Janet Wells (aka, Janet Meshad) is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, of Lebanese decent, in a land and a time where you couldn’t be too white…you were either white, colored, or I-talian. You either got a sense of humor, or burned down your Lebanese ghetto. She chose humor. She holds a degree in Theatre from Webster University in St. Louis. Missouri. She began her professional career in Atlanta, Georgia with the Wit's End Players. She also starred in many musicals and plays at the Alliance Theatre, and Theatre Under the Stars in Atlanta including Promises, Promises, and Norman is That You? Upon moving to L.A. she worked in radio, movies, and television. She guest starred on the Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, The Dukes of Hazard, The Tony Randall Show, and the movies Being There, and The God’s Must Be Crazy. She performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and did comedy improvisation and stand-up at the Comedy Store and the L.A. Improv.
Since moving back to Atlanta, she has starred in made for TV movies, independent films, commercials, voice-overs, documentaries, and stage. Recently she played Jeff Foxworthy’s wife, on the The Jeff Foxworthy Show. Also, played a psychologist in Susan Solomon’s Premiere of her Independent Film, Consequences.
She has been teaching comedy improv since 1986, and leads the Janet Wells Comedy Improv Workshops for actors, entertainment, team-building, and fun. Janet is also a writer and producer. She has written many 1 woman shows as well as group productions. Her short stories have aired on Georgia Public TV. Her short story IITYWYBAB was published in the Nassau Review, a New York Literary Magazine. She has had 2 screenplays optioned at Universal Studios and CBS. She co-produced a documentary call The Next Epoch featuring the late Jonas Salk, which aired on PBS stations throughout the U.S.
Janet is also a Percussionist. She began drumming professionally with the T.H.E. Drum Choir in 1995 playing the West African hand drum, the Djembe. She performed with this group for 6 years. She played timpani drums in the opening ceremonies for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. With the T.H.E. Choir she played festivals, drum camps, parades, churches, The Carter Center events, UN events, and open drum circles. She has been leading drum circles for Mary and Martha’s Place in Atlanta, Cedar Hill in Dawsonville, Ga., The Foundation for Global Community (here in Atlanta and in Palo Alto, Ca.), The Center for International Studies, Unity North Women’s Retreat, and for private groups and socials.
And if that’s not enough, Janet is also a co-writer of the musical, Laughing Moon, and looks forward to its premiere this year.