Performing |
Teaching |
“As Samuel Beckett's slave character, [Ben Johnson] made every breath have the force of a locomotive lurching forward… he made one of drama's most famously absurd monologues sound downright sensible. He was an animated professor giving his favorite lecture. In one play, this performer's range encompassed much of human evolution.”
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“Ben is one of the best teachers I have ever had in any subject. His commitment to us as students was always apparent and he was 100% present for everything that unfolded. He guided us through the classes with solid knowledge but also with enthusiasm, confidence and humor so that he became a trusted guide.”
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“Johnson delivers an enormous performance as the mostly silent, dejected Lucky. His one turn to speak is like watching a great tree come to life.”
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“Ben is an incredibly talented teacher and improviser. It's clear he's passionate about teaching, and working with him for the past 12 weeks has been transformative. I've learned a lot and am excited to take this experience to my [next] class.”
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“The arrival of James Carpenter's Pozzo and Ben Johnson's Lucky breathes fresh energy into the middle of the first act. Johnson is an unsettlingly feral picture of extreme servitude as Pozzo's slave.”
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“…a thoughtful and critical thinker about issues relating to education, history, politics, community, and youth development. He knows the meaning of concentration and persistence.”
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“Ben Johnson offers bizarre personality and telling expressions in the mostly silent role of Lucky, only breaking out of his repetitious servant duties to give a short dance and to "think"… one of the most memorable moments of the play.”
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“I’ve been working here for six years and that was, hands down, the best assembly we’ve ever had.”
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“I had no idea what to expect. It turns out I LOVE LOVE LOVE this production… Ben Johnson's portrayal of Lucky is still with me today. Highly recommended!”
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"We got a lot of benefit out of the session. Ben was great to work with, was very comfortable with our group and I felt like we were able to cover a lot of groundin the short time we were together. The energy he brought in helped us all get engaged and really interact in a whole new way with each other.”
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“Johnson deservedly earned applause for the nonsensical monologue, which I’ve always thought that Beckett overdid (just what is the point of uttering obscure British place names?), that sums up the constant mental anguish clogging our brains.”
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“Ben had to have invested a lot of time on our self-evals – not just reading them, but really mulling over what aspect of our development to focus upon. AND then crafting scenework to address those specific items – all of us were blown away by his commitment, and deeply appreciate it!”
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“Ben Johnson plays the egocentric Versati as if he were born to the role.”
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“The show doesn't get much better than the Center Repertory Company production… there are a surprising number of comic flourishes and details… This is due to Patrick Barlow's no-prisoners script in the hands of a director, Mark Anderson Phillips, and a cast that has earned a reputation for swinging a big comic bat.”
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“I really enjoyed your class… super fun, refreshing, and informative.”
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“Ben Johnson is absolutely brilliant… He quickly gains your sympathy, but also your admiration. To put it simply, he connects with his audience.”
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“Ben's enthusiasm was contagious.”
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“He is able to manipulate the audience’s imagination, controlling his movements to the finest detail throughout the entire script.”
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“You are absolutely welcome back any time. We loved the workshop and the kids haven't stopped talking about how great you were. You were hysterical and they learned so much!”
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“Johnson… is simply superb. He draws the audience into his pain and it is real and palpable.”
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“Ben presented what was, in my fifteen years at Tabor, the most well received performance by a visiting artist that I have ever seen.”
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“You’re the most inspiring man in clown shoes that I’ve ever met.”
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“Johnson is a seriously skilled juggler as well as an affecting actor… a true artist.”
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“Whether miming mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a bug, jumping rope as a newborn sprouting an umbilical chord, or waxing poignant in his final scene, he adds more than is written down.”
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“Students and faculty alike were quite impressed. Moving and very funny.”
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“His work is simultaneously hilarious and profound… he explores archetypal themes through physical performance, audience participation, and text. An engaging and thoughtful ride.”
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“…a skilled juggler and a masterful mime… terribly funny.”
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“…marvelous…ranges from sly to burlesque, serious to slapstick.”
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“…a uniquely compelling performer with a talent for creating words and images that will stay in your brain and heart long after the slim 60minutes of the show have passed.”
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“Ben has a presence and a personality that creates an instant bond with an audience… his athleticism and dexterity permit him to perform numerous feats that can only be expressed with,WOW!”
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“…a polished, captivating performance.”
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“…a tremendous performance…Johnson has the ability to make the audience care about the character he plays.”
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“[He] accomplishes a sort of gestural haiku, succinctly indicating emotions rather than telegraphing them.”
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"These players are the creme de la creme of improv in a city that has a lot of it. Lisa Rowland, Regina Saisi, Ben Johnson, Tim Orr, and Rafe Chase are among the most dynamic improv performers in the state (the nation?) let alone our fine city by the bay."
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