James J. Johnson

James J. Johnson

James (or J. J.) is a professional actor from the DC area. He has worked for over 20 years at theaters such as Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Ford's Theatre and Imagination Stage. He also has extensive credits as an independent film actor and has appeared in several commercials. He is just beginning his thrilling venture into playwriting. His first full-length play, "Wannabe," was...
James (or J. J.) is a professional actor from the DC area. He has worked for over 20 years at theaters such as Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Ford's Theatre and Imagination Stage. He also has extensive credits as an independent film actor and has appeared in several commercials. He is just beginning his thrilling venture into playwriting. His first full-length play, "Wannabe," was independently workshopped, March 2018, followed by an enthusiastic public staged reading in August 2018 at the Anacostia Arts Center. Both workshop and reading were directed by Paige Hernandez.

Plays

  • Conundrum by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: biography, comedy + 9 more
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    Keyword: Ancestry, black history + 8 more
    Genre: biography, comedy, dark comedy, docudrama/historic, drama, experimental, fantasy, movement/physical, musical, political, tragedy
    Keyword: Ancestry, black history, Virginia, 3 generations, American Racism, gun violence, black mental health, access to medical care, hip-hop, content warning: rape
    Interwoven with hip hop interludes, this is a multigenerational solo piece that involves a son trying to figure out his place in the family continuum. And how to pass down the colorful history of his family when he doesn't have children.
  • Wannabe by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    7
    ·
    Genre: biography, comedy + 5 more
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    Keyword: Race, working class + 6 more
    Genre: biography, comedy, drama, melodrama, movement/physical, period, tragedy
    Keyword: Race, working class, Virginia, hip hop, rap, LGBTQ, African American, black
    WANNABE follows a young black dreamer from the age of six to eighteen, as he zealously navigates the distractions of growing up in a small, working-class town nestled in the mountains of Virginia. Jay wants to be a lot of things in life, but his aspirations can feel too big for such a small town. WANNABE is a hilarious exploration of how identities are carved from the people and the environment by which we are...
    WANNABE follows a young black dreamer from the age of six to eighteen, as he zealously navigates the distractions of growing up in a small, working-class town nestled in the mountains of Virginia. Jay wants to be a lot of things in life, but his aspirations can feel too big for such a small town. WANNABE is a hilarious exploration of how identities are carved from the people and the environment by which we are surrounded, and how life can not only manifest whom we want to be but also whom we need to be.
  • Jam by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    5–6
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: American capitalism, Traffic jam + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, political, satire
    Keyword: American capitalism, Traffic jam, Civil Unrest, riots
    An unprecedented traffic event leaves the DC-metro area gridlocked. Radio may be the saving grace, but in the age of technology and distraction, will anyone listen?
  • Steaks Is High by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, mystery/thriller + 1 more
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    Keyword: a short Zoom play, coronavirus pandemic + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, mystery/thriller, romantic comedy
    Keyword: a short Zoom play, coronavirus pandemic, social distance, App Dating, bad first dates, black love
    During the socially-distant pandemic, Evan goes on a first date with Shannon... on Zoom. He quickly learns that he is no match for Shannon's imagination.
  • F'Real/F'Sho by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    5–8
    ·
    Genre: comedy, experimental + 2 more
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    Keyword: self-definition, hip-hop + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, parody/spoof, satire
    Keyword: self-definition, hip-hop, digital media, celebrity, Fake news, reality tv, Black women
    When the media tries to take down legendary hip-hop artist and reality tv star, F'Sho, she is forced to keep it all the way real.

    *a part of Theatre Lab's Dramathon 2022
  • Benny the Elevator by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: religion, COVID 19 + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, satire, zoom
    Keyword: religion, COVID 19, COVID, kids, Existential Crisis, atheism, a Zoom play
    A Sunday School teacher recovering from a near-death Covid experience meets with his sister on Zoom for his birthday. She has a surprise for him, but she isn't the only one with a surprise.

    *Part of Theatre Lab's 2021 Dramathon.
  • $0.51 by James J. Johnson
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    3–5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 5 more
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    Keyword: capitalism, protests + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, fable/folktale, fantasy, political, satire, science fiction
    Keyword: capitalism, protests, meta, black lives matter, Weseeyouwat
    Our Narrator enjoys telling your stories. His words give you power. All this changes after the sudden appearance of a mysterious vending machine which causes a huge stir. When the machine breaks down, the Narrator has to make a big decision.

    *Part of Rorschach Theatre's Klecksography 2020
  • Inertia by James J. Johnson
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 5 more
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    Keyword: science, law + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, fantasy, political, science fiction, tragedy
    Keyword: science, law, physics, policy brutality, black lives matter, NIH, blackmen
    Kevin Gibson is a young physicist with the NIH. One evening while driving home from work, he encounters a police officer and gains a new perspective on laws.
  • Plays Well With White People by James J. Johnson
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    1–2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: anti-black racism, gentrification + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, satire
    Keyword: anti-black racism, gentrification, pets, cats and dogs, dogs
    In an effort to meet his neighbors in a gentrified neighborhood, Evan, a young, successful Black man, gets a dog. On a trip to the dog park, things go awry.
  • God Bless America by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    2–3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, political + 1 more
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    Keyword: ThoughtsAndPrayers, God Bless America + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: ThoughtsAndPrayers, God Bless America, patriotism, exceptionalism, religion, christianity, prayer, gambling
    God and their angels are making the best of a monotonously patriotic situation. Answering prayers is hard, so they up the ante.
  • Cool Disco Land by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, political + 1 more
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    Keyword: gentrification, graffiti + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: gentrification, graffiti, Cool Disco Dan, DC, Washington
    The District of Columbia, once the home to the art of Cool Disco Dan, is now unrecognizably gentrified -- and his legacy whitewashed. This story finds us at Cool Disco Land, a theme park built in his honor (?). This is a one-minute play.
  • College by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: docudrama/historic, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: Charlottesville, Unite the Right + 8 more
    Genre: docudrama/historic, drama, political
    Keyword: Charlottesville, Unite the Right, White Supremacy, racism, college, education, Virginia, working class, white people, MAGA
    Bryce is the first in his family to go to a college and his parents are all mixed-up about it. But what is he going for?

    Inspired by the events in Charlottesville, Virginia that unfolded one weekend in August 2017.
  • Fibers by James J. Johnson
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: drama, period
    ·
    Keyword: community, LGBTQ + 3 more
    Genre: drama, period
    Keyword: community, LGBTQ, working class, unemployment, Race
    Centered on a small neighborhood store in Front Royal, Virginia in 1989, "Fibers" explores how the closing of a local factory disrupts the life of the town. For store-owner Summer Payne this may not be a bad thing but change comes with a cost.

    *First draft available to download and read.