Laurie Michelle Jones

Laurie Jones is an improviser, writer, director, impact producer, and non-profit guru. She is passionately committed to stories that drive social change. She is producing Ripley Film’s fully improvised films, aiming to change the conversation of equity and access to female driven films. Her most recent play, The Legacy of Amelia Aldean, premiered at Magnetic Theatre in Fall of 2019. Laurie impact produces for documentary films, including the Sundance awarding-winning film, Unrest, which lead her to her work with with the non-profit, MEAction. She is a founding member of Wishbone Theatre Collective, performing in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Edinburgh. She has performed with Dream Theatre, Second City Conservatory, iO, Janus Theatre Company, and Chicago DCA Theatre. She improvises regularly with Impro Theatre and Ripley Improv. Laurie’s feature film, The Feelers, is currently in pre-production. She has a BA from Clemson University and an MA in Applied Human Rights from the University of York.

Ripley Improv is a group of actors improvising artful, long-form narrative shows about women who save the day, save the world, or save each other.

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We completed filming our fully improvised film and we are thrilled to announce that we have a SERIES!! It’s not too late to support this work. You can still become a producer on the series, or on one individual episode. Email us at ripleyimprov@gmail.com

Ripley Improv is Amanda Troop, Kelly Lohman, Madi Goff, Laurie Jones, Jessica Lynn Verdi, Aliza Pearl, and Sara Mountjoy Pepka.

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Playwriting: World Premiere, The Legacy of Amelia Aldean

“Ultimately, The Legacy of Amelia Aldean is an engaging story that raises thoughtful questions about history and literature against the backdrop of a fun (and funny!) ghost story. The Magnetic Theatre should be applauded for continually bringing new and interesting plays to our part of the mountains. This piece is no exception.” Full review: https://ashevillestages.com/theater/the-legacy-of-amelia-aldean-at-the-magnetic-theatre

With Ripley Improv: “Based off the hit Netflix series GLOW, GLAM is directed by Laurie Jones and features a talented group of actors – who happen to all be women – delivering on-the-spot storylines and characters that are funny, heartbreaking as well as audacious and brave.” http://lafpi.com/2018/03/lathtr-check-in-glam/

Film Impact: Unrest Creative Distribution Case Study: https://www.sundance.org/case-studies/creative-distribution/unrest

Unrest Film Screenings: http://ocm.auburn.edu/newsroom/campus_notices/faculty_staff/2018/04/department-of-theatre-to-host-a-special-advocacy-and-education-event-about-a-hidden-health-issue.php

Devised Theatre: Fair, Wishbone Theatre Collective

“I could tell immediately that this work had been developed over a period of time: the fast pace and furious blocking, the actors’ physical agility and focus, the quick blackouts and scene changes, the clever use of minimal props, and the writing—witty, provocative, assured and meaningful…FAIR is a complicated tale woven into an entertaining melodramatic format.”

— Terry Holzman, LA Female Playwrights Initiative

Spandex, Wishbone Theatre Collective

“This conversation starter is definitely worth watching.”

— Alice Harrold, Three Weeks Edinburgh

Laurie had years of impact experience including her work at Brave New Films, Why Poverty?, and most recently she ran the Global Impact Campaign for the Sundance Award-Winning film, Unrest which you can watch on Netflix or Amazon. The impact campaign won the 2019 hi5 award. Read the case study here.

Read the Sundance Institute Case Study on Unrest.

Laurie’s additional impact work includes organizing outreach and educational screenings for Brave New Films, particularly the film Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA where Laurie helped secure over 1,000 screenings of the film.

Laurie designed educational materials and organized screenings for dozens of films including:

Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars, Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price, This is Crazy: Criminalizing Mental Illness, Racism is Real, and To Prison for Poverty