St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, world-class food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere. But it’s the people that truly make St. Pete special, especially those people we see every day—the store clerks and wait-staff, the bus drivers and baristas, the postal workers and park staff, the custodians and teachers. It’s easy to take these folks for granted but each of them has a story. Here at Green Bench, we want to do our part in recognizing the value of their stories, so each month we shine a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete so special.
Sharing the Spotlight
This month, the spotlight is on Bob Devin Jones. Unlike some of our “People,” I was very familiar with Bob Devin’s name before we chatted. As the co-founder and Artistic Director for The Studio@620, he helps guide its mission: “To bring people from diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences together as artists, audiences and volunteers. To work collaboratively with artistic, educational, and cultural organizations in and beyond our community. To develop artistic and educational programs that integrate a variety of art forms….” Or, as Bob Devin succinctly describes it, “the answer is always yes.” This approach is why we can experience art shows, concerts, plays, prose & poetry readings, and more—all in one place! It’s also why I wanted to talk with him this month. He is well-known in the creative community, so he may be a little more “famous” than our usual subjects, but he enthusiastically shares that spotlight.
“Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?”
Like many of us in St. Pete, Bob Devin came from somewhere else, fell in love, and stayed. He is a Los Angeles native where he worked primarily in theater as a playwright, an actor, and a director. His stellar theater reputation was what initially brought him to St. Pete. In 1996, the American Stage Theater recruited him to direct August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, which—with Dianne Carrols’ Julia in mind—he set in the late Harlem Renaissance. Two days after he arrived in town, he had a breakfast date with James Howell and, in Shakespearean fashion (with a Bob Devin twist) “it was love at first … pancake.” So the theater lured him to town—but it was love that caught him! He and James settled into their home near Lassing Park in the Historic Old Southeast and Bob Devin continued to direct, write, and occasionally act. But as his love for St. Pete grew, so did a vision.
“Changing the Landscape”
This vision was based on his belief that a thriving, creative community can drive positive societal change for everyone by breathing life into a town and attracting diverse people. With this template in mind, he foresaw an artistic renaissance that would help St. Pete evolve into the innovative haven it is today. Luckily he was not alone. When he and his neighbor (and soon-to-be business partner), the late David Ellis, conceived The Studio@620, they believed that it could be on the vanguard of this evolution. They were right. St. Pete is increasingly known for its diverse creative spirit. And Bob, alongside The Studio@620, has been at the forefront of that evolution for over two decades. I asked him if he ever worries that the evolution has reached its peak, and he said “no!” This is a “special time” for the city but, in his view, “the best years are ahead of us.” And for me, a relative newcomer to St. Pete, that’s great news!
