Interview: Theatre Life with Jade Jones

Today’s subject Jade Jones is a powerhouse performer who is currently living their theatre life onstage at Arena Stage in the World Premiere play We Are Gathered. The show runs through June 15th in Arena’s Fichandler Stage space.

Jade was most recently seen as Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables at The Muny in St. Louis. Read on to see what it was like for them to perform for 11,000 people a night.

They are best known for their portrayal of Belle in Olney Theatre’s internationally acclaimed production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Jade made their New York debut in 2023 as Mary in the off-Broadway revival of Vanities, and made their television debut as Stevie on the primetime network series Chicago P.D. 

As a DC native, they have also been seen locally at Shakespeare Theatre Company (The Amen Corner), Round House Theatre (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play), and Ford’s Theatre (Into the Woods). The latter featured Jade in one of the best portrayals of Little Red Riding Hood I’ve ever seen.

They were spotlit on ABC 20/20’s 25th Anniversary Cinderella reunion special alongside Billy Porter and Todrick Hall, and have been featured in Playbill, MSNBC, and People magazine.

Their music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud, under the moniker “Litty Official”.

To say that Jade Jones is a force of nature when onstage would be a big understatement. Their performance of “Home” in Beauty and The Beast was easily one of the best moments I’ve ever had in the theatre. No, really, it was!!

Grab your tickets to We Are Gathered at Arena Stage and witness the incredible talents of Jade Jones and a World Premiere play by one of our best modern day playwrights, Tarrell Alvin McCraney.

Jade Jones is truly living their theatre life to the fullest and audiences are very lucky. It’s a win-win.

At what age did it become apparent to you that performing was going to be your chosen profession?

 I would say probably at age 24 when I did my first professional production Hair at Keegan Theatre. That was when I was really bitten by the professional bug.

 My ultimate goal in life was to be a high school theatre teacher. That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to do that during the day and then at night I wanted to work at Keegan Theatre. And mind you, this is me as a sophomore in High School. I wanted to be a theatre teacher, just like my theatre teacher, because I loved my theatre program in high school. My high school drama teacher use to perform at Keegan Theatre, and he would bring us on field trips there.

 And so, I fell in love with Keegan. The first play I ever saw there was when they did A Streetcar Named Desire. After seeing that I was definitely in and I knew I wanted to be a gay actor (I wasn’t out yet) in DuPont Circle, working at Keegan Theatre.

My first musical was in High School in their production of Fiddler on the Roof. Acting was going to be a treat for me after teaching all day. I never thought it would be full time.

Where did you receive your training?

LIFE!! I went to a small liberal arts college in a little mountain town in Ferrum, Virginia called Ferrum College. Their acting program has a theatre troop that’s been around since the 1970’s called the Jack Tails.  Thet focus on doing Appalachian folk tales. So, in college, even though it was a small program, I really got exposed to things that I wouldn't have gotten exposed to in a conservatory like bluegrass and folk music and folk tales and traveling theater troops. That was really cool because now I feel like in life and in my career, I'm getting the conservatory experience and I'm getting paid to do that.

How do you best describe your characters in We Are Gathered?

 I would best describe Xi as the arbiter of truth. They are a person that tells it like it is, they don't hold back. They are a non-binary icon. They are loving and caring but also can be harsh at times in the name of truth.

 My other character, Nana Jae, I would describe her as warm, matter of fact, and a little obscene at times but again in the name of truth. Neither of the characters I play don’t hold back. That is the common thread between them.

What was it about the script that made you say yes to it?

 The fact that it was a World Premiere by Tarrell Alvin McCraney was definitely the first thing. How can you say no to working, to working with one of the most. prolific playwrights of our generation. It was a script like I had never read before with so much beauty in it.

There are six actors in the show with some of us doubling but the seventh performer is definitely the audience. Come see the show and you’ll totally understand why I say that.

You recently performed in Les Misérables at the MUNY in St. Louis. Can you please talk about the experience of performing for close to 11,000 people nightly?

 The Muny is one of my favorite places that I've ever worked. It's such a privilege and an honor to be able to be on that stage. To be able to do what they do in making a show, particularly like Les Miz, come together in nine days takes so much dedication, focus and love. You’re working with the best in all facets. It’s an experience you can’t describe. You have to live it.

As far as playing to 11,00 people a night, when the moon is rising, it sets right on top of the last row, so you just play to the moon.

What do you enjoy the most about performing in the DC area?

 This is my hometown, so I get to have my family and my extended family and my friends in the audience. I get to go see other friends in other shows that are going on around the DC area.

After We Are Gathered finishes it’s run, what does the rest of 2025 and into 2026 hold in store for you workwise?

I live in NYC, so I’ll be doing a lot of things outside of theatre. As a musician you can catch me at places like The Cutting Room. I’ve performed at Birdland and a big drag venue in Brooklyn called 3 Dollar Bill. I’m also attached to some new works in development but for now, we’ll focus on We Are Gathered.

Special thanks to Arena Stage's Public Relations Specialist Anastasia St. Hilaire forn her assistance in coordinating this interview.

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