BYANGELANICHOLASForTheSunNews

HisunclewasaguitarplayerwithsomeofNashville’sgreatsandhisgrandmotherwasafolliesshowgirl,butwhiletalentedbloodseemstorunthroughhisveins,Toronto,Canada,nativeKevinJonesdidnotfindhiswayintomusicuntilhisearlyteens.“MygrandmotherdiedwhenIwas10andmyunclelivedinNashvillesoI’mnotsuremycareerwasreallyinfluencedbythem,”JonessaidfromhisCarolinaForeststudiowheretodayheworksasavocalandactingcoachtoindividualslocallyandacrossthenationviaSkypeandFaceTime.ThatcareerhasledJonesdowna23-yearpathintheprofessionaltheaterasanactor,musicaldirector,directorandchoreographerandinfilmingTVcommercialsanddoingprintadvertisements.Hehasalsosharedhisknowledgewithhundredsoftalentedstudents,coachingthemintoBroadwayshows,nationaltoursandregionaltheaterproductions.DevelopinghistalentJonessaidhisearlyyearswerespentjustlikeeveryotherboyinCanada—playinghockey.Atleastuntilherealizedhisslightstaturefrequentlylefthim“slammedintotheboards”endingintripstothedoctor.

“IdecidedIhadtodosomethingsafer,”hesaid.Hissisterwastakingpianolessonsandtheopportunitytojoinherwasavailabletohim.However,anaturaltalentseemedtopropelthethen13-year-old.“WhenIsurpassedmysister,shestoppedplaying,”hesaid.Forthefirstthreeyearsofpianolessons,hesimplyplayedandenjoyedbutatage16,herealizedwhatcareerchoicehewanted.Hethenfoundhimselfmovingata“fastandfurious”pacewithsomegreatteachers.HisgoaltogetintotheTorontoRoyalConservatoryofMusic—oneofthemostrespectedmusiceducationinstitutionsintheworld—meantalotofcatchinguptostudentswhohadstudiedandplayedmusiclongerthanhehad.HehadfiveyearstocompleteallninegradesrequiredbytheConservatorythatwouldputhimattherequiredlevelofperformance.“Atthatpoint,allIthoughtIwantedtodowaspiano,”hesaid.WhenhereachedhissenioryearatWesternUniversityinLondon,Canada,however,hehadalifechangingexperience.“Igotintoamusicalanditreallychangedmylife,”Jonessaid.“Ithought,‘boythisisalotoffun.’”Fromcollegewhereheearnedadegreeinmusiceducation(pianoperformance),JonesheadedtoNewYorkCitytostudymusicaltheaterasasinger/actor/danceratTheAmericanMusicalandDramaticAcademywherehereceivedhiscertificateinmusicaltheaterperformance.“Ihadjustbeenpianoboy,”hesaidofhimself.Butinhislastmonthofschool,heauditionedfortheEuropeantouringcompanyof“AnnieGetYourGun.”Thenine-monthtourallowedhimtomakeenoughmoneytopayoffhisstudentloansandreturntotheU.S.asanactor.Forthenextfewyears,Joneswentfromshowtoshowandlandedajobasanactorandassistantmusicaldirector.Whiledirecting“Evita”inLancaster,Pa.,(hehasdonethreeproductionsof“Evita”andtwoof“Phantom”)hemetMelia,achoreographerandmotherofhistwochildren,Noah,7,andMiranda,16,whonowhavesomeactingcreditsoftheirown.“Wedidaseriesofshowstogetherandweretogetheralldayandthenatnightatthetheater,”JonessaidofMelia.“ShegottolookatmebecauseIwasgivingoutthecuesandIgottolookather.”

ThecouplemetinSeptemberandheproposedinMay;however,duringtheiryearofengagementhewasawayinAsiaontourwith“Annie”andwithBroadway’snationaltoursofDisney’s“BeautyandtheBeast.”Sogoesthelifeofanactor/director.“We’vehadyearstogetherandalotofyearsnottogether,”Jonessaidoftheirschedule.Thecouplehomeschoolstheirchildrensotheycantakeadvantageofopportunitiesthatarise,whetheritmeansgoingofftogetherorseparately.Duringanationaltourof“BeautyandtheBeast,”thefamilyhadan18-month“gig”together.SharinghistalentsthroughteachingWhileJoneshaslivedinthebigcityandtraveledtheworld,heandMeliachosetomovetoMyrtleBeachtwoyearsagowherehisCanadianfamilyhadvacationedovertheyearsduringCanadian/AmericanDays.“Afterwemarried,wecameandbroughtthekidsandeverytimewe’dleave,IfeltIwasgoingawaykickingandscreaming,”Jonessaid.“ThereisstillgoingtobetravelingbutIwouldratherhavethisashomebase.NewYorkisaccessibleandamazingbutcomesataheftypricetaganddifferentqualityoflife.Iwantmykidstobeabletoruninthegrassandenjoyabackyardpool.”Homeschoolingthechildrenallowsthemtopickupandgowheneveranopportunitypopsup.Toensuretheyexperiencedthebigcitylifeandhadanopportunitytogoonauditions,however,theJonesfamilyrentedanapartmentinNewYorkCityforfiveweeks.IntheirCarolinaForesthome,theyhavebuiltastudiotoaccommodateteaching.ThatstudioalsohousesKevinJones’unmatchedcollectionof10,000musicalscores.Hestartedkeepingscoresofshowsheconductedanditcontinuestogrow,allowinghimtheabilitytoassistpeopleofallagesandtalents.“Ihavearealknackforsizingpeopleupandpickinganauditionsongforthem.Ihearthatallthetimefromprofessionals.Itisarealdrawforthekids,”hesaid.Jonesiscurrentlyworkingwithabout30studentswiththemajoritycomingtotheKevinJonesPerformingArtsStudio(KJPAS).Healsoprovidescoachingsessionsforactorsacrossthecountry,primarilythoseseekingaudition

materialorcoachingforalargeaudition.Onarecentday,JoneswasworkingforanhourwithamaninHollywoodandinthenexthourwithagirlfromNewYorkCity.Whilesomeofhisworkisvirtual,heisveryhandsonwiththesummercampshehasheldeachsummerforthelast17yearswithafull-timefacultyofprofessionaldirectorsandchoreographerswhoarenotonlyperformersbutexcellentteachers.DaycampsareheldatChristCommunityChurchinMyrtleBeachandatCampBethel,aresidentialcampinthefoothillsoftheBlueRidgeParkwayinVirginiawherestudentsresideintheelegantHeritageLodge.CampdaysarefilledwiththeaterworkshopsontopicslikeActingforFilmandTelevision,Improvisation,AuditionTechniques,etc.,andrehearsalsforafinalshowcase.StudentsalsobenefitfromaBroadwayMasterclassseriesthatbringsBroadwaytothem.Lastyear,actorsincludedMaryJaneHoudina,aveteranof11BroadwayshowsandperformerandassistantchoreographerintheoriginalBroadwayproductionof“Annie”andJohnBolton,whohasappearedinnineBroadwayshowsincludingTonyAwardwinningcompaniesof“Spamalot,”“Contact”and“Titanic.”Thecamps,offeredatan“all-inclusiveprice”thatisa“fractionofthecostofthebig-namecamps,”arenotallwork,however,ascampersgettoenjoyswimming,hiking,campfiresandotherfunactivities.KJPASCampsremaintheonlytheatercampinthecountrytoprovidefreeNewYorkqualityheadshotsaspartofcamptuition,accordingtoJones.Campersgohomeattheendoftheirweekequippedwithhardcopyanddigitaleditedheadshots,aresumeandbio—everythingtheyneedforanaudition.Additionally,studentsreturnhomewithafreeDVDoftheirpreferredshowcase—actingormusicaltheater.Longdistancecampersalsobenefitfromfreeairporttransferstoandfromcamp.KJPASis“inthebusinessofgettingourstudentscast.”JoneshasseenmanyofhiscamperswhohavegoneontoperformonBroadwayorbookTVcommercialsoractindaytimeorprimetimeTVshowsorevendofeaturefilms.

LocalstudentsbenefitfromJones’experienceHavingaprofessionalcoachingstudentsinthelocalareaprovidesnumerousopportunities.JonestakesstudentsonaspringbreaktoNewYorkCityinApril.Throughthecouples’nonprofitOpeningDoorsFoundation,therearescholarshipopportunitiesandqualitytheaterproductionstomakelivetheateraccessibletoeveryone,regardlessoffinancialstatus.DuringarecentmusichistoryclassthatJonestaughtathislocalstudiostudentEmmaVohringer,16,andaSaintJamesstudent,sharedthatshemetJoneswhenhedirectedherschool’smusical.“Ilikedeverythinghehaddone,”shesaid.SoshejoinedJones’MyrtleBeachsummercampandwasamazed,shesaid,bywhatshelearned.“TherewasalotofoneononetimewithKevinandthechoreographer.Welearnedalotofstuffthatwouldhelpusinlifelikehowtomakearesume.”VohringersaidtakingthecampandworkingwithJonesprovidesa“steppingstone”asshepursuesherdreamofbecomingasinger/actor.SocasteeHighstudentMargoPerl,16,attendedJones’summercampinVirginia.ShealsometJoneswhenheservedastheschool’smusicaldirectorfor“HairSpray”andthisyear’sproductionof“TheLittleMermaid.”“Heseemedveryprofessionalbutalsoveryhonestbutinagoodway,”Perlsaid.“HepushedmetobethebestIcanbe.”PerltakesvoicelessonsandsomeactingfromJones.Hergoalistobecomeamusictherapistsoshecanworkwithchildrenthathaveautismordementiapatients.TaylynSmith,17,ofSocasteesaidherimmediategoalistomakeitintoasecondaryprogramthatwill“leadmeintoalifeofworkingasaperformer.”“Iliketobechallenged,”saidSmithwhoisprimarilyasinger/actresswhoisalsoworkingonherdancing.ShehasbeencoachedbyJonesformorethanayearandfeelsprivilegedtohavefoundsomeonesoclosetohomewithhistalents.“Heknowsthewayofthebusiness,”shesaid.“Hewillpushyoutogettothebestversionofyourself.”AngelaNicholascanbereachedataknicholas28@gmail.com.

MOREINFORMATIONTolearnmoreaboutthisyear’ssummercampsavailableforrisingthirdgradethroughgraduating12gradestudentsortoseekprivatelessons,visitwww.kjpas.comoremailkevin@kjpas.comorcall(843)251-9542.Earlybirdregistrationprovidesa$50discount. Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/entertainment/article69013842.html#storylink=cpy