EDWARDSVILLE - In her first semester as faculty, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s newest assistant professor in the Department of Theater and Dance, Adrianna Jones, MM, is also making another debut: starring in the latest production of The Saint Louis Black Repertory Theatre titled “Blues In The Night.” The show marks her first as a performer with the company and her new teaching role returns her to her roots in the St. Louis Metro Area.
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"I was able to hear about the auditions from my colleague, Geo [Geovonday Jones, no relation], and one thing that was talked about before coming here is that I was wanting to reconnect with the art scene in St Louis,” said Jones. "You never know when your next opportunity is going to come up. When this opportunity came, I felt like I had to do it. This is going to be my big introduction.”
For this particular production set in 1930s Chicago, Jones, who hails from Alton, plays the character known only as The Woman of the World. She spends a good amount of the performance in her natural element: singing.
A vocalist who received her master's in music theatre vocal pedagogy, Jones stage credits include “Showboat,” “Ragtime,” “Hairspray” and “The Wiz” where night after night as the character Dorothy she belted out the signature showstopper, “Home.”
“I've actually had the opportunity to be Dorothy in ‘The Wiz’ a couple of times,” said Jones. “That character is iconic, but she's also super special. So many people love her and resonate with her story.”
“And every time I sing ‘Home,’ it's different. There are times where there are a lot of wet eyes and people may be getting emotional, but sometimes that has to do with how the lights and just how everything kind of comes together to make a magical moment.”
Jones’s career is also a study in versatility. She received a Master of Music, from Carthage College, a BFA in Musical Theatre from Webster University, Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts, and learned basic improv with The Groundlings.
In addition, she has worked on multiple productions as a director, is a seasoned Shakespearean actor, has starred in the classic stage play “A Raisin in the Sun” by playwright of Lorraine Hansberry and was part of the inaugural musical theatre company on a cruise line.
“That was one of my favorite contracts,” said Jones. “Working on a cruise ship you get to meet people from all over the world. We were the first cast to open a production on the ship. And as the inaugural show it felt like we were workshopping the two-act musical down to 90 minutes.”
Entertaining the cruise passengers did not come without some rough waters. “If the seas were rocky, it was crazy,” remembers Jones. “There was once a scene on roller skates. If the ship was too rocky, we were like, ‘No, cut the skates.’ We were performers but we were also crew members who had safety training. We were prepared to flip over the emergency raft. We had to be fit.”
Jones plans to apply her years of experience to her roles at SIUE as both faculty and as the new artistic director of The Black Theatre Workshop (BTW). Jones will lead the company alongside Geovonday Jones, BTW’s associate artistic director. She also admits that it was the BTW that led her to SIUE.
“I felt like I was ready for kind of a new challenge in terms of teaching, but also the ability to work with a group like Black Theater Workshop,” said Jones. “Something that I enjoy doing is working with works of artists of color. I want to continue to have those works represented and provide those performance opportunities for students of color interested in the field.”
In the spring semester, Jones will be directing BTW in “Blood at the Root” by playwright Dominique Morisseau. The production is part of the mainstage academic season.
“I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to join the family here at SIUE, even though I, myself, did not go to school here,” said Jones. “My grandmother went to school here. My aunts and uncles graduated from SIUE. I'm very familiar with SIUE, and back in the day, I participated in camps that were on campus. So it does feel like coming home. I'm happy to be here and excited for what the future holds.”
Off campus audiences may see Jones from now through September 22, in The Black Rep’s “Blues In The Night,” by playwright Sheldon Epps and directed by Ron Himes.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic mobility for individuals while also powering the workforce of the future. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Home to a diverse student body, SIUE is situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis.?
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