As the city’s theater community swells with fresh talent from all over the country, actor, director and educator Jon Royal keeps the scene grounded. That’s not to say Royal resists working with newcomers — his talent for collaboration with artists of all stripes is noteworthy. But the Nashville native is committed to making theater reflect all of Nashville, and he’s had an astounding year.
Royal’s talent as a director begins with his willingness to tackle bold works, but it comes through most in the performances he summons from actors. In January, Royal directed Ghost at Nashville Children’s Theatre. Royal grew up going to see plays at NCT, and he trusts that kids can handle art that articulates somewhat complex social problems. Ghost was infused with his respect for young people. In February, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s production of Topdog/Underdog had Royal at the helm, directing Eddie George and Joel Diggs. Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play requires the actors to summon vulnerability while at the same time masking it with humor and posturing. It’s a testament to Royal’s abilities as a director that both actors balanced right on this knife’s edge. The following month, Royal directed Actors Bridge Ensemble’s Citizen: An American Lyric, a bold meditation on American racism that’s based on a book of poetry by Claudia Rankine. Royal approached this with great care, and the performances were raw and unnerving — exactly as they should be for such a painful topic.
But working with kids is Royal’s passion. It’s why he got into theater to begin with. As a teaching artist, Royal works with kids at NCT and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. He also teaches in Restorative Justice and the Arts, a program of the Metro Nashville Arts Commission, the Juvenile Justice Center and the Oasis Center, which engages court-involved youth in a range of artistic endeavors. Every summer, he heads to the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles to teach in its Will Power to Youth program.
“I became an artist because there are things that I want to change in the world,” Royal told the Scene in July. He makes it easy to believe that’s possible. ERICA CICCARONE
