By Laura Kroeger
NKyTribune staff writer
As Ken Jones winds down an incredible 39-year career at Northern Kentucky University, his legacy will continue on. He is the spark who got people throughout the Tri-State interested in theatre, who touched the lives of over 2,000 students, and who introduced to the nation his writing of plays, TV shows and musicals through work with Paramount, Disney, and other prestigious production companies.
Most of all, he instilled values in students. Some went on to perform on Broadway and in television, the film industry and Chicago’s Second City (where so many performers go on to roles on Saturday Night Live). Several star in shows on cruise ships or at amusement parks. Others took those values to careers in law, medicine, the military and other fields.
Last month Jones presented his last NKU production and one of his personal favorites, Mama Mia. Seven former students flew in from throughout the U.S. to pay tribute to their mentor. Alumnus Roderick (Rodney) Justice, a Tony-recognized arts educator, Broadway producer and the current artistic director of The Cincinnati Children’s Theatre, returned to orchestrate the choreography.
“I would not be where I am today without Ken Jones,” says Justice. “The classes I took with him changed my life by preparing me for my career and shaping me as a person.”
For the packed crowd, it was bittersweet. Many followed all of Jones’ productions knowing they were always going to have an evening or afternoon of top-tier entertainment. Others, especially alumni, knew this was the final curtain for their beloved instructor.
Said NKU President Cady Short-Thompson, “We celebrated the brilliant career of NKU Theatre Professor Ken Jones this weekend before Mamma Mia. He is the most award-winning, incredibly talented, and creative faculty member who has launched many Broadway performers and has too many professional accolades to mention. Ken retires this year and we owe him more thanks and praise than I can possibly mention. He is simply…the best.”
Dr. Bethany Bowling, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, notes that Jones has put NKU Theatre and Dance on the map. It is the largest theatre program of any college or university in Kentucky. Yes, it’s larger than UK or Louisville.
“To me, Ken is this amazing combination of energy, expertise, enthusiasm and professionalism,” says Dr. Bowling. “He totally transforms a room. The students feed off him. Being in a room with his student Improv Troupe is the most fun experience—and that sticks with me from 19 years ago seeing his troupe at various events from the time I started at NKU.
“Ken is funny! Like really funny. When I think of him, I think of smiling and laughing. That’s a pretty great thing to leave people with.”
Ken has spent 45 years in the entertainment business with an extraordinary educational foundation. He earned a B.F.A in acting/directing from the University of Florida, a M.F.A. in playwriting/directing from the University of Virginia and a M.F.A. from a special two-year professional conservatory program in playwriting from Harvard University. Along the way he stopped in at the University of Warwick in England for Shakespearean Studies.
His output is staggering.
He has had 27 plays produced with 10 published and created nine musicals. His play-writing career immediately took flight with the Off-Broadway production of his play, A Red Eagle Falling. Another, Darkside, was chosen as Time Magazine’s Critics Choice and was recognized as one of the Best Plays of the 1980s.
A humble and ardent fan of his craft, Ken rarely spoke of his dozens of awards to his students. Two years ago he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for writing the play, Billion George.
He has been nominated for two Emmys and many international awards for screenwriting and filmmaking. Ken was fortunate to have been chosen for the prestigious Warner Bros. Television Writer’s Workshop, preparing him to go on to serve as head of development for Light Point Entertainment at Disney/MGM Studies where he created content for animation, television and film.
Ken is a performer too. He could be seen in Broadway musicals Finding Neverland and Steel. Locally he appeared in productions at regional theatres such as the American Repertory Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Company and the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Sometimes students could recognize him through the characters he voiced for animated national television series or in local TV commercials.
According to Matthew Albritton, director of the School of the Arts (SOTA), “My favorite production has to be Church Girls. This was written and directed by Ken and is filled with his sense of humor. He also acted in the production, playing fours parts (three female and one male) with such comedic timing both in the dialogue and physically.”
Albritton can also speak to the persuasiveness of Ken Jones.
“Ken stopped by my office and told me he wanted to discuss an opportunity with me – but not to worry, he said – he wouldn’t talk me into anything. Then he proceeded to talk me right into a leadership position. Ken was a fantastic leadership mentor, guiding me and other new managers forward with insight, humor and perspective. I was fortunate to step into his shoes as SOTA director and have leaned heavily on his example, advice and support.”
He was named the prestigious Rosenthal Distinguished Professor of Theatre and Dance and Regents Professor in 1987. He was honored in 2003 with the Frank Sinton Milburn Outstanding Professor Award which recognizes a NKU faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, scholarship and service over their career.
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Diana McGill has seen Ken in many lights.
“Ken’s productions stand out to me as over the top creative, whether in the physical comedy he employs or the emotional tugs he weaves throughout his productions, or in the staging, music, etc. Personally, I learned from Ken the importance of laughter in leadership. He taught me, by example, to think of humor in the difficult moments when working with a group. Of course this has to be carefully applied and is not always appropriate, but when I think back to where I got this now-natural approach, when it is appropriate, it came from Ken. That’s a legacy gift he left with me.”
While he gave his all to NKU for almost four decades, he still found time for two loves: his voracious writing and his family. Ken is married to his high school sweetheart Christine who is an award-winning poet, lyricist and film actress. She served as Professor of Stage Acting at NKU for 17 years before retiring in 2020. Christine takes great joy in collaborating with her husband. They have written eight musicals together and are working on a ninth that has been published.
Of course their greatest collaboration is their successful children: Kyley, 33, is an occupational therapist in Colorado Springs; Haley, 32, is a professional equity actress in New York City; and William, 27, is a system engineer at Simple IT in Northern Kentucky.
“At first, NKU was just a great spot between my work on both coasts,” recalls Ken. “NKU quickly became our home. Every year when a new group of students appeared it made me feel immortal. It’s been like I’ve had 2,000 children. I follow their careers. Many keep in touch with me. No matter what career they go into, I’ve encouraged them to use theatre concepts in their workplace. Learn how to communicate. Be on time. Be prepared. Rehearse your presentations.”
Many aren’t aware of the Improv Troupe class. While the group once did a world tour to bring comedy abroad, the impact they have made locally is immeasurable. For 38 years each new crop of students would entertain 17,000 kids a year throughout Kentucky and the Tri-State by performing at schools and theatres. Ken says it recruited children as young as kindergarten to consider a career in entertainment. One of the Improv members originally saw the group as a kindergartner in Appalachia. She was inspired.
As a supreme collaborator, Ken partners with the Carnegie, CCM and even Otterbein College and Indiana University on productions such as Sweeney Todd.
His favorites? Le Miserable, Spamalot, A Play That Goes Wrong and of course, Mama Mia.
Alumnus Aaron Lavigne was recently on season 29 of the national television program The Voice. He appeared in numerous Broadway productions such as Rent. Aaron played the role of Jesus in NKU’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Amazingly, seven of those cast members went on to perform on Broadway.
Ken takes great pride in the dozens of alumni who have made it to the big time. He says, “When I would have anxious parents worried about their child majoring in theatre, I would remind them of the famous Steve Jobs quote, ‘I’d much rather have an artist than an engineer.’”
So the newly dubbed Professor Emeritus, who as a child wanted to be a scientist until he joined an improve group at the University of Florida, is set to retire. He and Christine want to travel, visit their kids and enjoy their newly-built home in Union. They have a few writing projects in mind, ripe for their collaboration.
Who knows? You just might see Ken Jones at the helm of a future community production.