A veteran of the Houston theatre scene, Jean Donatto trained at the American Conservatory Theatre School, San Francisco, California. During this time Jean also benefited from the rigors of a stint at the Berkeley Stage Company, the lab theatre of The University of California at Berkeley. Jean’s dedication to educational theatre was solidified early as a member of a touring program out of Berkeley Stage called Poetry Playhouse, which used theatre to introduce poetry to elementary school students. In Houston Jean Donatto has performed on many stages including, Stages, The Ensemble, The Miller Outdoor theatre, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and Jones Hall where she was delighted to narrate the young people’s performances for the Houston Symphony Orchestra. As a theatre-teaching artist for Young Audiences, Jean Donatto uses theatre as a tool to assist teachers in curriculum enhancement that is subject and grade-level specific and, if requested, TEKS-oriented. Jean has a proven affinity for “Special needs” students and has no hesitation when it comes to serving their needs.

For four years, Jean was a teacher trainer with The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion’s educational outreach program, a program with a four-year duration. This program shared methods of using the arts in education with teachers and provided artist support in subsequent semesters. In partnership with the Pavilion, Jean enjoyed two very fruitful special needs residencies at the Krause Center of Katy for young adjudicates in crisis. Jean Donatto has been performing and facilitating residencies with Young Audiences of Houston for more than twenty years. As a teaching Artist for The Houston International Theatre School, Jean successfully guided the students of Helms and Field Elementary schools HISD through their own original adaptations of Englebert Humperdink’s opera, Hansel and Gretel. Jean has done commercials, many industrial films, and voice-overs. She continues to share her talents as a storyteller with Houston and the world.