Meet Marshall Jones III, Director of The Refugees

Meet Marshall Jones III, Director of The Refugees, launching it’s World Premiere at Gulfshore Playhouse on January 13, 2024.

Marshall has had a long and exceptional career in the theatre, including stints as the general manager for Apollo Theatre in NYC, company manager at Madison Square Garden, producer for Radio City Music Hall and an associate professor at Rutgers. We are thrilled to welcome him to Gulfshore Playhouse as Director of Brent Askari’s humorous and timely,The Refugees. 

DIRECTOR’S NOTE by Jones:

Back in the previous century when I was a young college student studying theater at Rutgers University, a professor proclaimed: “the function of the artist is to hold mirror to reflect society.”

Consider how the works of William Shakespeare routinely juxtaposes the wisdom of fools against the folly of kings. Or, how the great leader Nelson Mandela credited the plays of Athol Fugard with helping to dismantle apartheid by sharing compelling stories about the plight of South Africans with the world.

And, sometimes a work of art comes along that it is so meaningful it not only reflects the current state of society but also provides a glimpse into the future — which brings us to The Refugees, a powerfully astute play written by Brent Askari.

The script, which Mr. Askari completed a first draft in December 2019, utilizes satire and humor to address a very real and present danger about the fragility of democracy. Upon first reading the script, my initial thought was: if I read this on or before January 5, 2021, it’s a middling take on American democracy. However, reading The Refugees on or after January 7, 2021, provides a whole new – and frightening – context.

The Refugees is a seminal play that cleverly places the shoe on the other foot with regards to the multiple complex issues regarding living in refugee status. It was clearly evident in both of our workshops at the New Play Festival, that the Gulfshore Playhouse audiences immediately identified with the Sutton family. We are ready to shed the music stands of stage reading in order for this enormously talented to effusively embody the well-costumed and engaging characters in a fully produced show that encompasses a dazzling scenic design, mood-inducing lighting, along with a soothing original score.

Through the use of satire, it is our belief that experiencing this show, audiences will grasp a greater understanding of the issues facing refugees and migrants. Recently, the UN Refugee Agency declared that there are 108.4 million refugees worldwide resulting from persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. For context, that equates to the combined population of our 8 most populous states – California, Texas, Florida, NY, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, and Georgia. However, the United Nation reported 30 years ago, the total refugees were 45 million (approximately the population of California and Wisconsin).

It is hope that this show will inspire audiences to do their part to protect the rights of the only race that counts – the human race.