Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamil Jude.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was guided into theatre during my freshman year in college. I chose Colgate University in order to play football, but a series of injuries (and honestly, a lack of skill!) kept me sidelined early. A former football player from Atlanta, Will Arnold, asked me to be in his play. That was my first taste of being in live theatre, of being in a new play and not some antiquated relic from the 19th century, and it was my first taste in telling relevant stories. That sent me down a path of writing my own plays and producing plays by others for my university. Post-graduation, I received a fellowship at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. That opportunity led to meeting many great artists, including Kenny Leon, and expanded my understanding of the national theatre scene. The fellowship in D.C. led to fellowships in Minnesota. A call from Kenny at the end of 2016 presented the opportunity to move to Atlanta, and I jumped at the chance to work for True Colors!!
Please tell us about your art.
I am a theatre artist that seeks to tell stories relevant to the community. As a producer, that means identifying playwrights, actors, directors, and theatrical collaborators who are working at the top of their game and have something important to say. I enjoy being a conduit. I believe that theatre in the 21st century has to be deeply rooted in the issues and needs of its community – it cannot merely “just entertain.” With so many modes of entertainment (T.V., film, etc.) people can get interesting stories from anywhere BUT only live performance can capture the hearts and minds through a shared experience of seeing a story unfold in front of you. As a theatre artist, I am proud to bring that experience to people as often as possible.
As a theatre director, I love being able to play “quarterback” for a production. I get to guide the entire creative team in helping to tell a complete story. Working with the lighting, scenic, costume, sound, and other designers, as well as the cast of actors, and backstage team, finessing every moment to create the most impactful production is the thing that keeps me going.
I LOVE telling stories, and I love the people I get to work with and the people we get to tell stories to!
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Say “yes” to opportunities early in your career, even if they aren’t directly tied to the thing you really want to do as a career. I learned so much about myself as an artist and producer working at an elementary school from 6-9a before going in to work at the theatre from 10a-6p. Additionally, I have a deeper sense of what patrons want by working in the box office selling tickets. As an artist, our greatest strength is in our ability to expand our capacity for empathy. The more we can consume and incorporate the stories of humanity inside our hearts and mix it with our artistic impulses, the better we will be in sharing our artistry with the world.
I wish I would’ve learned the power of rest and vacation earlier. In this field, you WILL burn out. There’s nothing wrong with it. The strength will come in identifying it and asking for help. It will come from taking the time to do the things that recharge your battery and give you the space and peace needed to return to the work with more focus and clarity.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I do most of my work in the Atlanta area for Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company. We are currently running a production of NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN written by Christina Ham and directed by Michele Shay. Set the day after the 16th Street Church bombing in Birmingham, AL that killed four little girls, the play captures the challenges and beauty of the experience of Black women. At the top of 2019, I will direct our production of SKELETON CREW written by Dominique Morisseau.
You can learn about the work of True Colors at our website, TrueColorsTheatre.org.
My outside work can be found on my personal website, JamilJude.com
Contact Info:
- Address: 887 W. Marietta St. NW, J-102, Atlanta, GA 30318
- Website: TrueColorsTheatre.org / JamilJude.com
- Phone: 4045321901
- Email: jjude@truecolorstheatre.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecolorstheatre AND https://www.instagram.com/mrjdjude
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truecolorstheatre AND https://www.facebook.com/mrjdjude
- Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/kltruecolors AND https://www.facebook.com/mrjdjude
Image Credit:
True Colors Theatre
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