Acting Press
The Foreigner by Larry Shue
“At the play's heart is Charlie Baker, portrayed by John Johnston with masterful precision and boundless charm. Charlie's journey from a painfully shy, socially awkward man to an unlikely hero is spectacular. The actor's comedic range is on full display, with impeccable physical comedy—whether it's his exaggerated attempts to mimic an unfamiliar language, his wide-eyed reactions to the chaos unfolding around him, or his delightfully absurd storytelling as he pretends to communicate in an invented dialect. Yet, amidst the laughs, his portrayal has an undeniable emotional depth, making Charlie's transformation feel genuinely triumphant.” - Broadway World
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The Foreigner by Larry Shue
“Johnston, artistic director of Classical Theatre Company, lets himself go, unleashes his inner id, and floats into the empyrean. It’s a marvelous and witty performance.” - Houston Press
“John Johnston’s definitive interpretation.” - Houston Press
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The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
“John Johnston riveted my attention as the sleuth throughout the production.” - Broadway World
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The Speckled Band: An Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
“Slightly effete yet moving without any grace whatsoever, Johnston’s Sherlock flatfoots it around the stage with the bug-eyed, hair smoothing, face touching tics and twitches of a slightly off kilter genius. Nothing is ever put down in its proper place. Papers are simply dropped where he stands and coats are flung to lie wherever they may. It’s a lovely touch for a character that has far more pressing mystery solving things to think about. But it’s really the voice that makes it all come together. Speaking at a clip far faster than the rest of the cast, Johnston rails off deductions like they were puffs of air all the while rolling his r’s in a somewhat derisive manner to wonderful effect. Nowhere here is a Sherlock that is in the least bit attractive or awe striking. Instead, we are given a Sherlock who is the adult version of the creepy, socially awkward brilliant kid at the back of the class no one wanted to play with. It’s a distinct departure from recent portrayals…and it not only gives us a different view of the character, it opens up the possibilities of the humor tremendously.” - Applausemeter
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The Speckled Band: An Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
“John Johnston, Classical's artistic director, gives iconic Holmes an idiosyncratic veneer, dry and crisp as English toast. In a nifty precise touch, he rebuffs anyone getting too close, dodging artfully before the person can alight on his arm. He lounges on his divan, sweeping an errant lock of hair out of his face, or pounces on the hassock, assuming an eastern pose of contemplation. He's swift and sure, never wrong in his suppositions, and has solved the mystery scenes before he actually gets into the house.” - Houston Press
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Polish Joke by David Ives
“John R. Johnston anchors the wild doings in reality as the bewildered Jasiu, amusingly pathetic as the eternal butt of destiny's joke.” - Houston Chronicle
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Castro’s Beard by Brian Stewart
“John Richard Johnston's youthful, eager, secretly idealistic Paul (the newcomer) lends needed balance, sincere in his questioning of their project's ‘morality.’” - Houston Chronicle
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The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
“As Holmes, Johnston is nattily precise and clipped, agile and sleek.” - Houston Press
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The Best of Everything by Julie Kramer
“Funny enough there is only one man who plays all the men in New York City, whether they be in the office or from outside the publishing house. John Johnston plays four neanderthals who range from an old crotchety boss who awkwardly gropes the women to a polished virile playboy of the theater scene in the Big City. His best turn is probably as the puzzlingly asexual editor of a Christian magazine who engages Caroline in a “mental affair.” The message is clear though, all the men look and act the same. Johnston is in on the joke, and makes the most of it. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is torturing the women, but that is entirely the point.” - Broadway World
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The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
“John Johnston makes an amusingly determined, sometimes incredulous Jack, with an effective line in comic exasperation.” - Houston Chronicle
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The Best of Everything by Julie Kramer
“The male gaze – ofttimes touch – is kaleidoscopically portrayed by John Johnston in multiple roles: old horny Mr. Shalimar who drunkenly paws Caroline whenever he can; oily theater producer David Wilder Savage in velvet smoking jacket; sweet asexual Mike Rice; and Ronnie, a blind date for April, a rube in NYC who carries a vintage Kodak camera around his neck.” - Houston Press
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The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
“Johnston and Keenan admirably convey Jack and Algy's sparring admiration for each other.” - Houston Press
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The School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
“John Johnston is a slimy, greedy older brother very convincingly.” - Broadway World
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Pangs of the Messiah by Motti Lerner
“Johnston and Ganz are also convincing as radicals.” - Variety
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Hamlet by William Shakespeare
“John R. Johnston adds a touch of Sean Hayes in his cameo as an affected courtier — cheeky and sly, as if he wandered in from a Paul Rudnick play.” - Houston Chronicle
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Pangs of the Messiah by Motti Lerner
“John Johnston and Joel Reuben Ganz provide admirable showings.”” - DC Theatre Scene
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