DENISE BESSETTE was a founding producer of Hudson Stage Company and during its 25 years, she co-produced all of its productions and the staged reading series of new plays. As an actress she appeared in HSC’s A Doll’s House, Part 2; Family Reunion: A Kind of Alaska; God of Carnage; The Pursuit of Happiness; Kimberly Akimbo and Full Bloom. Denise has worked in many Off-Broadway and regional theatres including Long Wharf in CT, the Huntington Theatre in Boston, the Kennedy Center in DC (long before this administration), American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, CT, Cincinnati Playhouse, the Asolo State Theatre in Fla., and as a member of Interact Theatre Company in Los Angeles. She was active in script development for many years with PBS’ Series “American Playhouse” and in NYC with the Writers’ Theatre and West Bank Cafe. Her TV and film work includes the title role in the recent short film, “The Eleanor”, HBOmax’s “The Other Two”, “Bull”, “Law and Order”, “Law and Order, SVU”, “Seinfeld” among many others. She was at Purchase College as an Adjunct Acting Professor and has taught adults with mental illness for many years.  She is forever grateful to her friends and family for their support throughout this process of developing the Colette project. Denise is the proud Mémère of granddaughter, Lucy.