Livingston Magazine

Wounded: Shaw Jones Lives the Role, Scars & All

New York
Editor-In-Chief: Jamee Beth Livingston
Publicist: Rick Krusky, MWPR Inc

[as originally published on livingstonmagazine.com]

In the dim, intimate space of New York’s SoHo Playhouse, a man steps into the light — not to play a part, but to reveal a truth. Wounded is a powerful exploration of grief, resilience and healing. At its core is Shaw Jones, an actor uninterested in surface or spectacle. His work pulses with something deeper: lived experience. Jones doesn’t just act. He transmits.

Wounded isn’t merely theatre—it’s emotional excavation. And for Jones, the material hits close to home. Every night he steps into a role shaped by trauma and the pursuit of healing, themes drawn straight from the pages of his own life. Written by Jiggs Burgess and directed by Del Shores, the Off-Broadway production also stars Kristen McCullough and Craig Taggart. With its recent win at the 2024 SoHo Playhouse International Fringe Encore Theater Series, Wounded arrives not just as a production, but as a reckoning.

Vulnerability is power.

Jones was born in Memphis and grew up wrestling with identity; with who he was and his place in the world. He describes his early years as “a wandering audition,” moving between sports, music and odd jobs. “I was a jack of all trades,” he looks back, “but never really belonged anywhere.” His path to acting began where many childhood dreams are born: in the family living room, unaware it would one day lead to film and stage. He’d sling his dad’s old acoustic guitar over his shoulder and mimic Elvis—hip shakes, lip curl, the swagger. As a kid in Memphis in the seventies, Elvis wasn’t just an icon to him; he was an early blueprint for presence, vulnerability and command.

That living room performance led to a body of work that includes critically celebrated roles in Star Trek: Picard, NCIS and indie features such as Proximity and Blue, which earned him a pair of Best Actor nominations. During his work in the acclaimed series Your Honor, he found himself in a defining moment opposite Bryan Cranston. In the midst of an emotionally demanding scene, Jones veered off-script, instinctively weaving in lines and gestures that hadn’t been written. The additions weren’t rehearsed—they were felt. Cranston, recognizing the boldness of the choices, applauded the performance and encouraged him to trust those instincts moving forward. It was the kind of quiet, career-shaping affirmation that stays with an actor. The improvised moments remained in the final cut—a subtle but powerful acknowledgment of Jones’ instinctual command of his craft.

Jones belongs to a rapidly growing class of performers who aren’t content with traditional narratives. He doesn’t escape the world when he steps on the stage but dives into it. His process is raw and visceral. His work bleeds with radical honesty. He follows a simple truth—if you want to touch an audience, don’t hide your wounds. Show them, bare your scars. Jones has built a career on nuance and complexity. But Wounded is different. It cuts closer.

Scars on Stage: Wounded isn’t just a role, it’s a ritual.

Jones embodies Robert, a man fractured by unimaginable loss. To spectators, it’s unflinchingly captivating. To Jones, it’s catharsis. The emotional crucible of his own son’s fight with cancer while struggling with addiction is the well he draws from each night. Critics have described it as “explosive,” “devastating,” and “one of the most honest portrayals on the Off-Broadway stage right now.” He doesn’t fake the emotion. He channels it.

One of the most formative chapters in his life began with being bullied in middle school. As a late bloomer at an all-boys prep school, he struggled with confidence until his father introduced him to boxing—a turning point that led to Golden Gloves tournaments and Olympic dreams. But another pivotal moment came when a skiing accident left him with a severely broken back. Two major surgeries and a long, painful recovery followed. He had to relearn how to walk. That experience, more than any, taught him resilience—the kind of strength that doesn’t just survive pain, but is shaped by it.

The curtain may fall, but the story keeps unfolding. He’s co-writing a short film inspired by his own experience as a young amateur boxer who once found himself rustling in an exhibition match at a maximum-security prison — an event surreal, dangerous and somehow formative. He is also writing a one-man show about dealing with his son’s illness, mixing memoir, poetry and raw theatricality. He doesn’t view these works as separate projects, but rather as a continuum of personal storytelling. In his eyes, Art is not only a means of making people feel things, it is also a vehicle for empathy, a confrontation with what most people strive to bury.

His advice to younger actors who share his ethos is simple: “Never use the word ‘failure,’ there are only struggles and challenges.” His own career stands as a testament to quiet wins, unexpected detours, and necessary redirections. As Wounded resonates with theatergoers, Jones’s presence onstage doesn’t feel like an actor playing a part—but rather a ritual unfolding in real time. His performance blurs the line between character and man, between narrative and real life.

Shaw Jones is what happens when you stop performing and start unfolding. In a time when much of culture seems to be obsessed with image and performance, his work is a reminder that the most revolutionary act there is in art is to tell the truth. Because not all stories are acted—they’re lived. And Shaw Jones is living his in broad daylight.

Rival

Shaw Jones Talks Career and New Off-Broadway Play "Wounded"

[as originally published on rivalmagazinela.com]

Shaw Jones doesn’t just act—he transforms. From the sci-fi drama of Proximity to the award-winning Blue, his performances pulse with the truer-than-life sheen of theater. His television career spans Star Trek: Picard, Your Honor, NCIS, and more, showcasing his versatility. Now, he takes the Off-Broadway stage in Wounded, adding to a theater resume that includes Assassins and No Place to Be Somebody.

With upcoming projects inspired by his boxing past and family’s struggles, Shaw’s storytelling remains deeply personal. Off-screen, he’s a devoted father and husband, proving that perseverance and truth create a lasting impact. Here, he opens up about the craft, the hustle, and the stories that fuel his journey.

When did you first realize acting was your calling at Southern Methodist University?

I feel like I always had the dream or an impulse to act in me, but I lacked the courage to do it. But while in college, I was studying psychology, and I decided to take an acting elective. I think I must’ve gotten some fairly good feedback, or I would never have done it again. I enjoyed it, so the next semester I took another acting class. That's the extent of my acting career in college. It showed me that I had a desire, and it was grounded in a real place inside me. I was also interested in human behavior, which is why I majored in psychology. I think that helped me a lot in my acting career. I enjoyed how I could relate to a character, how my personality could mesh with the character, and create an honest person.

Tell us a bit about “Wounded.” What drew you to this project?

A friend of mine came to me with it. After he’d read the play and looked at the other character, he immediately thought of me. Now I say this because I preach a lot about how the work that you do on other projects can lead to more work. If you work hard, if you show up prepared, if you give it everything you can, if you take direction well, it can create future opportunities. Because I had worked with this guy on another project and because I had done those things, he then thought of me for this. I trusted him, and I knew what kind of actor he was because he worked hard, too. So, I agreed to it without even reading it. I also liked broken, multifaceted characters, and this was a very broken character. This guy started on a positive path in life and then, because of the decisions he made, went downhill. He went down the path of addiction, and now he's coming out the other side of it. I feel like in my life I've had those ups and downs, like anybody does, and I love drawing on those emotions and those experiences. I had a teacher who once told me that you have to paint with all the colors of your palette, not just the bright ones. You've got to paint with the dark as well. So, I enjoyed it because that character had a lot of that.

How would you describe your character, and what aspects of their personality or journey resonated with you the most? How did you approach connecting with them on a deeper level?

Before every show, as uncomfortable as it is, I would look at the darkest times of my life. I’d just really focus on those times. I’d look at a memory in my mind down to very specific details. What was the other person wearing? Whether it was raining that night. When someone broke up with me. The deaths of my loved ones. Things like that. Because this guy has experienced all that, and it's very fresh and on in his journey. I wanted to have that “pot” of discomfort really boiling in me before going on stage—embarrassment, shame, regret, whatever.

How do you approach preparing for such diverse roles, like portraying Lee Harvey Oswald in "Assassins" or your character in "Wounded"? What helps you immerse yourself in each performance?

I studied Lee Harvey Oswald's life in a lot of detail. Not just his life around the time of the shooting, but also when he was a child, to see how he grew up and what kind of influences he had in his life. I did the same for Wounded. I found the town where the story is based in. I checked the population, what the weather is like, and how many people go to the schools. I looked up restaurants around there that he might have visited. All of it just to get an idea of where they’re actually coming from. That’s helpful to me to do before I start making up things.

Winning two Best Actor awards for "Blue" is a significant achievement. How did this recognition impact your career, and how did it influence your career as an actor?

I think the important thing is that it lets me see that if I approach a role and do the best job I can, then sometimes I get awards for it. It’s like that sort of acclaim can tell you that you’re doing something right, that I should be acting, that I'm on the right path. And then I take the energy from those awards or the experience, and I use it as fuel for the next project.

So far, which role has been your favorite and why?

I’m not sure about a role, but I can tell you one of my favorite experiences. I had a good time on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia because they’re such a tight-knit group. Usually, on a show, they'll just have one or two guest stars, and I always got to be one of them. But in this case, I got to spend a lot of time with the core cast off set. I was kind of permitted into that amazing comical group for a day. We rode over in the same van together, sat in the tent together, and chatted for hours—things like that. Being around people who are so naturally funny was really fun. They were very inviting and welcomed me into the family, which felt really great.

Does being a husband and father affect your acting choices?

I don’t think it affects what I choose. If it's interesting to you, and it's going to be creative and further you as an artist, then go for it. Don't worry about what other people are going to think. That said, it does affect my overall life. I can connect to emotions in an honest way that I wasn’t able to do before being a husband or a father.

How does your approach differ between theater and film?

I’m not sure if it does. I think the only thing that differs is how I portray it to the audience. On the stage, I have to make sure that I'm in the light or that I'm facing the audience. They have to see me and feel the emotion coming from me in a bigger sense than when filming television. For the screen, I can bring it down a little bit. It's in the eyes, you know? It can be much smaller and more powerful. So, the preparation is the same, but the delivery is what’s different.

What has been your most memorable moment in a project?

I did a scene with Brian Cranston, and I was getting positive feedback on my performance from him while we were shooting it. That felt great and emboldened my confidence. He’s one of my heroes. So, to stand toe-to-toe with him and have him praise me and tell me that what I'm doing is great, and for me to keep going, that was a big win for me.

What key advice would you offer to young actors starting their journey?

I was watching an actor the other day—Walton Goggins. He said something, which was basically what I've been saying for years. And I don't know why it took me so long to get it, but it had taken him long, too. He said he always went into auditions, trying to please the people. And I used to do the same thing. Like, how do I think I should say the line? Or if I do this, will they think it’s overacting? If the script has an exclamation point, do I scream it? And since you don't know what they want, it leaves you in this state of confusion. You’re not making solid choices. But when I decided to do it the way Shaw would do it—the way I would approach the role—with the attitude that, if you hire me, this is what you're going to get, this is how I interpret it, this is how I'm going to portray it—that’s when I started working more. Yes, I can, of course, take direction and will. But upon first surmise of the character and what you've given me in the script, this is what you're going to get from me. And if I do that, I know that I've been honest. I know that I've given them my take on it. If they like it, great. If they don't, it's okay. Once I started just doing it in an honest way for myself, I started booking more jobs. I also started walking away from auditions and was able to move on.

What upcoming projects are you working on, and is there anything exciting on the horizon that your fans can look forward to? 

I'm super excited about a short film that I've written based on a moment from my life. It deals with a young boy overcoming hardships, like bullying and not fitting in. It's a story about when I was boxing and my coach got me a fight at a maximum-security prison. And it’s also about a father and son, a 14-year-old who is trying to make sense of the world, who learns about it through boxing and learns about it most significantly on a certain night at a maximum-security prison.

Hazze Media

Shaw Jones on "Wounded", Leadership, and the Power of Staying Present

[as originally published on hazzemedia.com]

You’ve played agents, convicts, dads, and aliens but Robert in Wounded feels like your most raw, stripped-back role to date. What made you say, “Yeah, this is the one I need to do live, no cuts, no retakes”?

Jones: I've always been intrigued [by] a character that is broken or is, at heart, a good person but has done bad things. I've had a lot of instances in my life that have been difficult, and I find that it has prepared me to dig into a character or go levels deeper than other people. And so, I feel like I can find a lot of similarities in roles where others might be afraid to go or can't go.

HAZZE is all about the human behind the highlight reel. What personal truths did you tap into while building Robert, someone living with addiction, grief, and a messy past?

Jones: I think having to face my own shortcomings was how I prepared for Robert. I’m not immune to the idea of addiction. That's one way I've been able to identify with him and was able to passionately play a part, because I've lived it. 

From the set of Star Trek to the stage at SoHo Playhouse, what’s the biggest shift in how you approach performance when it’s Off-Broadway and in your face every night?

Jones: I think that I have to rely heavily on trust in myself and honest confidence. Because if you're doing a TV show, it's three-minute bursts for your shots or scenes. It's quick. But stepping on stage is a completely different beast because you have to truly trust yourself and your instincts.

"Wounded" started as a one-act play and evolved into a full-length production that won the SoHo Playhouse Fringe Encore Series Award. What was it like watching this story grow from the ground up?

Jones: It was a lesson in just doing what's in front of you and not worrying about the outcome. Don't worry about the results. Just focus and work hard, because with all the things that happened with it, it just kept growing. I mean, it won two awards at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, and won an ultimate award to then go to New York. And then, after doing it in New York, it won again to come back to New York. But I never looked at it for results. I just continued to put all the work into the character, and good things came from it. It just kept surprising us. It just kept growing and winning. Each time we were like, “Oh my God.” It was so exciting because we didn't plan on it. We didn't go into it thinking, “I'm going to win a Tony on this one.” I just went into it and said, “I need to be present and in the moment in each moment of this play.”

You’ve had guest spots on NCIS, Criminal Minds, Snowfall, The Upshaws, and more—but Wounded puts you front and center. How does that spotlight feel different when it’s not just a scene but it’s your story?

Jones: I was taught that the lead actor isn't the one with the most lines. He [plays] a major role, but he's the lead actor because he needs to lead the set. He needs to be a leader on set. So, I find that when I'm the lead, I've got a little bit bigger burden in the sense that I have to do my role, but I also have to create an environment that is healthy and positive and with a strong work ethic.

There’s a line in "Wounded" that stuck with us — 'We all got ghosts, some just scream louder.'

How did you learn to sit in the silence of a character who’s haunted?

Jones: In life, we all have things that we need to get out of us or talk about. And unfortunately, we don't talk about them. There [are] a lot of things we want to say in life, and we hold [them] back because we're scared, or we're scared we're going to be judged, or we don't want to open the dam. But I think I was able to actually sit with those feelings and just have them alive and brewing inside me. I was able to let them come out from the dark attic they were in and sort of open the door and come out, but not leave the house. And then I was able to push him back in. But I had to have them come out to be able to be seen.

HAZZE always asks the vibe check. What was the energy like backstage at SoHo? Any rituals, superstitions, or moments that grounded you before stepping into Robert’s shoes each night?

Jones: I did a few things. I came in on the second act so I didn't need to be there until an hour in. But I always enjoyed sitting backstage and listening to the first act, because I was engaged in the story, and it helped me to realize that my character was alive. I liked being in the theater, in the experience. So, every show I was there. I was never in my dressing room. It sort of prepped me to get ready and warmed up to go on stage. I would close my eyes and thank the people [who] made me who I am. I thanked my mom and dad, who've passed. I would be thankful [for] all the great things I have in my life, and the things I've been through that I was ashamed of. I would think about it all, and I would be grateful for all of it, good or bad, because it got me to that point and had prepared me to undertake such a dark, layered role.

You’ve won Best Actor twice for Blue and got Rolling Stone praise for Proximity, but where does "Wounded" rank in your personal highlight reel and why?

Jones: Those awards are great, and I'm deeply appreciative, and I don't take anything for granted. But I think the reward I got from Wounded was the nightly face-to-face award I would get in speaking to the audience afterwards. I could immediately see how I’d affected people emotionally, which was always so satisfying for me.

So what’s next? From dark comedy to sci-fi to heartfelt indie films, what’s one story the world hasn’t seen you in yet, but you’re dying to tell? 

Jones: I'm dying to tell the story of a fish out of water. A kid that’s put into a hard world of boxing that he doesn't come from, and how—through his coach and fights—it helps get him back on track and give[s] him [the] tools to be able to make it through the journey of life.

Marshmallow Premiere

Los Angeles Premiere Of "Marshmallow"

[as originally published on gettyimages.com]

CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Actor Shaw Jones attends the Los Angeles Premiere of "Marshmallow" at the Culver Theater on April 04, 2025 in Culver City, California. (Getty Images)

The Fordham Ram

How “Wounded” Can Help Us Find Healing

Actors Jones, Taggart, and McCullough on opening night (Courtesy of Mia Tero/The Fordham Ram).

[as originally published on thefordhamram.com]

You know that feeling when a story hits you in a place that you didn’t realize you had? That is what “Wounded,” a play being shown at the SoHo Playhouse, does. It may be the way that it captures how buried grief can be, the revenge we seek against those who have wronged us or the dark humor that makes hard-hitting topics slightly more bearable. Although the story focuses on the difficulties of being gay in a world that lacks empathy, it goes beyond that, making us reflect on the wounds that we carry and the actions they can drive us to take. Even if you don’t relate to the prominent themes of loss, assault or queerness, this play will leave you reflecting on past moments and how playwright, Jiggs Burgess, captures the feelings we so often hide. 

Told with unflinching honesty, “Wounded” doesn’t shy away from the weight of sexual assault or past traumas. Instead, it uses comedy in moments of unexpected darkness to prove that laughter in itself can be an act of rebellion against even the darkest of times. Through this gripping performance and fearless storytelling, “Wounded” turns pain into something communal. We may have different thoughts racing through our heads while watching this play, but sitting together in this hidden gem of a theater, our personal tragedies can transform into resilience. The phrase “it takes a village” is usually in reference to raising a child, but we should not forget that it can also take a village to carry things from our past. This play offers a hand in this, not to erase what we have gone through, but instead to remind us that we don’t have to hold our emotions or past actions alone. 

Split into two acts that mirror each other in style, “Wounded” unfolds in two unchanging environments — with just two actors on stage at a time, and only three actors in total. At the center of it all is the main character, Carrol, a force that pulls the audience through each moment with a presence so demanding that additional action is not needed. Carrol is played by actor Craig Taggart, who does an amazing job of portraying the emotional turmoil of his character. In the first act, you are introduced to the character Katie, a mom grappling with the deterioration of her nuclear family and who is raising her disabled daughter alongside her overbearing mother. Katie is excellently played by actress Kristen McCullough. In the second act, we are introduced to Robert, a man struggling with addiction and guilt, incredibly played by actor Shaw Jones. You won’t find dramatic set changes or choreography that you may see in other plays, but you won’t be able to look away nonetheless. Every decision that the actors make is incredibly deliberate in unwinding the truth behind the story. 

The director, Del Shores, a former actor himself, believes that it is important to work closely with the actors in order to better portray the story. “I’m very big on the psychology of characters. I can’t really write or direct until I understand that completely,” Shores said. “I collaborate with actors to achieve that. You have to ask yourself as an actor, how did my character get here?” 

This process was shown clearly in “Wounded” since each actor has the task of embodying a character facing great internal conflicts. The actors had to delve deep into their characters’ pasts to understand and behave how the characters would given their world experiences. The pauses and expressions made by the actors feel raw and authentic. The depth of the characters is what makes “Wounded” so emotionally gripping. The collaborative approach of Shores ensures that audience members not only watch these characters but feel the weight of what they are struggling with. Because of this, you are left with a lasting impression that lingers long after the play is over. 

“Wounded” is playing at the SoHo Playhouse until March 16, and if you have the opportunity to see it in person, you won’t regret it. This play serves as an invitation to look deeper, to question everything and wonder if grief and revenge can ever be as simple as we want them to be… READ MORE

Most Magazine

Getty Images

6th Jam For Janie Grammy Awards Viewing Party Presented By Live Nation

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Shaw Jones attends the 6th Jam For Janie Grammy Awards Viewing Party Presented By Live Nation at the Hollywood Palladium on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Janie's Fund)

Authority Magazine

Shaw Jones On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career in TV and Film

[as originally published on medium.com]

As part of our series about creating a successful career in TV and Film, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Shaw Jones.

Shaw Jones is a stage and screen actor known for his captivating performances. He can be seen on Amazon Prime with leading roles in the feature films Proximity — praised by Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers — and Blue, for which he has earned two Best Actor awards. On television, Shaw has built an impressive resume with appearances on Your Honor, Star Trek: Picard, The Upshaws, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Snowfall, Grace and Frankie, The Affair, 911, The Cool Kids, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, For All Mankind, and a recurring role on Jimmy Kimmel Live, among many others. In theater, Shaw is preparing to star in the explosive Off-Broadway drama Wounded at the renowned SoHo Playhouse, opening in March 2025. His previous stage credits include No Place to Be Somebody at the WACO Theater and portraying Lee Harvey Oswald in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins. For more information, please visit: shawjonesactor.com.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Igrew up in Memphis, Tennessee as one of four siblings. I had an older brother, an older sister and a younger sister who were all very different. Growing up, I was sort of a jack of all trades; good at many things, but not great at any one thing. I think I lacked the self-confidence to take me to the next level, especially in sports.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I really loved Elvis Presley growing up, especially being from Memphis. I would lip sync Presley’s hits with my dad’s old acoustic guitar hanging from my shoulder in what I would like to think were memorable performances in my family’s living room.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of the more interesting moments in my career occurred when I was doing an intense scene with Bryan Cranston on the show, Your Honor. As I’m shooting the scene, I organically added in a few moments and lines that were not in the script. When the scene was over, Bryan applauded me on my bold character choices. He advised me to always follow and trust my instincts. Due to Bryan’s approval, the pieces I added were kept in the final cut.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I was a new actor, I was auditioning for a scene in a casting director’s office. At one point in the scene, the character picks up the phone, screams in it, and slams it down. Unplanned, I rushed over to the casting director’s desk and used their private phone. It did not go over well. The lesson I learned was to never touch anything on anybody’s desk.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I have three projects right now that are very exciting to me. The first is an original play, Wounded, which I’m doing in New York at the Soho Playhouse this coming February and March. It’s emotionally demanding and I’m looking forward to the longer run of this production. I’m also finishing pre-production on a short film project I co-wrote with a friend. It’s a true story based on an experience I had as a young boxer who has a match at a maximum-security prison.
I’m also writing a one-man show about parenting my son during his cancer battle.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

My advice to new actors is to take the word ‘failure’ out of your vocabulary. If you follow your heart, work as hard as you can and persist, there is no failure. There will be struggles and challenges, but no failure.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

I think diversity is extremely important in art. Seeing life and the world through other people’s perspectives is how we learn about our own. art, with regard to film and television, gives us the ability to experience other people’s lives and emotions — showing us what it means to be human. Seeing other’s overcome adversity, or situations we cannot imagine, is moving. It imbues humanity in anyone who sees such art… READ MORE

Times Square Chronicles

 Jiggs Burgess and Shaw Jones in “Wounded”

OFF BROADWAY: Wounded at Soho Playhouse Successfully Surprises Its Audience

[as originally published on t2conline.com]

I miss the New York Fringe Festival. Admittedly, with that many shows presented each year it was three weeks of hits and misses where there were probably more misses than hits, which is why Fringe Encore Series at the Soho Playhouse is a welcome annual event.

Wounded by Jiggs Burgess is one of the nine productions running through February 11th that proves that less is more – only nine well received productions rather than the hundreds of untried presentations. Directed by Del Shores it is a fast paced show that although peppered with wit and laughs also contains a good amount of tension and angst.

Craig Taggart photo courtesy of Beard Collins Shores Productions

Carrol is a moderately successful book writer (his book was turned into a film with Meryl Streep) but is also a damaged individual who buries his pain in food. Played by Craig Taggart, his first appearance on stage is an over the top gay character who emits laughter from the audience with his histrionics and exaggerated antics. As he prepares for an afternoon meeting with his old school mate Robert, played by Shaw Jones, he chirps greetings to the birds that nest in his southern home and barks at the neighbor’s dog who he accuses of eating his cats.

Shaw Jones photo courtesy of Beard Collins Shores Productions

Robert had a successful career after getting a scholarship at a prestigious university; but, a tragic accident has devastated his life and prospects to the point where he hopes that Carrol may help him find work and put him on a better path. While Mr Taggart plays his role with a never ending antic energy of none stop chatter, Mr Jones at first plays his part very subdued, quiet and passive which allows us to be even more surprised when he explodes into anger and threatened violence.

These two characters have hidden painful secrets that are revealed slowly, replacing the jovial atmosphere seen at the start of the play into a tension building drama with a satisfying conclusion.

The set design by Mr Taggart fills the stage with a bounty of appetizers and goodies that both shows Carrol’s obsession with food and also allows director, Mr Shores, to use these samplings as props and diversions that both bring laughter and divert tension.

Wounded is definitely worth traveling downtown below 14th Street. Tickets are available at International Fringe Encore Comedy Series — SoHo Playhouse and plays through February 11th.

Vents Magazine

From Setbacks to Spotlight: Shaw Jones’s Journey of Resilience and Passion

[as originally published on ventsmagazine.com]

Shaw Jones is a stage and screen actor known for his captivating performances. He can be seen on Amazon Prime with leading roles in the feature films Proximity—praised by Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers—and Blue, for which he has earned two Best Actor awards. On television, Shaw has built an impressive resume with appearances on Your Honor, Star Trek: Picard, The Upshaws, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Snowfall, Grace and Frankie, The Affair, 911, The Cool Kids, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, For All Mankind, and a recurring role on Jimmy Kimmel Live, among many others. In theater, Shaw is preparing to star in the explosive Off-Broadway drama Wounded at the renowned SoHo Playhouse, opening in March 2025. His previous stage credits include No Place to Be Somebody at the WACO Theater and portraying Lee Harvey Oswald in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins. With a story as inspiring as his performances, Shaw sat down with us to share insights into his journey from humble beginnings to celebrated roles.

How did your upbringing or hometown influence your interests and career path?

Manners were a huge part of my upbringing, which I believe made an impact on my life. My parents taught me to respect other people, no matter their background, upbringing, or position in life.

Can you share any childhood experiences that you feel shaped who you are today?

One of the most powerful experiences I had was being bullied as a child. It mainly started in middle school. I attended an all-boy prep school. I was a late bloomer, physically, and lacked self-confidence because of it. After being beat up a few times, I went to my father and told him what was going on and asked him for help. He got me started in boxing, where I excelled. My path was the golden gloves boxing tournament and then onto the Olympics, which led me to the second most important experience of my childhood. I severely broke my back snow skiing. I was extremely close to being paralyzed from the waist down. I underwent two major surgeries and was able to recover, albeit slowly, having to learn how to walk again. It gave me the courage to face extremely difficult situations and find strength within myself to push through no matter what emotional or physical pain I felt.

How did you get your start in acting?

My first experience trying to get an acting job was auditioning for Interview with the Vampire. I tried to get all my classmates in Dallas to go with me, and they were all on board until the week of. They all bailed on me, and I decided to go anyway to New Orleans. While I was in acting school, I had read in USA Today that they were having open auditions in New Orleans. I didn’t have any credits yet, but I decided to book a flight and fly there for the audition. I didn’t even have a headshot—just a photo of myself with my name, height, and weight on the back. When I told the casting directors that I’d flown in from Dallas, they looked at me like I was crazy, but then they told me that they were impressed by my effort and to never give up on that level of drive. I did not get the job, but that experience taught me to always strive and give everything I’ve got. My first acting job actually came while I was still in acting school. A teacher of mine had a friend that was shooting a movie, and he brought some of the scenes to class to work on as an exercise. The teacher showed his friend the tapes from class, and the director asked me to come in and read for the lead. I ended up booking the role, costarring with Willie Nelson and Robert Vaughn.

Were there any specific mentors or teachers who inspired you along the way?

Laura Gardner for stressing organic, natural acting and digging deep emotionally. Richard Lawson for teaching me to act using all the colors of my emotional palette, from the light to especially the dark, and to embrace my faults and use them in my art.

What have been some of your proudest moments or accomplishments in your career so far?

Being awarded with a full run of the play Wounded at the Soho Playhouse this coming year. And also having my late father, after seeing my work in a short film, being impressed by my work and telling me that he finally understood why I wanted to be an actor.

Can you describe your creative or professional process when approaching a new project?

Becoming the character is one of the most important things for me. The physicality of the character, the wardrobe of the character. I do an incredible amount of research on what makes up and drives the character. In essence, I have to be wearing the right shoes of the character. I then go into myself and find what I have in common with the character and bring that to the forefront and blend it with the traits of the character.

Have you had the chance to collaborate with any industry icons or professionals you’ve admired?

I recently worked with Bryan Cranston. He was extremely kind and giving as an actor and was very complimentary of my work and instincts. John Hawkes is another actor whom I admire that I had a chance to work with. He was very helpful to me and gave me some incredible insights into his process for me to use.

Have you ever worked on a project that was particularly challenging or rewarding?

I recently went to New York and did an Off-Broadway play. It’s a two-person play. It’s an extremely intense play. My goal as an actor is to move people emotionally, and with this role, I got to do that.

What motivates or inspires you in your work today?

I always strive to be a real person in a real situation. No matter what is happening in the scene, I always want my performances to be organic and natural.

How do you handle rejection or setbacks, especially in such a competitive industry?

Rejection is constant in this industry. But if I’ve done everything I can for a role and do not get it, I’m okay with that. I only struggle when I know I could’ve done more. I also pursue other creative outlets, like writing.

What are you currently working on, and what excites you most about it?

I’m starting rehearsals for the production of Wounded at the Soho Playhouse, which starts in March. Doing live theater and putting all of myself out there for people to see is the most rewarding thing I do. Walking that tightrope live on stage with my costar is extremely thrilling. I’m also working on a short film about my days as a young boxer. It deals with bullying and ultimately fighting at a maximum-security prison. It’s a true story. And I’m also writing a one-man play that deals with the true story of my child battling pediatric cancer while struggling with addiction.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to enter your field?

Be yourself! And say “yes” to all acting opportunities.

What legacy or impact do you hope to leave on the industry?

I was put on this earth to move people emotionally as an actor. If I can do that, I’ve done my job, and I’m content. I also want to show my sons that if you work hard and never give up, you can succeed at anything… READ MORE