Rachel Jendrzejewski

Rachel Halcyon Jendrzejewski, blithe spirit, born May 14, 1982, left this world July 14, 2025, holding her sister Ingrid’s hand. Loving family and friends were with her both in body and spirit.

Rachel was born in Lawrenceville, Illinois and grew up in Vincennes. Most recently she lived and worked in Minneapolis, MN.

Rachel’s theater experience began with skits and performances with her older sister Ingrid and her friends. Through Ingrid’s involvement, she connected with the Vincennes local theater group The Old Town Players.

Rachel graduated from Lincoln High School in 2000, where she especially enjoyed participating in music and theater productions. She attended Hamilton College, Azusa Pacific University (BA Theatre Arts) and Brown University (MFA Playwriting). During her college years she traveled around the world with Carpenter’s Tools International, a music performance-based outreach program.

Rachel was a writer, performance maker and arts administrator. She collaborated on work across the U.S. and internationally. Honors include Playwrights’ Center Jerome and McKnight Fellowships as well as grants from the Dramatists Guild Foundation, PEN America, Network of Ensemble Theaters and Foundation for Contemporary Arts. Residencies included the University of Minnesota Institute for Advanced Study, Weisman Art Museum, MASS MoCA and Everwood Farmstead. She was a Core Writer at the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis. She served on staff at Cornerstone Theater Company (Los Angeles), The Grotowski Institute (Poland), and Upstream Arts (Minneapolis). She was a Co-Artistic Director at Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis.

In her work Rachel frequently collaborated with choreographers, musicians and visual artists. Her work was developed and/or presented by the Walker Art Center, Red Eye Theater, Public Functionary, In the Heart of the Beast, Padua Playwrights, Los Angeles Performance Practice, Tricklock Company, Joe’s Pub at The NY Public Theater, The Wild Project, Rhode Island School of Design, A.R.T. and ICA/Boston among others. Published texts include MERONYMY (53rd State Press), encyclopedia (Spout Press), IN WHICH _______ AND OTHERS DISCOVER THE END (a collaboration with SuperGroup; Plays Inverse/53rd State Press), and Amber (in the anthology I Might Be the Person You Are Talking To: Short Plays from the Los Angeles Underground, Padua Playwrights).

Rachel is survived by her parents, Andrew Jendrzejewski and Amy DeLap Jendrzejewski, sister Ingrid Anne and her partner Alex Selby and their daughter Rosalind, other family including Walt and Kay Jendrzejewski and Kay’s children Tammy, Theresa and Scott, Kathy Jendrzejewski and her daughter Jenny, Robert and Linda DeLap and their daughter Margaret, Bob and Trish Fineman and their son Ben, Ron and Marie DeLap and their children Matt, Andy and Rebekah, Beth DeLap and Ken Lenington and their children Neil, Eric, Sara and Will, and Rachel’s many friends from Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Poland, Providence, Vincennes and around the globe. She is survived by her beloved cat Agnes; her equally cherished companion Cloud/Bruce, the cat, passed on last year.

Rachel’s family would like to offer heartfelt thanks to Dr. Amy Krie who managed Rachel’s cancer care for four years in Minneapolis, Dr. Yadav at the Mayo Clinic, and the doctors and hospital staff at Langone Hospital in NYC who graciously and compassionately cared for Rachel in her final days. Everyone who knew and loved Rachel also feels deep gratitude to her sister Ingrid, who was by her side around the clock during her last two weeks in the hospital and for many weeks prior to that as Rachel navigated her last clinical trial. Rachel’s family also extends deep gratitude to Rachel’s dear friends who provided round-the-clock care, support and love, and to Alex Selby who helped make sense of the many clinical trial possibilities, supported Ingrid and Rosalind from home during Ingrid’s long stay in the US and traveled from England to offer support and care for Rachel before her passing.

Plans are being made for a celebration of life for Rachel at Mariah Creek Chapel on the Vincennes University Campus in the Fall. There will also be a visual celebration of life for Rachel at the Art Space Vincennes gallery during the months of November and December (artwork and images by and of Rachel and other memorabilia that embody her positive spirit throughout her life).

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions to the Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis (https://redeyetheater.org/support) or to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (https://www.bcrf.org/other-ways-give/) are encouraged. Goodwin-Sievers Funeral Home is privileged and honored to be entrusted with the care of Rachel and her family.

In a recent interview Rachel stated:

I feel rooted at home in theater for its etymological purpose— “a place for seeing” or simply, “behold”—a hospitable space (as Erik Ehn puts it) which facilitates sight and insight. My goal as a playwright is to keep seeking out new ways to create that kind of space, over and over, toward a more imaginative and compassionate world.