Davey Marlin-Jones
Encyclopedia
Davey Marlin-Jones was an American
stage director, as well as a local television personality. He was born in Winchester, Indiana
, and was known as a tireless advocate for the local stage and theatrical scene in the many places he lived during his long career.
From 1970 to 1987, he was a film and arts critic for WUSA-TV (formerly WTOP and WDVM), the CBS affiliate in Washington, DC. During much of that time, he also performed the same duties for WDIV-TV
in Detroit. He was known for his eccentric on-air style in reviewing films and theatre and cultural events. One example of his style was the use of index card
s when he reviewed films, and he would keep or throw away the card depending on whether he liked or hated the film. He enunciated with theatrical bravura
and often wore large black-rimmed glasses and sometimes sported an Alpine hat.
With John and Hazel Wentworth, he founded the Washington Theatre Club and directed many of its performances. He was awarded the Jerome Lawrence
and Robert E. Lee (Robert Edwin Lee
) Theatre Research Margo Jones
Award in 1968.http://library.osu.edu/sites/tri/Jones.php
Prior to his death, Marlin-Jones was a Professor of Theater and Playwriting for fifteen years at UNLV
. In 1997 he won the "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" from the Board of Governors of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The American College Theater Festival Respondent's Choice Award has been renamed the "Davey Marlin Jones Respondent's Choice Award."
• Preparation
• Attack
• Struggle
• Turn
• Outcome
PASTO was the foundation of both his personal directing and the play analysis taught to his students at UNLV. PASTO is still used by many of his students today, both in their own work, and in the classes they teach.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage director, as well as a local television personality. He was born in Winchester, Indiana
Winchester, Indiana
Winchester is a city in White River Township, Randolph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,935 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Randolph County...
, and was known as a tireless advocate for the local stage and theatrical scene in the many places he lived during his long career.
From 1970 to 1987, he was a film and arts critic for WUSA-TV (formerly WTOP and WDVM), the CBS affiliate in Washington, DC. During much of that time, he also performed the same duties for WDIV-TV
WDIV-TV
WDIV-TV, virtual channel 4, is an NBC-affiliated television station based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is owned by Post-Newsweek Stations and is the flagship station and home base of the group with the offices of the group located alongside WDIV's studios; the "Local" branding now...
in Detroit. He was known for his eccentric on-air style in reviewing films and theatre and cultural events. One example of his style was the use of index card
Index card
An index card consists of heavy paper stock cut to a standard size, used for recording and storing small amounts of discrete data. It was invented by Carl Linnaeus, around 1760....
s when he reviewed films, and he would keep or throw away the card depending on whether he liked or hated the film. He enunciated with theatrical bravura
Bravura
In classical music, a bravura is a virtuosic passage intended to show off the skill of a performer, generally as a solo, and often in a cadenza. It can also be used as an adjective , or to refer to a performance of extraordinary virtuosity. The term comes from the Italian language for great skill....
and often wore large black-rimmed glasses and sometimes sported an Alpine hat.
With John and Hazel Wentworth, he founded the Washington Theatre Club and directed many of its performances. He was awarded the Jerome Lawrence
Jerome Lawrence
Jerome Lawrence was an American playwright and author.-Life and career:Lawrence was born Jerome Lawrence Schwartz in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Sarah , a poet, and Samuel Schwartz, a printer. He worked for several small newspapers as a reporter/editor before moving into radio as a writer for CBS....
and Robert E. Lee (Robert Edwin Lee
Robert Edwin Lee
Robert Edwin Lee was an American playwright and lyricist. With his writing partner, Jerome Lawrence, Lee worked for Armed Forces Radio during World War II; Lawrence and Lee became the most prolific writing partnership in radio, with such long-running series as Favorite Story among others.-Life and...
) Theatre Research Margo Jones
Margo Jones
Margo Jones was an influential American stage director and producer best known for launching the American regional theater movement and for introducing the theater-in-the-round concept in Dallas, Texas. In 1947, she established the first regional professional company when she opened Theatre ’47 in...
Award in 1968.http://library.osu.edu/sites/tri/Jones.php
Prior to his death, Marlin-Jones was a Professor of Theater and Playwriting for fifteen years at UNLV
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
. In 1997 he won the "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" from the Board of Governors of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The American College Theater Festival Respondent's Choice Award has been renamed the "Davey Marlin Jones Respondent's Choice Award."
Philosophy of Directing
In a twist on classical Aristotlean analysis, Mr. Marlin-Jones used the acronym PASTO to break down plays. First published in Kenneth Macgowan's "A Primer of Playwriting," the book he considered to be the best ever written on the art of building plays, PASTO stands for:• Preparation
• Attack
• Struggle
• Turn
• Outcome
PASTO was the foundation of both his personal directing and the play analysis taught to his students at UNLV. PASTO is still used by many of his students today, both in their own work, and in the classes they teach.
External links
- Director Davey Marlin-Jones Dies
- Obituary written by WUSA-TV, where he had worked for many years
- Obituary at Playbill
- Davey Marlin-Jones at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...