Yo! I’m Jonathan!
I’m a Chicago-based actor, voiceover artist, and goofball with a passion for heightened text.
Graduated from Northern Illinois University with a BFA in Acting in May of 2024 (after a VERY brief stint of majoring in Computer Science), and received additional training from Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Emerging Professional Residency.
I love studying and performing classical texts and seek to show underrepresented voices actively doing this work.
In my free time, I love reading a good book (I’m a sucker for romance), going on walks, and hanging with my homies.
Peep the other tabs to know more about me!
What Folks Are Saying
“Jonathan Perkins’ face and eyes magically create a comic environment whenever he was present.”
“Jonathan Perkins in a charming, self-effacing turn.”
“Perkins was arresting in the quality of his performance.”
“Jonathan Perkins playing a raft of characters, including the delightfully nerdy Ralph Crane.
Ralph Crane in "The Book of Will" at Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Lord Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet" at Midsommer Flight
Angelo in "The Comedy of Errors" at Texas Shakespeare Festival
Colonel Fitzwilliam in "Pride & Prejudice" at Texas Shakespeare Festival
Don Pedro in "Much Ado About Nothing" at Northern Illinois University
Angelo in "The Comedy of Errors" at Texas Shakespeare Festival
Lord Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet" at Midsommer Flight
Ralph Crane in "The Book of Will" at Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Ross in "Macbeth" at Hoosier Shakespeare Festival
Colonel Fitzwilliam in "Pride & Prejudice" at Texas Shakespeare Festival
Simon Shashava in "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" at Northern Illinois University
Angelo in "The Comedy of Errors" at Texas Shakespeare Festival
Ralph Crane in "The Book of Will" at Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Ross in "Macbeth" at Hoosier Shakespeare Festival
King Abniss The Apathetic in "Todrick the Not-So-Terrible" at Texas Shakespeare Festival
Slender in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at Hoosier Shakespeare Festival
Ralph Crane in "The Book of Will" at Promethean Theatre Ensemble
Simon Shashava in "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" at Northern Illinois University
What’s Been Going On??
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Shakespeare & Company: Northeast Regional Tour of Hamlet
Hitting the road February 10 – May 1, I will be playing the roles of Claudius/Ghost in Shakespeare & Company’s Northeast Regional Tour of Hamlet. Yo, I am so excited for this one. First time doing Hamlet and diving into the role of Claudius will undoubtedly be the hardest challenge I’ll ever have in my career so far. Not only doing the play, but engaging in the educational aspects of the tour will be difficult - but DEEPLY rewarding. The youth are the future. I simply cannot wait.
“A story full of mystery, revenge, and tough choices about truth and loyalty, Hamlet follows its titular character as he learns that his uncle killed his father, the King, and now wears the crown.
Shakespeare & Company’s production is an education tour that travels to schools, community centers, and performance venues across the region, as well as Shakespeare & Company’s mainstage. The tour offers a fully produced show accompanied by post-show forums and various related workshops. It reaches more than 20,000 students, teachers, and audience members each year, and has been part of Shakespeare & Company’s Education Program since 1982.”
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Children's Theater of Madison: A Christmas Carol
I am once again in Wisconsin doing A Christmas Carol. Only this time I am not in Milwaukee, and this time I am playing Fred! We open on December 6th, and CTM is also celebrating its 60th anniversary. Fred is a dream role I never thought I’d have, and he’s been such a conduit of joy for me this season. So, so grateful to spread some more Christmas cheer!
“Our signature production transports audiences into the world of Charles Dickens’ Victorian England & the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Join us as the ghosts of Scrooge’s past, present, and future teach him about generosity and the joy of giving! A Madison tradition for over 40 years, with a message that still resonates today.”
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Promethean Theatre Ensemble: The Book of Will
This past October, I was Ralph Crane/Compositor and others in Lauren Gunderson’s heartfelt and hilarious play The Book of Will. As a Shakespeare nerd, I just HAD to get my hands on this show. Gonna be an excellent time, so pop out to the theatre! You won’t wanna miss this one.
“Without William Shakespeare, we wouldn’t have literary masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet. But without Henry Condell and John Heminges, we would have lost half of Shakespeare’s plays forever! After the death of their friend and mentor, the two actors are determined to compile the First Folio and preserve the words that shaped their lives. They’ll just have to borrow, beg, and band together to get it done. Amidst the noise and color of Elizabethan London, The Book of Will finds an unforgettable true story of love, loss, and laughter, and sheds new light on a man you may think you know.”