The Directors
Robert L. Johnson
"The Pursuit of Happiness"
Bob is no stranger to The Henry Strater Theatre and the Durango Melodrama. Starting as an actor for the original Diamond Circle Theatre in 1970, Bob appeared in eight productions over the following four summer seasons through 1973 adding the role of Company Manager to his duties for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. Bob returned to Durango in 1989 to step in for retiring and legendary director, Orvis Grout. Bob even found his wife Pam Beitman in the 1973 acting company and together produced son Sean. Bob now returns to direct one of his favorite period plays, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
Spending his adult life in theatre, Bob’s work includes every aspect of the art form from singing, to acting, directing, designing and producing. A theatre and music graduate of Arizona State University, Phoenix College and The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Musical theatre Workshop, life has continued to be a learning process. After starring in dozens of plays and musicals, Bob entered producing in 1972 as he brought the world premiere of the late William Inge’s THE LAST PAD to fruition. This new and compelling play by legendary William Inge became an award winning play in Phoenix and the following year in Los Angeles. The stellar cast included Nick Nolte, John Apicella and Richard Elmore to a world wide audience and long and successful careers.
Bob’s growing experiences in theatre and arts management and his love of historic theatre took him on a side trip into managing convention and performing arts centers in Arizona, Utah and Iowa. Bob achieved the pinnacle of that career as a Certified Facilities Executive and well known for his skills and accomplishments in restoring historic theatres including the PHOENIX ORPHEUM, THE OGDEN EGYPTIAN in Utah and expansion and continued restoration of the DAVENPORT ORPHEUM/ADLER THEATRE in Iowa. Over those years Bob was responsible for programming seasons of Broadway and variety.
Bob returned to producing and directing several years ago resulting in at least three new plays and a musical plus an upcoming Broadway Revival of THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. In producing partnership with Philip Langner of the Theatre Guild in New York and son of Lawrence and Armina Langner, (the playwrights of ….PURSUIT…..), the play shall have it’s first Broadway revival since it premiered on Broadway in 1933.
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