Carolyne Jones Barnes

community, passed away on Friday, June 6, 2025.

Carolyne began her career in 1966 in the world of non-profit theater, joining the Negro

Ensemble Company where she played a key role in helping the company gain national

recognition. With the mentorship of Dorothy Olim and Gerald Krone, Carolyne broke new

ground in 1968 by becoming the first Black woman to join ATPAM (Association of Theatrical

Press Agents & Managers), a milestone in theater history.

In 1970, she moved to Washington, D.C., and partnered with actor and producer Robert

Hooks to co-found the D.C. Black Repertory Company, a vital cultural institution that

nurtured Black artists and voices. After establishing the company on strong footing,

Carolyne relocated to Boston in 1974, where she joined the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts

as Administrator of its Professional Dance Company. There, she led efforts to restructure

the organization and spearheaded critical fundraising initiatives.

Carolyne’s Broadway journey began in 1976 when she became the Company Manager

of Bubbling Brown Sugar. After touring with the production, she brought it to New York,

where it opened at the Anta Theatre on March 2, 1976. She later joined the Jujamcyn

Organization as House Manager of the St. James Theatre, overseeing productions such

as On the Twentieth Century, Broadway Opry '79, The 1940's Radio Hour, and Barnum.

In 1981, Carolyne returned to her role as Company Manager, joining McCann & Nugent,

where she managed productions including The Dresser and Good. She continued her work

on national tours with shows such as When Hell Freezes Over, Dracula, Satchmo, and Sing

Mahalia Sing.

Carolyne eventually returned to her hometown of New York City, where she married

Kendall Barnes, her loving partner and steadfast supporter.

In 1989, she joined the Shubert Organization as House Manager of the Golden Theatre, a

position she held with distinction until her retirement in 2016. Known for her

professionalism, grace, and unwavering commitment to the theater, Carolyne became a

mentor to many and a guiding presence backstage.

A strong believer in lifting others as she climbed, Carolyne served on the Board of the

League of Professional Theatre Women, advocating for greater opportunities and equity for

women in the performing arts.

Carolyne is survived by her husband Kendall Barnes, her sister Toni-Ann Parker, her son

Gregory Ward, her daughter Jaughna Nielsen-Bobbit and her stepson Andrew Barnes, as

well as countless friends, colleagues, and protégés whose lives she touched with her

wisdom, warmth, and generosity.

She will be deeply missed, but her legacy will live on in the stages she helped build and the

communities she inspired.