Jane Gennaro

Gennaro's illustrations and cover art were first published in songbooks by Chappell Music in 1975.“Chappell’s Art Song Classics”, “Old King Cole and 49 other Best Loved Children’s Songs”, “Twelve Musical Plays Based on Famous Fairytales”. Chappel Music Company, A Polygram Company.

Gennaro was hired by MAD magazine editor Jerry DeFuccio to caricature him on personal stationery designs between 1976 and 1978. Gennaro illustrated the MAD ad for Al Jaffee’s “Clods Letters to Mad” and sang on the Mad Magazine novelty record “Makin’ Out”.MAD Super Special Number Twenty Six (1978). "Makin’ Out." Lyrics by Norm Blagman. Music by Frank Jacobs. Featuring Smyle. Vocal assists by Jane Gennaro, Alfrieda Norwood.

From 1976 to 1977 Gennaro worked for Barbara Jo Slate, Inc. drawing Slate's feminist cartoon character, Ms. Liz, which appeared on millions of greeting cards.[http://www.fitnyc.edu/news-archive/2011/november-2.php "Feed The Models: The Scissor Drawings of Jane Gennaro".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615083143/http://www.fitnyc.edu/news-archive/2011/november-2.php |date=2018-06-15 }} Fashion Institute of Technology, 2011.

In 2012, an exhibition of the illustrated journals Gennaro has been keeping since 1988 was shown in Journeys: Jane Gennaro and Linda Mussman at Time & Space Ltd., Hudson, NY.[https://timeandspace.org/journeys-gennaromussmann-in-the-tsl-art-gallery/ "JOURNEY’S Gennaro/Mussmann in the TSL Art Gallery."] Time & Space, January 24, 2012.

Between 1977 and 1984 Gennaro performed at The Comic Strip, The Improvisation and Catch a Rising Star in New York City in an act that included singing impressions of MTV rock stars Tina Turner, Yoko Ono, Prince, David Bowie, Annie Lennox and Madonna. Billed as "Mud, Sweat & Jears," Gennaro voiced Cyndi Lauper on the novelty record, "Every Dawg Has Its Day" (Atlantic), a dance tune parody of the pro-wrestling craze.Crespo, Charlie. “Mud Sweat & Jears” Rock & Soul Magazine, 1985. In 1979, George Shea in Attenzione magazine suggested that Gennaro probably is the first Italian stand-up comedian.George Shea. “What’s so funny about being Italian?” Attenzione, August 1979.

Between 1982 and 1983 Gennaro performed with her real-life sisters, as

"Those Gennaro Sisters", appearing regularly at Carolines in New York City and other east coast comedy clubs. The act was described as “a fast-paced mixture of music, comedy and satire."Kaufman, Bill. “Those Gennaro Sisters ready for the takeoff.” Newsday, December 27, 1982.

In 2013 Gennaro was among the women authors of “No Kidding, Women Writers on Bypassing Parenthood” edited by Henriette Mantel.Popova, Maria. [https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/05/16/no-kidding-henriette-mantel/ "No Kidding: Women Writers and Comedians on the Choice Not to Have Children."] BrainPickings, May 16, 2013.

In 1988, Gennaro's solo play "The Boob Story" opened at The American Place Theatre in New York, directed by Wynn Handman.Holden, Stephen. [https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/02/theater/stage-the-boob-story.html "Stage: 'The Boob Story'."] The New York Times, March 2, 1988. The show was described as "a cautionary serio-comic monologue about breast fetishism in America, and the perils of getting too much of what one wants."Klein, Alvin. [https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/01/nyregion/footlights-beckon-an-imus-radio-voice.html "Footlights Beckon an Imus Radio 'Voice'."] The New York Times, December 1, 1991. Stephen Holden of the New York Times called the work an “ingenious conceit” and described Gennaro as “an engaging storyteller and skillful mimic.” The New York Post's Bill Ervolino called her “wonderfully appealing and a creator of a colorful gallery of losers, friends and fools.” Ervolino, Bill. "Putting up a good front." New York Post, March 9, 1988.

In 1991 she performed "Reality Ranch" at the American Place Theatre, dealing with the struggle of a magazine writer to attain self-knowledge in a world of infotainment.Gussow, Mel. [https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/11/theater/theater-in-review-675191.html "Theater in Review."] The New York Times, December 11, 1991. The 'New York Times described Gennaro, as “using her disarmingly affable personality to make satiric stabs at quick fading fads that tend to make one feel a step behind the times”.

In 1992 Gennaro completed “Una Donna in Coma”, a play for five actors.McCue, Danny. “Jane Gennaro, Rhythm Baby." The Long Island Ear, February 10, 1992.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Gennaro wrote and performed “Heebie Jeebies” in Culture Project’s Impact on the Gulf Festival, at Chashama in New York City and had an article published.Gennaro, Jane. "Is That All There Is? From Claverack to Katrina and back." Ourtown Claverack Quarterly. Spring Issue 2006

Gennaro was a contributor to the syndicated radio show The American Comedy Network, voicing Joan Rivers in the rap record, "Can We Tawk?"“Just A Big Ego” (1985). Rhino Records, Inc.

From 1986-1987 Gennaro was a writer/performer on The Joey Reynolds Show on WNBC and was the traffic reporter on The Alan Colmes Show. Gennaro was a substitute host for Lynn Samuels on WABC. She did a limited engagement as “The Weather Girl” on WOR’s Rambling with Gambling in 1998."Official Paper," The Long Island News and The Owl, July 30, 1998.

Gennaro was the first female writer for Don Imus' show on WFAN (1991-92),Hinckley, David. [http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/girly-recollections-imus-boys-club-article-1.774773 "Girly recollections of Imus' Boys Club."] New York Daily News, November 7, 1997. humorously rebutting his sexist teasing in character as Leona Helmsley, Diane Sawyer, Jeri Hall and others.Smith, Dinitia. "Morning Mouth." New York Magazine, June 24, 1991.

From 2002-2003 Gennaro was a commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered[https://www.npr.org/2002/12/17/882034/feed-the-models "Feed the Models."] National Public Radio, December 17, 2002.[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=918156 "Celebrities."] National Public Radio, January 13, 2003.[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1163851 "Commentary: Be Mine."] National Public Radio, February 14, 2003. and a character actor in satires written by Bruce Kluger and David Slavin.

Gennaro's "Articulate Remains", including the "Bones and Egg", "Brides of Bone" and "Kinderdraussen" series, were exhibited at TSL Gallery in Hudson in 2008,Wilson, Beth E. [https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/lucid-dreaming-aesthetic-disinterest/Content?oid=2168616 "Lucid Dreaming: Aesthetic Dis(interest)."] Chronogram, September 29, 2008. and at Rogue Space in Chelsea in 2009.Hrbacek, Mary. [http://www.thenewyorkartworld.com/2009/09/currentReviews.html "Jane Gennaro, Rogue Space New York."] in the art world, September 2009. Surrounded by the art, she delivered her monologue “Shaking the Goose Egg”. A review in dArt International magazine state that "The exhibition’s title... refers to the artist giving voice to the objects that she finds in nature... the monologue is a vivid piece of confessional theatre that reveals complex feelings of hope, guilt and responsibility."Mendelsohn, John. [http://feedthemodelsgallery.com/www.feedthemodelsgallery.com/news_files/dart%20review.pdf "Articulate Remains: Reliefs, Sculptures and Assemblages by Jane Gennaro at Rogue Space in New York."] dART international, Spring/Summer 2010 issue.

In October 2010 her "Feed the Models!" exhibit opened at The World Monuments Fund Gallery in New York City. Vision to Visuals columnist Baldev Duggal wrote “It takes an artist like Gennaro to reflect back to us the truth—the tension that lies beneath the beautiful mirage of carefully doctored aesthetics and loss of self identity.”Duggal, Baldev. "Vision to Visuals. Feed The Models!" Digital Photo Pro. August 9, 2010. Feed the Models was featured at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York,Piccoli, Kaitlyn. [http://archive.longislandpress.com/2010/10/01/feed-the-models-art-exhibit-at-adelphi-university/ "Feed The Models! Art Exhibit at Adelphi University."] Long Island Press, October 1, 2010. and in November 2011–January 2012 was featured at the Fashion Institute of Technology's Fred P. Pomerantz Art and Design Center.White, Renee Minus. [http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2011/nov/16/feed-the-models-exhibit-at-fit/ "'Feed the Models' exhibit at FIT".] New York Amsterdam News, November 16, 2011.

Gennaro has appeared on camera in numerous network television commercials, and recorded hundreds of voice-overs for narrations, cartoons, video games, audiobooks, podcasts and promos.

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|1036509}}
• [http://janegennaro.com/ Jane Gennaro]
• [http://www.feedthemodelsgallery.com Feed the Models]

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Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:American women illustrators

Category:American illustrators

Category:American women dramatists and playwrights

Category:Writers from the Bronx

Category:American voice actresses

Category:American women comedians

Category:American television actresses

Category:21st-century American women

Category:Comedians from the Bronx

Category:Actresses from the Bronx