Florida State University’s School of Theatre has named Marcus Denard Johnson as the new director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Johnson, who is an alumnus of the program, has a background as an actor, director, and theatre educator.
Brad Brock, director of the School of Theatre, commented on Johnson’s appointment: “We’re incredibly excited to have Marcus returning to serve as director of the Conservatory. He’s a very accomplished alumnus, and he did an incredible job stepping in as interim director with very short notice. It has been a pleasure collaborating with him over the past year, and I know that in this role, he will continue to move the program forward and support our students, faculty and staff.”
The FSU/Asolo Conservatory is based in Sarasota and provides a three-year training program in partnership with Asolo Repertory Theatre. The curriculum combines classroom learning with experience in professional productions.
Johnson graduated from the Conservatory in 2008. In 2023, he returned to Sarasota to direct a production before taking on the interim director role last year. His previous roles include Resident Artist at Titan Theatre Company in New York City and Artistic Director at Hope Repertory Theatre in Michigan.
“I want people to really understand the identity of this program,” said Johnson. “We’re creating world-class theater — FSU is doing that. Our students are directed, coached and trained by our own professors. Even though we’re hundreds of miles away from Tallahassee, we’re still upholding the standard of excellence that FSU is known for, right here in Sarasota.”
He also discussed adapting theater training to new forms: “The value of classical theater training remains vital, but we must embrace other mediums — voiceover, emerging technologies, even AI — so our students can forge their own paths,” he said. “We need to give them not only the freedom to follow the winds of opportunity, but also a roadmap and access to as many artistic avenues as possible.”
Additional information about the conservatory and ticketing for upcoming performances can be found at https://www.asolorep.org/conservatory/.
