BWW Interviews: Jekyll & Hyde's STEPHEN MICHAEL JONES Tackles The Friday Five

Inspired by BroadwayWorld.com's Friday Six, welcome to Nashville.BroadwayWorld.com's latest installment of The Friday Five: five questions designed to help you learn more about the talented people you'll find on stages in the Volunteer State. Today, the spotlight focuses on Stephen Michael Jones, who tonight will debut as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Stones River Theatre Company's concert mounting of the classic Frank Wildhorn musical Jekyll & Hyde.

Jekyll & Hyde-the musical that established Wildhorn as a major force in contemporary musical theater-is the first offering from Murfreesboro's Stones River Theatre Company, the city's first and only professional theatre company. Directed by Logan Huber, SRTC's artistic director, with musical direction by Justin Holder, the show runs August 3 and 4 at 7 p.m. and August 5 at 2 p.m. at Middle Tennessee State University's Hinton Hall in the Wright Music Building.

"Jekyll & Hyde is a true musical theatre phenomenon," Huber says, explaining the show's selection as the debut production of his new theater company. "This show had attracted legions of loyal fans even before the show began its smash-hit Broadway run."

Jones, a recent theater graduate of MTSU made his Boiler Room Theatre debut earlier this year in Xanadu, and is portraying Dr. Henry Jekyll and his darker, more sinister personality Edward Hyde, playing opposite Katherine Sandoval Taylor, who plays Emma Carew. Jones, names as one of First Night's 2012 Most Promising Actors, will be seen in performance at the First Night Honors Gala on Sunday, September 2, at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre.

Get to know more about Stephen Michael Jones with his take on The Friday Five, then make reservations to see Jekyll & Hyde this weekend…

What was your first "live onstage" taste of theater?My first taste was in high school my sophomore year when I joined the Chamber Choir at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro. In the fall, the school holds a Variety Show put on by the vocal department and the Drama Department. I got to dance and sing to "Joyful Joyful" Sister Act 2-style. Then in the following Spring I was in my first musical-Aida-as one of the featured male ensemble.  

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? It started back when I was Tony in West Side Story at the Arts Center of Cannon County. Before every show I would make a warm cup of green tea mixed with Wellness tea and what seemed like a gallon of honey (It tasted so good!). Then I would proceed to fill up around four to five water bottles that I would go through throughout the show to stay hydrated. And right before curtain I jump up and down and look like a crazy person to get my energy up. :)

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment? This one definitely falls in West Side Story as well. It was our final weekend and it was also the night we were taping but my voice was beginning to completely go out at this particular performance and I got to one of the most memorable songs "Maria." All is well with the song until I get to the very last note upon which my voice completely cuts out and all that is heard is my breath. My face showed zero signs of panic but my eyes showed it all. I remember for the very next scene looking up at the balcony at my Maria and she heard what had happened and was completely panicked, but I guess the panic was good because the rest of the show went on without any flaws. I just pushed my way through the songs and immediately went on vocal rest after the show.

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 25 years. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theatre in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly. He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors, held during Labor Day Weekend, which honor oustanding theater artists in Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors. Midwinter's First Night, held the first Sunday in January after New Year's Day, honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. Further, Ellis directed the Nashville premiere of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show, with Ellis honored by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror.

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