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Jessie Nelson
New York theater performer made her Hollywood feature debut as the producer, writer, and director of "Corrina, Corrina" (1994), a warm family comedy-drama set in the American South in the late 1950s. Nelson began as an actress performing with the acclaimed experimental theater group Mabou Mines. She went on to work with Raul Julia in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of "The Tempest" in Central Park as well as appearing in various NY productions before moving to L.A. Eventually growing frustrated with the paucity of worthwhile female roles, Nelson turned to screenwriting with her partner Stephen Tolkin. Finding that her control over her work was still limited, she decided to become a director.