Born and raised in Hollywood, California, Jesse Wilson is a Juilliard graduate in theatre. While living in New York City, Jesse began writing his autobiographical solo productions that were produced and performed across the country.

Living several years in Philadelphia, Jesse collaborated with some of the city's most talented artists, creating multi-media experiences as "visual backdrops" to his solo productions. Working with painters, videographers, and local bands to widely seen shows and rave reviews, the major productions that he created are Ultimate Blonde, Triumph of Summer, Knights of La Canada, and Going Vinyl. In his writing, Wilson examines "the turning point" between childhood and adulthood, the false images of ourselves and the celebration of our truest selves. Face The City integrates his latter three solo works, forming a two-hour production while incorporating the mediums of performance, music, photography, and video.

Currently, Jesse is also performing a solo show for young audiences entitled The Night the Moon Ate My Room! in support with The Kennedy Center's Imagination Celebration and PPLD (Pike's Peak Library District), with original music created by Mad Francis. In this six story collection, such tales as "The Conductor of Confusion" and "The Magic Orchestra" deal with self-discovery and the role of the individual.

When he is not performing, Jesse teaches theatre, music, and visual arts at Star Academy Charter School, The Colorado Springs Conservatory, Artworx!, and Future-Self, an arts program for "at-risk" teenagers.

Mad Francis (aka Eric Long) is primarily a self-taught composer, producer and performer. He had several months of early musical training and spent a semester at The University of Colorado at Denver’s audio engineering program. His notable credits include: producer of the Daniel Johnston side project The Electric Ghosts; mastering engineer for Lee Ranaldo’s (Sonic Youth) recording, which accompanied Ranaldo’s book Road Movies; and performance and production of the song Rowboat for the Daniel Johnston tribute I Killed the Monster.

As a solo artist, Mad Francis approaches his work from a conceptual standpoint. His music and lyrics are tied to an underlying theme, each song a component of the larger whole. His album Restless Mind Syndrome culminates years of his developing theme of self-actualization. In addition to several new songs, songs from his previous records—Recognition, Leaving the Way, and Down in the Basement—were re-recorded and arranged to reinforce this theme. Most of songs in the show Face the City are taken from Restless Mind Syndrome, along with "The Full Escape" and "My Heart, My Head" from the album Down in the Basement.

Eric Long sits on his degree in economics from Ohio State University, and resides in Colorado Springs—a place he considers the center of his universe. He has no plans to move to a bigger city, tout an amazing neighborhood Tai restaurant, and insist that others address him by the more formal name of Madness Francisco.

www.madfrancis.com