He鈥檚 been a state legislator and a Cuyahoga County commissioner. But his second act has him in fictional roles as a screen neighbor to Tom Hanks and a retired policeman on 鈥淐hicago Fire.鈥� Now Peter Lawson Jones is a man confronting multiple crises in 鈥淭he Last Shop on Walnut.鈥� The Northeast Ohio-made movie at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights.
"For an independent film shot outside of New York City and L.A., if you want to drag it over the finish line, you have to be prepared to wear multiple hats," Jones said. Along with starring in the film, he鈥檚 a co-producer, co-casting director and co-legal counsel. Director Jason Richardson was also the scenic director, music director and wrote the screenplay.
"The script was absolutely compelling ... a beautiful, powerful, important story,鈥� Jones said about playing Marvin Statler. 鈥淒uring a 48-hour period of time, his life changes. There's an arc to his story. And I knew that this role would require me to utilize every tool in my actor's toolkit.鈥�
Statler sees his personal relationships crumbling alongside the neighborhood where he lives and works, until getting a generous offer for his failing business. Yet, Statler 鈥渋s petrified, terrified about selling the building,鈥� he said.
The movie was shot at Kent State University, Lakeview Cemetery, around Ravenna and also near Youngstown. The script was written with Jones in mind.
He said his careers as a politician and lawyer have 鈥渁 very clear intersection鈥� with acting.
鈥淲hat's central is the art of persuasion,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have to be able to convince a jury or a judge 鈥� of the righteousness of your client's case. If you're a politician, you have to persuade the electorate 鈥� that they can comfortably [place] their faith and hopes in you to help create a better community. And as an actor, you have to be able to convince [an audience] that your character is real, that your character matters, that they should invest their time and their energy in getting to know him.鈥�
Jones knew Richardson from their work together on a previous web series. Jones also brought in his longtime friend, an Emmy winner and fellow Shaker Heights native: Kym Whitley (鈥淎nimal Practice,鈥� 鈥淭he Parkers,鈥� 鈥溾��) stars as Marvin鈥檚 love interest.
鈥淵ou often see Kim portraying the role of the voluptuous, sexpot best friend,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here's a certain kind of energy that she generally brings to every project. We asked her to bring that vibrant personality, but also some other elements to this film. And she absolutely delivered.鈥�
For the past two decades, Jones has been acting in everything from the Tom Hanks vehicle 鈥淎 Man Called Otto鈥� to 鈥淲hite Boy Rick鈥� with Matthew McConaughey. His love of writing and performing began in the 1970s, as a Harvard undergrad. During his senior year, the college produced his first play, 鈥�.鈥� He didn鈥檛 return to showbiz until decades later, while serving as a Karamu House board member. Then-artistic director Terrence Spivey noticed Jones鈥� enthusiasm for theater.
鈥淲hat I thought had long been extinguished 鈥� returning to the stage, performing, I realized had been rekindled,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, I auditioned for a play that Terrence was directing, was cast in the role and things just kind of took off from there.鈥�
The latest stop in his career is the premiere of 鈥淭he Last Shop on Walnut.鈥� Thursday鈥檚 event concludes with a talkback session featuring Jones, Richardson and Whitley. The film runs at the Cedar Lee for at least a week and has on June 3.
