Kenton Jones
Last updated
February 5, 2016Kenton’s current news
Currently first-year MFA candidate in Scenic Design & Technology, at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. After a few decades of professional work in theatre and film, I have decided to bring my skills up to date, forge new connections, and move boldly into the next chapter of my career.
Biography
A theatre brat from early childhood, my career began onstage and has progressed to scenic art and design. From humble beginnings in Chicago - starving actor/waiter syndrome - I moved to Los Angeles and began working with and learning from established designers. Freelance work took me from shoebox theatres to regional theatres; low-budget horror films to Paramount sound stages, and everything in between. Eight seasons as Charge Scenic Artist with Arizona Theatre Company afforded the opportunity to realize the visions of world-class designers, while a summer at Williamstown Theatre Festival finally helped me commit to returning to graduate school to learn what I needed to learn.
Résumé
CURRENTLY: First-year MFA candidate in Scenic Design & Technology, at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus.
OBJECTIVES: To continue developing my skills as scenic artist and designer; to establish long term relationships with professional theatre companies; to help young people explore and develop their potential as theatre artists.
QUALIFICATIONS: Several years of steadily working as a scenic artist and designer for theatre, film and television; experience working with a wide variety designers and artists; an avid collector and reader of most classic texts on stage design, technical theatre, scenic art and faux finishing; energetic, pragmatic collaborator; innovative, organized, budget conscious, a strong leader.
PROFESSIONAL:
- Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa: Resident set designer/technical director/master carpenter/charge artist
- Eastern Michigan University – Charge Artist/Designer: Duties involved managing paint department, supervising construction and painting of scenery and props
- Michigan Shakespeare Festival
- Painted backdrops and scenic elements for three productions
- Stages St. Louis – Charge Scenic Artist
- Barrington Stage Company - Charge Scenic Artist
- Utah Festival Opera, Logan, Utah: Artist-in-residence; in charge of executing twelve backdrops for Carmen
- Williamstown Theatre Festival - Charge Scenic Artist
- Arizona Theatre Company: Charge Scenic Artist for nine seasons
- Pasadena Playhouse - Charge Scenic Artist
- Glendale Centre Theatre – Glendale CA; Resident designer/scenic artist
- La Mirada Civic Theater – w/Joanne McMaster, designer
- Back Alley Theatre, LA
SCENIC DESIGN FOR THEATRE:
Death & Pretzels, Chicago: Gruoch
Mercy Street Theatre, Chicago: Bird Girl
Morningside College:
- James and the Giant Peach
- Grease
- Almost, Maine
Eastern Michigan University:
- Bud, Not Buddy, Meriah Sage, director
- Go, Dog. Go! Patricia Zimmer, director
Childsplay AZ, Tempe AZ - Petit Rouge
Arizona Theatre Company (Summer Onstage Series) - Once on this Island; You Can't Take it
With You; Scapino
Arizona Onstage Productions, Tucson AZ - A New Brain
Mesa Arts Center (w/ATC) - Fully Committed
Rogue Music Theatre, Grants Pass OR - The Sound of Music
Sierra Repertory Theatre, Sonora CA - West Side Story; Sweet Charity;
Bullshot Crummond; The Secret Garden; Oklahoma!; Blues in the Night;
Joseph...; Dames at Sea; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Glendale Centre Theatre, Glendale CA - The Little Mermaid; Anything Goes!;
Blithe Spirit; Guys and Dolls; Joseph...
Colony Studio Theatre, LA CA - The Skin of our Teeth (Drama-Logue award for scenic design);
Guys and Dolls; On the Verge
Second Stage, LA – Creeps
Court Theatre – LA - Public Enemy
- All Scenic Design responsibilities included training and supervising staff and volunteers of varying skill levels in the construction and painting of scenery and props.
OTHER AFFILIATIONS
Barrington Stage Company; Glendale Centre Theatre – Glendale CA; Lexington Scenery, LA; BosSets, LA; Back Alley Theater, LA; Cinnabar, LA; Court Theatre, LA; Serrurier and Associates, Pasadena CA; George and Goldberg Design, LA; UCLA; Pepperdine; El Camino Community College; La Mirada Civic Theatre; Sierra Repertory Theatre, Sonora CA; Missouri Repertory Theatre at UMKC
