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| Actor and writer Tyrone D. Jones, AS ’92, ’95M |
2:00 p.m., June 6, 2003--Ty Jones, a 1992 graduate of the University of Delaware, who returned to UD and earned his master’s degree from its prestigious Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) in 1995, was honored with an Obie Award last month for his work in the Off-Broadway production of Jean Genet’s “The Blacks: A Clown Show.”
Sponsored by The Village Voice to celebrate alternative theatre in New York City, the Obie Awards are Off-Broadway’s highest awards. Jones was honored for his performance as Archibald, the ringmaster of the “The Blacks.”
In a review on TheatreMania.com, Dan Barcalzo gave Jones “special praise for anchoring the show.”
Jenny Sandman, writing for “Curtain Up,” the Internet Theatre Magazine, writes, “It is an energetic, captivating performance, with excellent ensemble acting. Each is a treasure and possessed of a strong presence, especially Ty Jones as Archibald…They sing, fight, dance and soft-shoe, leap about the stage and mingle with the audience in fairly unorthodox ways.”
Jones, who was raised on the Dover Air Force Base, is UD’s first undergraduate to go on and earn a master’s in the PTTP.
“The Blacks” has been described as a postmodern minstrel show, in which several blacks, who may or may not have murdered a white woman, re-enact the crime for a kangaroo court of other blacks masquerading as white authority figures. With long poetic passages and commentaries, the play is performed in fragmented, dreamlike language.
This production of “The Blacks” first opened at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, then became the theatre company’s first production to travel beyond its resident stage at the Harlem School of the Arts. It ran from March 13 through April 6 at the the East 13th St. Theatre. When the show was first produced off Broadway in 1961, it starred Maya Angelou, Louis Gossett Jr., James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson.
Last year Jones received UD’s highest honor given to young alumni, a Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement.
Two years ago, he made his Broadway debut in the role of Lt. Byers in Abby Mann’s “Judgment at Nuremburg.” He has performed the title role in “Hamlet” with the American Shakespeare Company and countless other roles.
Jones’ recent film work includes the lead in “Kiss It Up To God,” whichwon an award at the Cannes Film Festival. Jones also appears in two soon-to-be-released films, “New to New York” and “When Tyson Met Tyra.” He also has completed several writing projects and others are in progress.
Jones also is a founding member of the Get Together Foundation for the Children, an organization whose primary vision is to stimulate a love of learning and enrich the imagination and self-esteem of New York City’s most disadvantaged children. He resides in New York City. |
