About Me

My passion for music and live performance came together over twelve years ago when I joined Parties by Dylan as Mr. Jon. I was so impressed with the party format that Dylan had created that I couldn’t wait to add my own unique sense of fun! It was as if all of the years prior to joining her company had prepared me for this new role as a children’s party entertainer. In February 2020, I proudly took ownership of the company and renamed it Parties by Mr. Jon. I will forever be thankful to Dylan for creating such a fun and exciting party format and for providing me with all of the tools for success. I believe that bringing authenticity to each party with my performance background and role as a parent help deliver successful results to each of my parties. Along with being a children’s party performer, I teach music at Congregation Etz Chaim’s Hebrew School in Monroe Township, NJ and lead the congregation’s junior choir.

Music has always played an important role throughout my life. In high school, I began playing bass in local rock bands and in the pit for various school shows. Most of my training came through learning songs by ear and leaning heavily on understanding and appreciating the constant variation of rhythms, styles, and genres of music that were available to me. I soon soaked up these various genres: rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion, soul, salsa, musical theater, etc. and created my eclectic taste for music. My belief was then, as it is today, that music should be limitless and it should be open for change, re-interpretation, and inclusion–not exclusion.

I obtained a B.A. at Queens College as a Theatre/Dance major and soon found my true passion for performing. After graduating, I had the good fortune of touring with the New England Children’s Touring Theater and performed shows in a variety of schools throughout the region. I remained active in music and continued to perform in various venues in downtown NY, including The Bitter End, The Sidewalk Cafe, and The Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

I met my wife, a singer and actress, during college, and soon after, we worked together in an original musical that was produced Off-Broadway on Theater Row. Fortunately, our on-stage roles became our real-life roles and eventually, we married and continued to perform together, including roles in productions at The Heights Players in Brooklyn and in an original production called Oz! at The City Children’s Theater of New York. We started our own family with the birth of our two beautiful daughters and soon moved to NJ. We eventually created our own cabaret act, performing locally at private events.

Music and movement was a priority for our children as well. We made sure that they were always involved in some type of class that encouraged these types of activities. Today, each one has developed her individual talents, which has opened my eyes and ears to an even wider variety of music.

Being a children’s party entertainer really brings it all together for me. At every party, I strive to have the children front and center and make sure that each child feels comfortable with who they are, allowing them to participate at their own pace. What better way to experience inclusion than at a birthday party in which you are free to be yourself! I am fully aware that each child represents our future and that these precious moments are to be treated with care and respect. I am honored to share my passion for music with families and be a part of their children’s happy memories while creating limitless fun!