Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:15 — 124.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Changing the Landscape returns this week with part two of our interview with Steve Jones, former Director of Production at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. Steve tells us how he went from a young lighting programmer at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, to a well-seasoned Director of Production at the Apollo Theatre… with a whirlwind eighteen-year stint working with music legend and icon Harry Belafonte in between. He’s sharing stories from the filming of ‘We Are the World’, to how he reshaped the culture and expectations of a predominately Black crew when the Apollo became a Local 1 IATSE House and what happened when Rev. Al Sharpton called him with an extraordinary request. And Steve and Alan discuss why Black artists are continually forced to fight preconceived notions about their skill level and talent and how to fight those misconceptions.

Alan C. Edwards (Lighting Designer). Credits include: Off-Broadway: Harry Clarke (The Vineyard, Lucille Lortel Award); Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theatre, Drama Desk Nomination); Fires in the Mirror (Signature Theatre, Lucille Lortel Nomination); The Hot Wing King (Signature Theatre); The New Englanders (MTC); American Moor (Red Bull); Native Son, Measure for Measure (The Acting Company); Dutchman, Antigone, Macbeth (Classical Theatre of Harlem); The First Noel (CTH & The Apollo); Regional credits include: Lights Out: Nat King Cole (Geffen Playhouse, People’s Light);  Pipeline, Skeleton Crew, Once On This Island (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Detroit ’67 (Chautauqua Theatre Co.); The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Asolo Rep, Miami New Drama); Twisted Melodies (Center Stage Baltimore); Henry IV Part 2, Fingersmith (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); The Mountaintop, The Royale, Sweat (Cleveland Playhouse); Stagger Lee, Penny Candy (Dallas Theatre Center);  Man of La Mancha (Westport Playhouse); Sweeney Todd (Connecticut Repertory Theatre); We Are Proud To Present (The Guthrie) and Jeremy McQueen’s Madiba (The Kennedy Center). Broadway: Associate to Jennifer Tipton on The Testament of Mary. He received his M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. For more information, please visit www.alancedwards.com.