We were lucky to catch up with Jono Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jono, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
In my career, I’ve had many people believe in me. Several special organizations and employers saw something in me and pushed me, even when I wasn’t aware at the time that my skillset was growing because of them. I am at a very special point in my life where I have several platforms to give back to the community. I want that cycle to continue, and move our next generation of theatre and art-makers to the spotlight. It starts with kindness and the wants and needs of the industry.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the Artistic Director of Cobb PARKS’ Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. While I love producing, collaborating, and performing, I think I’m most proud of bringing all of these elements to a government entity in the form of The Overture Series. It’s a professional concert series that stages full musicals in front of live orchestras. We’ve broken the mold on many ways to tell stories, whether it be through streaming, drive-ins, cabarets, or live shows. Most people believe the government doesn’t support the arts, and Cobb County does. To my knowledge, there has never been a county government in Georgia that created something from scratch that has received consistent global and national recognition. It took hard work and a talented community. What’s in store for the future, I have no idea, but I am very thankful for the support we’ve received from our county government. If I could leave my mark on the arts in Cobb, this is the one.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I am the Artistic Director of Cobb PARKS’ Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. While I love producing, collaborating, and performing, I think I’m most proud of bringing all of these elements to a government entity in the form of The Overture Series. It’s a professional concert series that stages full musicals in front of live orchestras. We’ve broken the mold on many ways to tell stories, whether it be through streaming, drive-ins, cabarets, or live shows. Most people believe the government doesn’t support the arts, and Cobb County does. To my knowledge, there has never been a county government in Georgia that created a large-scale theatre series from scratch that has received consistent global and national recognition. It took hard work and a talented community. What’s in store for the future, I have no idea, but I am very thankful for the support we’ve received from our county government. If I could leave my mark on the arts in Cobb, this is the one.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I soldier through and find finality in my headspace and whatever is upsetting me. I do respect those who step away for a while or throw in a towel, though. I like to go to bed with a clear conscious and most times that means I have to finish what I started, even if it gets messy. By doing this, most often than not, I have to revisit my actions later and clarify my intent and impulses to myself, but at least the band-aid is off and I can begin to heal.
Contact Info:
- Website: andersontheatre.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/iamjonodavis
- Facebook: facebook.com/jonodavis
- Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/jonodavis1
Image Credits
Kevin Harry Photography, Robert Mitchel Owenby Photography
