Born in Frederick, Maryland, Ravenscroft lived in Washington, D.C., from the ages of 3-18. The impact of growing up in the nation’s capital cannot be understated–with such a range of diverse experiences creating the woman and artist she is today. These formative years continue to inform her perspective: always putting people first, and engaging with risk-taking artistic work.
She lives in Chicago, Illinois, a great place to write plays, make art, and have picnics at the beach (with her girlfriend on the grill).
She moved to Chicago in 2019 to pursue a career in theater & the arts. In 2022, she studied abroad as a drama student at the University of Greenwich. The next year, she graduated from Columbia College Chicago with an acting B.F.A. and a minor in playwriting. Since her return from London, Ravenscroft has held various front of house positions at theaters across the city of Chicago.
At the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Julia has been a Show Supervisor for the past two years, working in a house management team with Devin Faught, Phoebe Silva, and Erika Wilson. Together, they house manage every show in the Yard, Courtyard, and Studio theaters. This year, the company is celebrating 40 years of theatre-making, four of which Julia has been lucky enough to be a part of. Interdisciplinary at heart, she has been solely designing the pub chalkboards for each show’s specialty cocktail(s) since the summer before last.
Since 2024, Julia has been at the Chicago Children’s Theatre, and recently was promoted to the title of Guest Services Lead. She has responsibilities including updating patron information in the ticketing database, co-ordinating documents for classes and summer camps, and correspondence with families over phone and email. This hybrid role has been a great fit for both Ravenscroft and the company during their 20th anniversary season this year.
Her last current job is as a house manager at Definition Theatre, a storefront theater in Hyde Park founded in 2012.
Ravenscroft is a network playwright at the Chicago Dramatists.
J. Ravenscroft 