An accomplished playwright
whose work has been featured Off-Broadway and in theatres
throughout the country is the top choice to pen
LINCOLN, Indiana’s new theatrical tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
“Our search for a playwright drew tremendous
interest,” says Will Koch, president of the Lincoln Boyhood
Drama Association. “After reviewing information from 30
playwrights in 16 states, we invited several for a site visit.
From the
start, Ken Jones won us over with his
understanding of theatre and love of Lincoln, plus his passion
to tell our story.”
An award-winning playwright and screenwriter, Ken
Jones is currently playwright-in-residence and the Chairman of
the
Department of Theatre and Dance at Northern
Kentucky University. Jones received his B.F.A. in Theatre Arts
from the University of Florida and a M.F.A. in playwriting from
the University of Virginia. He then continued on to graduate in
playwriting from the American Repertory Theatre’s
Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.
“It is an honor for me to be part of a project
that is so important not only to Spencer County, but to all
Americans,” says Jones. “In these turbulent times, I feel our
nation needs to be reminded of how a great man’s deeds are
often shaped by the people
and places of his childhood. I am enjoying working with the
Lincoln Boyhood Drama Association in the shaping of the play. Lincoln’s own words are
guiding me in weaving the boyhood days in
Indiana with the years of his Presidency. I think
Lincoln Amphitheatre will be filled with a production that
redefines
outdoor drama.”
Jones
is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Delauney
Playwriting Award as well as the Post-Corbett Award for Best
Literary Artist. He is the Lois and Richard
Rosenthal Endowed Chair of Theatre at Northern Kentucky
University and is
also the Denver Center Prima Facie winner and the
Frank Sinton Milburn Outstanding Professor at NKU. His list of
successful works includes “A Red Eagle Falling,” which was
performed Off-Broadway, and “Darkside,” with more than 300
performances to date throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The world
premiere of LINCOLN will take place in June on the very
grounds where Abraham Lincoln grew up. Enhanced by multimedia
projections and period music, the story of the man considered by
many to be the greatest U.S. president
is expected to be a
highpoint of the national celebration of the bicentennial of
Lincoln’s birth. Through Jones’ play, audience members of
all ages will gain an insight into the life of the man whose
legacy continues to forge the future.
