Mike Jones, Community Director (Headshot by Life & Portraits)
Radio personality and community supporter Mike Jones is a well-known face around Fort McMurray; he’s been is several Theatre; Just Because dinner theatre productions and Keyano Theatre plays, he’s emceed and organized events all across the region, and is a champion of the local music scene. This year, he’s taking on a new role, as one of the Community Directors for Theatre; Just Because’s productions in the Acting Out! ADFA One Act Theatre Festival in celebration of our 5th anniversary!
This is Mike’s first time directing, and he’s tackling a play he wrote himself: What Time Does the 3 O’Clock Parade Start? - an hilariously fast-paced farce set in the colorful office at the amusement park Happyland.
“This farce was born a few years ago at a script-writing workshop. I had stumbled across the title while reading a blog about Disneyland and instantly thought it was a great title of something I wanted to see. Some of my favorite farces are the kind where you’re just overwhelmed (and a little confused) by the whole process so I started by writing a synopsis and I threw everything but the kitchen sink at the main character. Then, I started writing.
Initially I decided to apply to the Community Directors program because I wanted to see this script come to life, but I didn’t think I had the chops to pull it off. It took a lot of convincing and persuasion from some close friends of mine to just go for it.
The process has been amazing. There were some tough moments early on where I felt really stressed out with the planning/paperwork side of things. But once we get in the rehearsal space and I can get ten people in a room together - I can’t describe it any other way than ‘magic happens’!”
Experience Mike’s directorial debut on April 13, 2019 at the Acting Out! One Act Theatre Festival, held at the Keyano Recital Theatre in Fort McMurray.
