Rebecca Zapen [she/her] is delighted to make her first appearance with Jobsite Theater as a violinist in Penelope. She comes from a deeply musical family with roots in both jazz and orchestral music. She began studying violin at age three and later earned degrees in Music and Biology from Florida State University. Although classically trained, she has always possessed a natural ability to play by ear, leading her to explore a wide range of musical styles beyond the classical tradition, including folk, indie rock, klezmer, and jazz. She has released two jazz albums, Hummingbird and ZapStar, as well as two albums of award-winning original music, Japanese Bathhouse and Nest. Rebecca has performed extensively throughout the United States at venues including The Bitter End, The Living Room, and Mo Pitkins in New York City; Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles; and Schuba’s and Katerina’s in Chicago. She was also featured as a musical guest on the Public Radio International program Whad’Ya Know? Her international appearances include performances at Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas, the Paganini Auditorium in Italy, and Les Temps Modernes in Switzerland. As an orchestral violinist, Rebecca has shared the stage with artists including the Indigo Girls, Johnny Mathis, Trisha Yearwood, The Alan Parsons Project, and Electric Light Orchestra. She is also a longtime member of The Florida Bjorkestra.

Rebecca serves as a violin and viola instructor at Pinellas County Center for the Arts and Eckerd College while maintaining a thriving private studio. In addition to teaching, she performs at private events, recording sessions, and serves as Music Director at Unity of St. Petersburg.