Henry Johnson of Piedmont College is a firm believer in the idea that you should love what you do.

“As long as you show energy, enthusiasm, and a love for the art and the willingness to do whatever you need to do to get it done, people will hire you.” Johnson said.

A theatre professional himself, Johnson has had plenty of professional experience to know the way the real world works. From The Caldwell Playhouse in Boca Raton, Fl. to The Williamson Theatre Festival in Williamstown, Mass. Johnson has been around the theatrical block. But not only has he gotten first-hand experience in traditional theatre but within the television/film world as well, having worked with ABC, CBS, NBC and building scenery for both Saturday Night Live and several MTV productions, Johnson is a man who knows how to work and stay working. 

“The goal is to make a living,” he said. “This is the one thing I am very proud of in my career. I have never once applied for a job in Theatre, I have been recruited for all of them, I’ve been asked to take them.”

If his impressive history was not enough to prove his dedication to the field of Theatre than this sentiment might do the trick. Going from job to job without applying for a single position is a huge accomplishment within the theatre realm. This demonstrates a person who is a hard worker as well as a person who does impressive work. 

  Johnson’s journey with Theatre began as a child, as he was always interested in building various models and sets. However, when Johnson was making the life deciding choice of “what am I going to major in” for college, Theatre was not the first thing to come to mind. Instead Johnson actually began as a business major, following the path that his father so desperately wanted him to take. That path quickly changed as Johnson realized that business was not something that would make him happy in the long run. After two years as a business major Johnson finally made the switch to study technical theater and hasn’t looked back. This did cause issues between him and his father.

“My father did everything but disown me,” he said, adding that for him, the choice was obvious. “Theatre was more fun than accounting”

Through it all Johnson stuck it out and has had a very successful career to show for it. 

“This has been a fun ride,” he said “I’ve had a good time. It has never been boring, and I’ve never really felt like I was going to work. I feel like I get up and play every day to make a paycheck. That’s the beauty of it”