If Jake Keefe ʼ06 was a movie title, he would be “Everywhere, Everything, All at Once.” A comedian, an actor, a writer, a producer, and a teacher, Keefe is a man on the move, seemingly in perpetual motion.
Reminded that he was the student body president, a member of Model U.N., a member of the International Thespian Society, and captain of both the JV soccer and JV tennis teams, Keefe laughed and said, “You will notice there are no academic accolades.” He went on to discuss his love of being on stage, which began during the summers he participated in Derryfield Repertory Theatre (DRT). Keefe noted that DS faculty members were very supportive of student performance, especially at
Community Meetings.
“My friends, mostly Sean Pallatroni ‘06, would come up with some funny musical idea, and we would run it by Dean (of Students) Smith, who oversaw Community Meetings. He almost always gave us the green light, and we would get up there at the next meeting.”
Post-Derryfield, Keefe attended Syracuse University, where his focus shifted from stage acting to comedy, specifically improv. After graduating with a BFA in acting, Keefe headed to New York, where he dove headfirst into “an industry that is tough.” Interspersed amongst his numerous gigs were some “wow” events, like being a member of the original cast of “Puffs,” a parody of the Harry Potter
book series.
Keefe’s most current work includes: acting in commercials, serving as a host and workshop coordinator at Unarthodox, teaching “Improv for Commercials,” and serving as a writer of the short horror film “Love Hurts,” and a music video, “Side Salad,” with music by Sean Pallatroni ‘06.
When asked about his aspirations for the future, Keefe said he hopes to continue to “bring joy to other people.” If you dive into his online catalog of work, you will certainly agree that Keefe is hitting his mark, many times over.
