Biography
  Writer/Producer/Director

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CHANGING DREAMS TO REALITY THROUGH ARTS

“I write to entertain but more importantly to empower people.”

When I Know I’m Somebody! first opened at the South Orange performing Arts Center in South Orange, New Jersey, no one knew what to expect of it. With limited, yet creative, marketing the producer, along with the cast and crew, was able to attract hundreds of people to the one-day event that took place on Halloween, one of the most popular nights of the year. “Before the curtains opened, I peaked out and was happy to see all those people. I thought to myself, ‘well, at least it’s a social success,”’ Director Sheba Jordan said.  More than a success socially, the crowd went wild about the play, clapping and cheering when the play had ended.  In a poll to learn how the play was received, the audience responded with a unanimous “We LOVED it!” The show is a meandered combination of brilliant comedy, music, drama, love, and hope. Notorious Casting Director Wendy McKenzie hailed it as “...a great show. I was captivated.” Actor JD Williams from the critically acclaimed HBO hit series The Wire said, “It keeps your interest. It’s funny but the message isn’t lost. It’s just a good play.”

Sheba Jordan was raised in Newark, New Jersey where she took an early interest in performing arts, staging performances for guests with her siblings in their living room. After 3^rd grade Sheba’s mother removed her from the public school system and began home schooling her because (she said) Sheba never fit in with the rest of the students in public school. She was a lot taller and smarter than any of her classmates. The home schooling continued through high school. At age 15 her mother felt she was ready for college. She signed Sheba up to take the High School Equivalency Examination. After acing the exam, Sheba was enrolled in Essex County Community College of Newark, New Jersey where she took up English and was deemed a genius by colleagues. Sheba joined the entertainment board at the college and quickly received acclamation for being one of the best entertainers the school had ever known. She won all the singing competitions she entered into and was soon asked to stop competing and participate in competitions as a featured artist. Sheba’s advantage over competitors was her ability to create visually stunning performances with minimal resources using lights, fog, dramatic entrances, exits, attention-grabbing body language and brilliant monologues her mother would help to write.

She excelled as an actress in childhood TV commercials for Milk, Curad Band-Aids and Stanley Tools as well as college productions of The Wiz and A Raisin in the Sun. Whenever she commits to a project, she gives it her all. She rehearses incessantly until she accomplishes perfection.

She has shared the spotlight with greats like, Regina Belle and Carl Thomas. Sheba matches their skill with electrifying performances that are addictive. Even at the early age of 16 audiences loved watching her and she accumulated a huge following. She is the original host for the Jersey Soul Open Mic Jam Session at the Key Club in Newark, NJ. Her charisma onstage attracted a massive clientele to the venue.

Along with her natural knack for live entertainment, Sheba took a spirited interest in writing. In 2005 Rychew Publishers launched their Black Heritage Mugs featuring an affirmation written by Sheba. In February 2007 her book Words in the Key of Life: Designed to Inspire Greatness was released and has since helped thousands of people in their pursuit of emotional contentment.. 10% of the book’s proceeds is donated to the American Cancer Society. Sheba chose this charity to honor the life of her best friend Gwendolyn Reese who died of breast cancer on March 19, 2005.

In October 2008 she expanded her career as a dramatist. She called on super producer and musical genius Gerard D. Barnes to create the score of what would become a masterpiece. She put out several casting calls and quickly cast the play but finding the right director was a hopeless struggle. She initially hired a local director but his changes to the script were excessive and not in tune with Sheba’s vision. She hired a second director who spent a whole month with the script before she quit due to other obligations that would not allow her to fully commit to the project. This put Sheba in a tough position. She was beginning to lose credibility with some of her cast as show time was nearing and she had no director but Sheba was determined to bring this dream to life.

In addition to her acting experience and her ingenuity in directing short plays, Sheba read books and partook in online studies gaining the knowledge to direct the play herself. She was accepted into the Dramatist Guild of America where she gained further knowledge and guidance. Sheba always goes the extra mile to produce magic onstage and does not believe in defeat. I Know I’m Somebody! opened at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on October 31, 2008 to a nearly sold out audience and was received with zealous enthusiasm. On Mother’s Day, May 10, 2009 Sheba produced another performance of I Know I’m Somebody! Actor JD Williams guest starred in the role of “George.”  Hundreds of people came to see this performance. Sheba is still writing and currently planning additional showings of I Know I’m Somebody! Show dates and venues will be posted on the I Know I’m Somebody! website www.ikisplay.com.

Her most recent work is a screenplay entitled Me and My Best Friend. It’s the story of a world-famous book publisher who fakes her own wedding to her best friend (who is an NBA star) to satisfy her cancer stricken grandmother. A crazed novelist threatens to sell their secret to tabloids if she refuses to publish her novel.

Sheba is a prolific writer whose work is finally beginning to get the recognition it deserves.

Sheba Jordan’s works:

Books:

• Words in the Key of Life: Designed to Inspire Greatness 2007
• I Am an Amazing Woman (TBA)
  
  

Plays:

• I Hate Christmas 1992 (One Act)
• The Slave Girl 1996 (One Act)
• He Loves Me Not 1999 (Short Play)
• I Know I’m Somebody! 2008 (Full Length Musical)
• The Letter 2009 (Full Length Musical-production date 2010)
• The Bad Sister 2009
• I Know I’m Somebody Too! (Full Length Play-completion date 2010)

Movies:

• Me and My Best Friend (complete-unproduced)
• I Know I’m Somebody (completion date 2009)
• The Bad Sister (Short Film-Premiers August 28, 2011 at the Times Square Arts Center in NYC)

Music:

• Love One Another – Wake Up Records Inc. 2000