The Divine Miss K
by Jill Duff-Hoppes
Janine Klein, a talented Orlando actress and powerhouse vocalist, was always destined for the stage.
“My parents were in theater – that’s how they met – and I came out from the womb dancing,” she says with a smile. “Theater is all I ever wanted to do.”
A standout in musical theater, comedy, and cabaret, Janine is often called “Orlando’s favorite Jewish diva.” And as far as she is concerned, there’s no negative connotations to being dubbed a diva.
“It’s the highest compliment,” says Janine, whose performing style has been compared to Bette Midler – one of her idols.” Any strong woman performer who can belt her face off, that’s a diva to me.”
Theater is in Janine’s blood, and not just because of her parents. Her family tree includes David Belasco, the legendary turn-of-the-century Jewish-American theater producer, director, playwright, and lighting designer. His plays included Madame Butterfly: A Tragedy of Japan, which he adapted from a short story. The play and short story would later be made into Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Janine was born in New Jersey. Her family moved to South Florida and then to Syracuse, New York, before settling in Central Florida about 30 years ago. Through all those transitions, theater was the only constant that could capture and hold Janine’s attention. For much of her life, she suffered from severe, untreated attention-deficit disorder.
“Singing was my escape,” says Janine, whose parents enrolled her in voice lessons when she was a child.
The make-believe world of theater was also a way for Janine to bond with her mom and dad. For several years, the family lived in West Palm Beach, where her parents ran a community theater group.
“Those were my favorite moments with them, because we were able to be together in shows and have fun with this great hobby,” says Janine.
Locally, she has performed at a long list of venues including Orlando Shakes, Mad Cow Theatre, Breakthrough Theatre, Winter Park Playhouse, and Theater West End.
Janine graduated from Oviedo High School, where she was active in the drama department. She also briefly studied opera at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After leaving college and returning home, Janine performed in shows and worked for a corporate recruiting company. She then segued into being a full-time, professional actress, working at attractions such as Universal Orlando and Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows.
One of her favorite theme-park roles was portraying a Jewish storyteller at Disney’s Epcot during the holidays. Currently, she works at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the Frozen show.
About 10 years ago, Janine began doing solo cabaret shows that are a perfect way to feature her big voice and quick wit. A favorite with gay audiences, Janine has performed her cabarets in New York City and throughout Central Florida. Her catchy show titles have included Gay Bar Star and The Diva’s Diva: Tales of a Drag Queen Assistant. Janine has also performed cabarets nationally and internationally with one of her closest friends – Joshua Eads, a.k.a. drag queen Ginger Minj. Ginger gained fame as a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, a reality television show.
In October, audiences can catch Janine in The Animatronicans and The Animatronicans: Under New Management at the Orlando Museum of Art’s auditorium. The sitcom-style plays, about a wacky group of animatronic characters from local theme parks, have been huge hits at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival.
Janine’s main acting job these days is far removed from her over-the-top comedic turns in shows like The Animatronicans. She is a simulation design specialist for a company that offers virtual reality training sessions for teachers, doctors, military personnel, and other professionals. The job requires Janine to do the voices and characterizations for 23 virtual reality avatars, which interact with the company’s clients. She also helps write training scenarios that deal with issues such as autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide prevention.
“I love this kind of acting because it’s actually helping people; it’s teaching empathy,” she says. “It’s the most challenging, coolest acting I’ve ever done. Improv actors are really good at this.”
Recently, Janine has been honing her improvisational skills with classes at SAK Comedy Lab in hopes of eventually joining the troupe. She also enjoys playwriting and has begun teaching private acting lessons. Janine has one other very important role – that of mom to her 19-year-old son, Sage, a student at Valencia College.
Although her multifaceted life can get hectic, the fast pace and variety suit Janine.
“It’s crazy, but I have to always be doing something, or I’ll go nuts,” she says with a laugh.