Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles Jackson Jr.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Charles. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Since I was a child, I’ve always loved movies and plays. I always knew at an early age that I would be an actor someday. So, I enrolled in my first theatre class whenever I was a freshman at South Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas. My Theatre Teacher, Mrs. Victoria Scheffler, convinced me to audition for the first show of the school year “The Trial Of The Big Bad Wolf” and I was officially cast as Old King Cole in my first role as an actor! From that moment on, I was in many school plays and professional plays throughout the DFW.
However, after having a difficult senior year in high school where I wasn’t cast in any of the theatre shows, I realized that I wanted to produce my own shows and productions so that I wouldn’t have to wait for anyone to give me the opportunity to perform. So, two years later in my sophomore year at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, I produced, wrote, and performed in my first independently produced show called “Destitute” and all of the revenue from the show went to the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition in Fort Worth, Texas.
Since then, at least once a year, I produce a socially conscious play that I’ve written and I perform in the show. I typically direct the show myself or I get another striving performing artist to direct me. This past summer, I produced and directed the Pulitzer Prize-winning show “Topdog Underdog” and it was the first time that I purchased the rights to a show instead of writing one myself.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. It’s hard independently producing because that means I have to use all of my own money or crowdfund. Since I am independently producing and I write my own shows, I have to spend a lot of money on marketing because I am not a mainstream performer with a big audience yet. So, I’ve had sold-out shows where I made a profit and also shows where I only had 10 people in the audience. Plus, I can’t buy the rights to the big cast shows because I do not have the personnel to manage it.
What do you do? What do you specialize in?
I am an actor, playwright, producer, director, and filmmaker. Since my sophomore year in college, it has been my dream of having my own production company where my job will be to develop and produce movies, shows, and theatrical plays. Which is why I’ve been building my production company Poetic Thespian Productions. Poetic Thespian Productions is all about providing audiences with a personal connection to each production while granting them an unforgettable artistic experience. I tend the focus mostly on socially conscious work that is controversial and impactful. I am most proud that Poetic Thespian Productions has been able to give back to the community with two of my past shows.
What sets me apart from others is my ambition. I believe my greatest trait is I have a hunger for success and a strong work ethic. I produced my first one-man show called “In Due Time, PANTOMIME” at Amphibian Stage Productions in 2017. I am currently in the process of premiering my second one-man show called “The Floating Black Man” at the Center for the Arts Bonita Springs in Bonita Springs, Florida. I will be producing my 3rd one-man show in September at the 2019 Fort Worth Fringe Festival and I will be the producing and performing the Drama Desk Award-nominated show “Every Brilliant Thing” at the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts in Lubbock, Texas.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory as a child is going to sleep watching “I Love Lucy” at my grandmother’s house then waking up to her cooking pancakes for breakfast. Whenever I would wake up, I would smell the pancakes. Then, I would go into the kitchen and she would let me pop open the can of biscuits.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.poeticthespianproductions.com
- Email: poeticthespianproductions@gmail.com
- Instagram: @poeticthespian
- Facebook: @PoeticThespianProductions
- Other: imdb.me/charlesjacksonjr
Image Credit:
Haley Barnett
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