Who We Are

Cold Spring Communications was founded in 2016 by Michael Andrews and Jessica Bortman, a husband and wife team with a background in theater, film, and music, and decades of combined experience in storytelling and performance. As performers and storytellers themselves, Jessica and Michael are fascinated by what it takes to connect with and move an audience and the power of story to shape our world. They founded the firm on the belief that everyone needs these tools to communicate in their most powerful and authentic way.  

MICHAEL ANDREWS is a theatrical pioneer, workshop leader, performance coach, business consultant, and musician.

Along with Cold Spring Communications, Michael is also the co-founder and Executive Artistic Director of the award-winning Boxtales Theatre Company, creating and performing original pieces based in world myth and folktales. Michael leads the administrative team in all aspects, including marketing, manages the board of directors and fund-raising efforts, and writes foundation grants for the company. Michael has written the majority of the company’s original scripts, and teaches both the company’s summer camps and in-school residencies for youth and teens. Michael performs and leads workshops for the Pacifica Graduate Institute, and is the leader of Santa Barbara’s premiere dance band AREA51. 

Michael is the grandson of the renowned Alan Watts who is best known as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism. Michael has been deeply influenced both by his grandfather’s philosophy and his gifts as a storyteller and teacher.

JESSICA BORTMAN graduated with honors in Art History from University of California Santa Cruz. She went on to the graduate Film Production and Directing program at UCLA, and worked in the film industry as a story analyst and development assistant.

Collaborating with Boxtales Theatre Company, Jessica wrote the full-length adaptation of The Odyssey that premiered at the Lobero Theater, as well as co-directed Boxtale's popular touring play Leyendas de Duende, Magical Tales of Latin America.

Jessica has worked with nonprofits, businesses, and individual executives to sharpen their stories and performance skills. She provides one-on-one consulting as well as leading workshops and trainings.