Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Jones.
Hi Brandon, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Paris, KY which is a small town north of Lexington. I played sports growing up and attended Bourbon County High School where I took drama to get an easy “A” but eventually fell in love with acting and stopped playing sports. My sophomore year of high school I auditioned for Governor’s School for the Arts which was at Bellarmine College in Louisville, KY and I was accepted into the acting program for that summer. That following fall (my junior year), I was selected to attend the Juilliard Experience in NYC at The Juilliard School. My senior year, I auditioned for Juilliard in Chicago, and did a unified audition at the College and Career Day for Governor’s School for the Arts alumni. I was accepted into the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music (CCM), and was an alternate for acceptance into Juilliard. In the summers I would go back home and cut my teeth on the Lexington Shakespeare Festival stage in roles such as Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Edgar in King Lear, and finally Othello in Othello. After 4 years at CCM, I moved to NYC. I received my Equity card on the tour of Charlotte’s Web as The Narrator. From there I’ve worked regionally all over the country at Garson Theater in Santa Fe, NM as Coyote in Jose Rivera’s References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot directed by Nick Mangano, The Sting of White Roses by Angelica Cheri at North Carolina Black Rep directed by Jackie Alexander, Kim’s Convenience at TheatreSquared, and Twelfth Night at Kansas City Rep both directed by Nelson Eusebio III. I was in the national and international tour of ReEntry written and directed by KJ Sanchez. I’ve been a company member of The Actors Company Theatre (TACT) and am a resident artist with New Light Theater Project in NYC. My voice can be heard in PlayOn Shakespeare’s audio play of Love’s Labour’s Lost by Shakespeare directed by Nelson Eusebio III in the role of Don Adriano de Armado. Recently I was in The Curtain’s acclaimed production of Richard III as Buckingham and just closed an acclaimed production of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery as Watson at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.
I’ve also been in a few films over the years. I played Marcus Christianson in the award-winning short Brothers Incorporated, Mr. Wilson in the award-winning short Mildred Richards, Sterling in Wildflowers, Danny in the web series SameSame, and Clare’s Boyfriend in Francis of Brooklyn. I co-directed the award-winning documentary The Weight on Our Shoulders with Jake Drescher, and am currently in post-production for Pest Control which Jake and I co-wrote and co-directed. I’m also set to appear in SpaceMosque which is currently in post-production.
Oh, I’ve also made music with J-Ideas as one half of the LoFi group Tash Patterson. I’ve released a few solo projects: Shot of Bourbon EP, Old Soul, and Don’t Say That (as Jōnz).
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. I’ve been homeless twice in my 23 years in NYC. I’ve lost my mom, got married, became a dad, and divorced in the span of 18 months. That said, I’ve only had one year with no luck or work when I was actively trying to act or make music.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an actor/filmmaker/songwriter. If I specialize in anything I’d say I specialize in acting and filmmaking those are what I’m most known for. However, I’m most proud of being a man of faith, a good dad to my son, and trying to show him how to be a good person even when the world rewards those who seem to not share the same values.
If anything sets me apart from others, it’s that I’m me. I enjoy being Brandon Jones. There’s no reason to be or even try to be anyone else.
What’s next?
My plans for the future are to write, shoot, and produce more creative projects with my friends. When you’re doing what you love with the people you love it’s not work. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to do that and most importantly, I’m looking forward to the amazing things my son will do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@therealboogiejones
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@llewxam48
