Peter Lawson Jones

A Festival-Circuit Screening + Live Q&A with Peter Lawson Jones, a Harvard College graduate (magna cum laude in Government) and Harvard Law School alumnus; "award-winning actor and playwright".

Saturday, February 21, 2026

7:00pm

A Festival-Circuit Screening + Live Q&A

The Forum is proud to present a special screening of Peter’s newest film, "Last Shop on Walnut", as it makes its way through international film festivals.

This is a unique opportunity to experience the film now paired with an in-depth, live Q&A immediately following the screening, offering audiences direct insight into the story, the process, and the themes shaping the work.

Peter Lawson Jones — Actor, Storyteller, Advocate

Acclaimed actor Peter Lawson Jones brings a rare blend of cinematic craft, intellectual depth, and social insight to The Forum’s 2025–2026 season. Many will recognize him from his powerful role opposite Tom Hanks in A Man Called Otto, but Peter’s body of work spans film, television, theater, and public service distinguished by performances that probe humanity, justice, and community.

Beyond the Screen: Culture, Conversation & Community

Made possible through the generous support of a Forum Donor, the evening extends beyond a film screening into a vibrant cultural gathering sparked by conversation around storytelling, social change, and the power of the arts to reflect and influence our world. The experience is designed to engage not only cinephiles, but anyone interested in how narrative can illuminate identity, place, and possibility.

Ticket Pricing

Venue

Prior-Jollek Hall - Antilles School Campus - St. Thomas - U.S. Virgin Islands

Saturday:

6:00pm - Courtyard open & small meals from Amalia Café
7:00pm - Main Concert

Ticket pricing:

Adults - $30 Teachers - $10 Students - $5 Children - Free of charge

To purchase your ticket, click the link below:

To purchase your Ticket

Click here!

Biography of Peter Lawson Jones

Peter Lawson Jones is an attorney, business consultant, professional actor, acting instructor, master of ceremonies, dramatist and former elected official.

From February 2002, through December 2010, Jones, a graduate of Harvard College (magna cum laude in Government) and Harvard Law School, was a member of the Board of Cuyahoga County Commissioners, and its president for three of those years. He previously served two and one-half terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he was the ranking member of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee and second vice president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus. Jones was formerly the Vice Mayor and a Councilman in the City of Shaker Heights, Ohio. He is a consultant in the areas of government relations, community engagement, event planning, fundraising and fatherhood programming.

Jones, a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actor’s Equity, can be seen later this year playing the lead in the feature-length indie, The Last Shop on Walnut. Jones has appeared in well over twenty films (A Man Called Otto, White Boy Rick, Alex Cross, The Assassin’s Code, Starve), on network television (NBC’s Chicago Fire and ABC’s Detroit 1-8-7), in national commercials (Marathon Oil and Kia) and on stages throughout Northeast Ohio. He received the 2025 Hard Faith Fest NYC Best Actor Award for his performance in the short film, Unexpected, and the 2016 Indie Gathering International Film Festival Best Ohio Supporting Actor Award for his work in the feature-length film, How to Change the World. He has also been inducted into the Karamu House Hall of Fame. Karamu is the oldest multicultural theatre in the country.

Jones's play, The Bloodless Jungle, enjoyed a regional premiere last year at the Black Repertory Group Theater in Berkeley, California. It has also enjoyed two full productions at The Ensemble Theatre in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Land of Cleve, an arts and culture blog, honored TBJ with an achievement award and ranked the 2017 production as one of the best in Northeast Ohio that year. The drama has enjoyed staged readings at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Dallas Convention Center, the National Black Theatre Festival, Duquesne University and in Harlem. Jones’s most recent play, The Phoenix Society, enjoyed its world premiere in 2022 at Playwrights Local in Cleveland, Ohio. His first drama, The Family Line, has been successfully produced at Karamu House (Cleveland, Ohio), Harvard University and Ohio University.

Jones and his spouse Lisa are the proud parents of three children, Ryan Charles, Leah Danielle and Evan Cooke. They are the equally proud grandparents of Jordan Peter Jones.

Key Awards & Recognitions:

African American Playwrights Exchange Artist of the Year (2012)
Indie Gathering International Film Festival Best Ohio Supporting Actor (2016) for How to Change the World
Karamu House Hall of Fame Inductee
Ohio School Counselors Association Legislator of the Year (2000)
Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board Helping Hands Legislator of the Year (2006)
City of Shaker Heights Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Special Lifetime Achievement Award (2011)
LAND of CLEVE Achievement Award (2017) for The Bloodless Jungle
Named to Inside Business magazine's Power One Hundred (2004-2008)
Named to Cleveland magazine's Most Interesting People list (2008)

Summery

The Last Shop on Walnut has started production in Cleveland with Peter Lawson Jones (A Man Called Otto), 3x NAACP Award winner and Emmy nominee Kym Whitley (Happy Gilmore 2 and Donald Webber, Jr. (Severance) joining the cast of the Jason Richardson written, produced and directed feature (George and Alex). Jones is also a producer on the film.

Last Shop on Walnut centers on African American Marvin Statler (Jones) who has lived above the lamp repair he owns for nearly all of his adult life – not even setting foot in the outside world in over 15 years. Suddenly forced to deal with delinquent taxes, and the possibility of having to sell his shop, he is confronted with the ghosts of his past when a family member enters his life (but is he who is says he is?). With the help of an old flame, Darlene (Whitley), and potential buyers of his shop, Marvin faces his past demons and begins his ‘second chance’ at life. Webber, Jr. plays Michael, Marvin’s younger brother, who has worked with him for several years in their lamp shop.

Jones has appeared in over twenty films (A Man Called Otto, White Boy Rick, Alex Cross, The Assassin’s Code, Starve), and on network television with credits including NBC’s Chicago Fire as a guest star and ABC’s Detroit 1-8-7). The actor is repped by BMG Models & Talent.

Whitley is a Daytime Emmy-Nominated actress for turn as Big Candi on The Bay. In addition, she is a 3x NAACP Image Award-winner for her Two Funny Mamas podcast, alongside Sherri Shepherd. Whitley is a 2023 Signal Award winner for her Audible podcast, Kym based loosely on the multi-hyphenate’s life. Her latest roles include Netflix’s half-hour series Act Your Age and Happy Gilmore 2. She also starred in Next Friday, Young & Hungry and Curb Your Enthusism. She also executive produced her docuseries Raising Whitley on OWN. She wrote the book The Delusion of Cinderella. The actress is repped by Innovative Artists, Vault Entertainment and Fox Rothschild.

Webber, Jr. plays Patton on Apple TV series Severance. On Broadway, he starred in this year’s revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross as John Williamson opposite Bob Odenkirk. Other recent credits include the Tony Nominated revival of Our Town as ‘Simon Stimson’, Purlie Victorious, Hamilton, Motown: the Musical (OBC), and Holler If Ya Hear Me (OBC). He also starred in Netflix’s The Punisher, NBC’s The Wiz: Live!, and Killing Me Softly With His Song. Webber, Jr. is repped by CESD Talent Agency and 44 West Entertainment.

Richardson recently completed shooting the feature-length drama George and Alex, which he also wrote and directed and is currently in post-production. His psychological thriller Carry on My Words is in development with Sun and Moon Films based in LA.