William Johnston
ACTOR / NARRATOR
Biography
TRAINING | AUDIOBOOKS / VOICEOVER | FILM and TV | THEATRE
After retiring from my successful second and third careers in graphic design and instructional design, I have re-energized my first career as a professional actor. Since my twenties, I have played many characters, such as a fallen angel, an optimist, an opportunist, a rebel, a witness, even a spoiled brat.
Today, a casting director could envision me as a five-foot-nine 55+ mixed-race unicorn with a slightly asymmetrical face in a supporting role that impacts the story. I can be the moody, high-functioning genius who risks being laughed at, or the warm-hearted caregiver who, when cornered, might politely bite your head off. Versatile artists like Gary Oldman and Tom Hanks inspire me.
Whether in audiobooks, games, brand sizzle, commercials, animation, TV, film, or live theatre projects, I elevate a script with character study, humour, and accents (North American, European, British Commonwealth, South-East Asian), inhabiting each role as if it were written for me.
Count on me to sing a song, do a little tap dance, juggle, play some piano, harmonica, ukulele, and sketch in watercolour. As a narrator I produce audiobooks to ACX standards in my home studio. I also mentor actors in script analysis.
TRAINING
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University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
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Banff School of Fine Arts, Banff AB, Drama Master Class
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George Brown College, Toronto ON, Graphic Design Diploma
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Vancouver Community College, Vancouver BC, Provincial Instructor Diploma
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On The Mic Training, Vancouver, BC, Commercials (Kendall Cross), Animations (Adrienne Lindsay)
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The Actor's Foundry, Vancouver BC, Acting for the Camera | The Business of Acting
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Shoreline Studios, Vancouver BC, Audition on Camera
AUDIOBOOKS
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The Bone Gardener, by Sandra Sigfusson
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Traitors in the Gestapo, by A. H. Ahlin
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Hokkaido Girl, by Marc A. Crane
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Human Agency, by Muren Herrid
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The People of the Black Circle, by Robert E. Howard
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The Odyssey, by Homer
RADIO DRAMA
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CKUA Edmonton AB, Listening to Literature: The Black Joke, dir. Bill Meilen, Dragonwings, dir. Tom Peacocke
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CBC Edmonton AB, Calgary AB, Vancouver BC, Toronto ON, Radio Drama various scripts, dir. Lawrie Seligman, Fred Diehl, Scott Swann, Don Kowalchuk
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CBC Toronto ON, Vancouver BC, Between the Covers (narration of various book exerpts including Goh Po Seng, Bullet Train, Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures), dir. Heather Brown
OTHER VOICEOVER / NARRATION
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HK-TVB, Continuity Announcer
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Cathay Advertising Hong Kong, Parker Pen commercials
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PerfectMind Software
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Fraser Health Wound Care Animation
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Bain Corporate
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Zengence Game
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Old Sensei Game
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Walmart China
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Deloitte University
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Medic Rescue Animation
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Pennsylvania Hospital Archives
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Sumomon Animation
Listen to voiceover samples.
FILM and TV
University of Alberta / National Film Board:
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Sisters (Barney), dir. Michele Spak
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Clarence (Clarence), dir. Jorge Montesi
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Night Fight (Bill), dir. Peter Campbell
National Film Board: A War Story (Johnson), dir. Anne Wheeler
ITV: SCTV (Background)
Alliance: Night Heat (Background)
THEATRE
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB:
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Look Homeward Angel (Oliver Gant), by Tom Wolfe, dir. Tom Peacocke
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Three Sisters (Andrei), by Anton Chekov, dir. Michael Murdock
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Heartbreak House (Randall Utterword), by George Bernard Shaw, dir. Michael Murdock
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The Knight of the Burning Pestle (Rafe), by Beaumont & Fletcher, dir. Phil Wagner
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Uncle Vanya (Professor Serebriakov), by Anton Chekov, dir. Michael Murdock
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The Bonds of Interest (Crispin), by Jacinto Benavente, dir. Tom Peacocke
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Songs for Believers (Lee), by Gordon Pengilly, dir. Frank Bueckert
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The Rimers of Eldridge (Preacher/Judge), by Lanford Wilson, dir. Dick Shank
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Hello and Goodbye (Johnnie Smit), by Athol Fugard, dir. Carla Nolan
Globe Theatre, Regina SK:
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School Tours, various plays including Macbeth (Banquo, Porter, Malcolm), by William Shakespeare, dir. Kim McCaw
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Theatre in Education Program (Instructor), dir. Kim McCaw
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The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Young Dogsborough, Inna), by Bertolt Brecht, dir. Ken Kramer
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You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Charlie Brown), by Clark Gesner & Andrew Lippa, dir. Kim McCaw
Edmonton Actors' Workshop, Edmonton AB, Yiskor (The Speaker), dir. Marty Fishman
Catalyst Theatre, Edmonton AB:
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Creeps Stage Manager, David E. Freeman, dir. Jan Selman
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City Slickers (Donald), dir. Jan Selman
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Family Portrait (Scott Ferguson), dir. David Mann
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The Name of the Game (Yellow Game Piece), dir. Jan Selman
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Project Immigration (Chan Man Sing), dir. Jan Selman
Workshop West, Edmonton AB: Rexy (Lester Pearson, Col. Ralston), by Allan Stratton, dir. Gerry Potter
Citadel Theatre, Edmonton AB: The Trials of Oscar Wilde (Shelley), by Moisés Kaufman, dir. Peter Coe
Banff School of Fine Arts, Banff AB, Twelfth Night (Orsino), by William Shakespeare, dir. Bernard Hopkins
Green Thumb Theatre, Vancouver BC: Feeling Yes, Feeling No Stage Manager, dir. Moira Simpson
Arts Club Theatre, Vancouver BC: The Dead of Winter (Byron), by Paul Gross, dir. John Cooper
Stratford Festival, ON:
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A Midsummer Night's Dream (Oberon Fairy), by William Shakespeare, dir. John Hirsch
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Romeo & Juliet (Mercutio's Page, u/s Paris), by William Shakespeare, dir. Peter Dews
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The Merchant of Venice (u/s Launcelot Gobbo), by William Shakespeare, dir. Mark Lamos
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Love's Labour's Lost (u/s Berowne), by William Shakespeare, dir. Michael Langham
Showcase Series, Toronto ON, Treasure Island (Jim), by Robert Louis Stevenson, dir. Michael Shepherd
Equity Showcase, Toronto ON, Balm in Gilead (Fick), by Lanford Wilson, dir. Marcyanne Goldman
Burstin' With Broadway, Vancouver, BC: A wide variety of dramatic or comedic introductions and solos. dir. Dominique Hogan, Rosemary di Bernardo, Laura Ross, Kerry O'Donovan
Kenneth Scott Productions, Vancouver BC:
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The Revels of Macbeth (Hal Condell, Iago, Lady Macbeth), by Kenneth Scott, dir. Kenneth Scott
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Thirty wise... (Narrator), by Kenneth Scott, dir. Kenneth Scott
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To the Fringe (Announcer), by Kenneth Scott, dir. Sarah Rodgers