New Yorkers Head South to Perform

Many Atlantans in the ‘burbs might not get a true feel for the depth of talent that city’s film and media industry attracts.

Jen Jacob and Jesse Ruben make for an anachronistic Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra. Jacob has a spicy role in the soap opera, “Beyond the Gates,” where she plays Ashley Morgan, a nurse who makes “questionable” romantic decisions, and grew from being unsure of herself to a confident and outspoken woman … and still makes “questionable romantic decisions,” per Ruben.

Ruben, on the other hand, is a performer, songwriter, and musician who performed at Eddie’s Attic and at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, alongside Atlanta’s own Joe Alterman, who met Jacob while attending New York University (NYU).

Ruben likes to think of himself as a modern troubadour who sings, tells stories, and tries “to make people feel seen and connected.” He grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia as a third-generation musician and picked up an acoustic guitar at 16 which determined his path. He graduated from Berklee College of Music and has been a touring professional. He signed with BMG and Universal Music, and his songs have been streamed more than 70 million times while he’s performed all over the world.

Jacob knew she was going to be an actress since age 2. She studied acting at NYU and quickly booked roles in TV and film on shows like “Girls,” “Master of None,” “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” and “FBI: Most Wanted,” and now as this lead role in “Beyond The Gates” (CBS), the first new soap opera in 25 years. The soap opera focuses on an affluent multigenerational family in a wealthy gated community in Washington, D.C. and has a predominately black cast. The two had been living in Brooklyn when she got the role and had three weeks to move here, while Ruben had to stay behind a while.

Ruben wrote the song, “This Is Why I Need You,” after overcoming a three-year battle with Lyme disease, which he’s had since 2013. Twice it has taken him away from his career for multiple years.

He explained, “It can be an extremely challenging and isolating experience, especially since most doctors aren’t up to date on the current research, and there isn’t a very accurate test. I think when you go through something like a long-term chronic illness, you either decide it’s something you’re never going to talk about again, or you decide that you want to do everything possible to make sure it never happens to anyone again. I was the latter and fortunately found others who felt the same way.”

For his Tikkun Olam project, Ruben created Generation Lyme (genlyme.org) in 2018. He explained, “More than any other organization, we host online support groups for those impacted by the illness … with 20,000 participants from all 50 states and many countries. Georgia is not one of the worst states for Lyme Disease, but it is a problem here, and I encourage anyone who spends time outdoors and in nature to do thorough tick checks.:

He added, “It’s my way of acknowledging those who helped me get through that period.”

Another song of his, “We Can,” is the basis for his educational program for elementary and middle school students — The We Can Project — which he performed on “The Today Show.”

On June 14, Ruben’s album release show for his new record, “Belong,” will be held at Eddie’s Attic. He enthused, “I can’t wait to play these songs at such a special venue in my new hometown.”

The couple lives in Reynoldstown which Jacob describes as “small, charming, with lovely neighbors and walkable options. We enjoy going antiquing and vintage shopping. We really love that we have a lot more [living] space, getting to know new people, and getting to slow down a little bit. As much as New York is exciting and energetic, this has been a nice change of pace … but the traffic here is brutal!”