Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Spotlight On...Jonathan Louis Dent

Name: Jonathan Louis Dent

Hometown: Denville, New Jersey

Education: MFA NYU Grad Acting; BA Brown University

Select Credits: Sons of the Prophet (Roundabout); The Broken Record (NYC Fringe); Romeo and Juliet (Hartford Stage)

Why theater?: I love the spontaneity and energy with live theater and also participating in an art-form that has the potential to shift the consciousness of those in attendance.

Who do you play in Church and State? Tom/ Marshall

Tell us about Church and State: Church and State is a serious comedy that follows a republican Senator -Charles Whitmore- who is experiencing a crisis of faith just days before his reelection bid.

What is it like being a part of Church and State?: I've been having a lot of fun performing in Church and State. Since I play multiple roles, it really stretches me as a performer to be as specific as possible with each character I portray. I enjoy being able to showcase different aspects within my own personality.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater that feels like it is socially relevant. I think the best art serves as a mirror to society and culture, so theater that feels truly reflective of the times we are living in really excites me.   August Wilson is an artist that I admire a great deal; he's a great example of an artist who served as a mirror for the times he found himself in.

Any roles you're dying to play?: Bynum (Joe Turner Come and Gone)

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Andre Holland

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Michael B. Jordan in “The Architect.”

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: A Raisin in the Sun

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Wire

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: freshly baked chocolate chip cookies

What’s up next?: Not sure, just riding the wave!