Producer Carolyn Jones Premiers Red Carpet Movie “Gray’s Gift” at Douglass Theater
Producer and playwright Carolyn Jones is pleased to present her latest work Gray’s Gift of Giving at the historic Douglass Theater as a red carpet premier on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 4pm.
Presented by Oasis Montage and Beacon of Light Ministries, the movie is based on true events that occurred in Macon, Ga. during the 1960s. It is the story of the first integrated church in Georgia (the seventh in the nation) during a time when racism and KKK burnings were at their height. It is the story of a white deacon of the church who fell in love with a beautiful young black woman, a relationship that had to be kept secret as interracial relationships were illegal at the time. When the young woman becomes pregnant, tragedy occurs, and she must run away.
The above synopsis is only a snippet of all this movie has to offer. Based on the integration of now Covenant Life Cathedral on Bloomfield Road, the church has been pastored by Rev. Dr. Robert Hunnicutt since March of 2000. But it was the Lighthouse of Deliverance Founder, Rev. Estelle Hilton Good, who possessed the tenacity and love for all that withstood KKK threats and community disapproval to integrate the church in the 60s. With unimaginable twists and turns, the movie is a must-see, giving the viewer a glimpse into Macon’s history that is little known by the younger crowd today.
Gray’s Gift of Giving is not Jones’ first work. If you were lucky, you may have caught her stage play Angel’s Palace, which premiered August 18, 2019, at Community Church of God in Macon; this social awareness play about sex trafficking received rave reviews. Jones’ work is never a figment of her imagination; always inspired by real events in her own life and that of her family, Angel’s Palace was written after her nieces were trafficked to help the public understand that it can and does happen to those closest to us. She also authored and produced Gray’s Gift of Giving and Women Shoptalk while Real Men Wait, sellout plays that provide her audiences with real life situations and inspirational alternatives to recovery from domestic abuse.
A victim of years of domestic violence herself, Jones is a testament to survival. She escaped after 10 years of abuse that included broken legs, brutal beatings, kidnappings, choking until unconscious, her infant being thrown out a car window and homelessness – all fueled by domination and control of her partner. These experiences and her survival fueled her to tell her story and search for ways to help others know that there is life after domestic violence. She authored her book, When Enough is Enough, and produced Gray’s Gift of Giving and Women Shoptalk While Real Men Wait, sellout plays that provide her audiences with real life situations and inspirational alternatives to recovery from domestic abuse.
A native of Bremerhaven, Germany and a self-proclaimed Army brat, Jones spent most of her growing up years in Colorado after her father was stationed there. She still marvels at the breathtaking natural beauty of the state. Jones is the founder of Oasis Productions, Oasis Speaks, Oasis Montage Magazine and Oasis Montage Ministries, a 501(C)3 organization. She is married to Elder James Mark Jones; both Youth Directors of the integrated Covenant Life Cathedral Church of Macon; they are military veterans with 11 children. Carolyn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, a Masters of Cosmetology, a Teaching License, and an Associates of Science degree in Radio & Television Broadcasting with a minor in Theatre.
For ticket purchase, please visit the Douglass Theater website at https://www.douglasstheatre.org/ or call (404) 996-9112. You may also purchase tickets at the door on movie day at the Douglass, 355 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Macon.
