STAGES Episode 536: - SUZANNE JONES

Melbourne-born, Suzanne Jones embarked on a career in main stage live entertainment after completing degrees in economics and music. She got her start in the entertainment industry as a sound engineer at Arts Centre Melbourne, which soon led to the role of Head of Sound for System Sound, touring large-scale music theatre productions around Australia and Asia. After a hiatus of several years to explore other industries and interests – including a successful stint as a stockbroker – Suzanne’s love of live entertainment ultimately drew her back, joining the team at the Gordon Frost Organisation. During her time with GFO Suzanne produced dozens of Australian tours in various capacities, which provided the blueprint for her own dynamic and rewarding career pathway. A dynamic commercial executive in the world of theatre and live events, Suzanne has drawn on her close connections with some of the world’s foremost creators of live entertainment and a global network of trusted promotional partners to deliver the world’s most loved and most prestigious productions to audiences in Australia and across the globe. Her unerring commitment to bring the most iconic music theatre productions and live events to Australia has helped showcase the exceptional talent pool that exists in this country, across performance, design, technical and commercial roles, while delivering a positive social and economic impact. Forming her own company, JONES, in 2017 was the culmination of this experience. It is under this banner that Suzanne co-produced the Australian tours of the Andrew Lloyd Webber production of The Wizard of Oz, Chicago The Musical, Pippin, 9 to 5 The Musical, Madagascar, 2:22 A Ghost Story.  Recent productions have included the brand new interactive magic show Metaverse of Magic, the current tour of Chicago The Musical and the Australian premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher.  Inspired by the idea that theatre has the capacity to transport the audience, Suzanne is committed to producing shows which offer audiences an opportunity to transcend everyday life to spend a few hours experiencing exciting new possibilities that shift their thinking.  Suzanne is also motivated to contribute to her community and to act as a mentor for young, disadvantaged LGBTQI+ people by helping them to access opportunities that might otherwise seem out of reach. In 2025 JONES Theatrical Group is looking forward to presenting Hadestown with our wonderful partners at Opera Australia as well as the return of the smash hit musical The Book of Mormon. Suzanne lives in Sydney with her wife, Leone, and their dog, Boots. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au