Preston Jones
Preston Jones, born and raised in Albuquerque, graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1960. Two years later he joined the Dallas Theater Center, where he became actively involved with the professional company as an actor, a director, and finally as a playwright.
When A Texas Trilogy was first produced by the Dallas Theater Center under Paul Baker's direction, the three plays broke all attendance records and received standing ovations. The first play in the trilogy, The Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia, was chosen by the American Playwrights Theatre as its 1975-76 offering, and the play was produced by numerous regional, university, and professional theater companies.
Richard L. Coe, the drama critic for the Washington Post, wrote: "Not since the Philadelphia premiere of Death of a Salesman have I been so profoundly satisfied . . . . The audience stood and cheered and I crouched in my seat fingering the tears from my eyes." (MORE)
The mission of the American Repertory Theater is two fold. First, the mandate of The American Repertory Theater is to produce both classic and contemporary theatrical works and support a new generation of playwrights. These productions are purposefully created through the innovative exploration of these selected works, thereby enhancing the cultural and intellectual experience of the theatergoer. Second, the American Repertory Theater will serve as a catalyst for community dialogue and action that will result in sustained economic growth and increase the collaboration within all sectors of our community.
