Paul Johnson, MA, BA, Actors Equity, Canadian Actors Equity, ACTRA

Email

pej@ualberta.ca

Phone

(780) 679-4612

Sparky is a founding member of Edmonton’s Catalyst Theatre and was, for several years, an actor/writer with The Second City Review Theatre. 

Sparky was fortunate to have the rare opportunity of studying and working closely with theatre legend, the late Paul Sills – founder of The Second City and son of Viola Spolin. Toward the end of his life, Mr. Sills selected Sparky to take over and carry on his renowned acting workshops in Door County, Wisconsin. From 2001-2010, Sparky was a guest artist at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts summer program for drama students. He has worked extensively with Loose Moose alum, Neal Grahn, in their own company – “The Comedy Commission” – performing improvised comedy on commission in business applications (specifically at conferences and retreats).

Sparky is a member of Actors’ Equity (USA), Canadian Actors’ Equity, and the Association of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists. Though now retired, for thirty-five years, Sparky was a full-time drama professor with the Augustana Faculty of the University of Alberta. 

Sparky's research and creative work focus around Applied Improvisation, fostering excellence in teaching, and Story Theater.

Sparky is actively promoting the use of "Structured Improvisation" in the university classroom, providing workshops that draw upon his 35 years of teaching.

Presentations:

Dynamic and Effective Teaching using Applied Improvisation, Teaching Professor Conference, New Orleans, LA. June 6-8, 2019.

Dynamic and Effective Teaching using Applied Improvisation, Teaching Institute: Beyond Surviving to Thriving, Edmonton, AB. August 19-22.