Rate My Professor Marcus Johnson

Marcus Denard Johnson is an Assistant Professor and Director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in the School of Theatre at Florida State University. He earned a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in 2008, a Master of Science in Adolescent Special Education from Hunter College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Morehouse College. Johnson also completed Primary Stages: Directing Chekhov in 2019. Since graduating, he has worked consistently in professional theatre as an administrator, actor, and director, bringing extensive experience to his leadership role at FSU.

Johnson's career highlights include a ten-year tenure as Resident Artist with Titan Theatre Company in New York City, where he advanced to Artistic Associate and Director of the Future Classics Festival. He served as Director of Programs for Opening Act, Inc., an arts education nonprofit providing free theatre programs to underserved New York City schools. He currently holds an Executive Board position with Our Bar, Inc., a site-specific theatre company founded in part by Conservatory graduates. Prior to his FSU appointment, Johnson was part of the artistic leadership team at Hope Repertory Theatre in Holland, Michigan, concluding as its Artistic Director. In 2023, he returned to Sarasota to direct Lydia Diamond’s “Stick Fly” and assumed the role of interim director of the Conservatory, transitioning to permanent director in 2025. His honors include a nomination for Best Musical for “The Wiz” at the Wilde Awards. Johnson emphasizes classical theatre training integrated with emerging mediums like voiceover, technologies, and AI to equip students for diverse professional paths.