Black Hole founder a caring prof, creative artist

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This article was published 23/06/2021 (1853 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chris Johnson, former professor at the University of Manitoba’s department of English, film and theatre and the man who created the Black Hole Theatre Company, died unexpectedly this past weekend at the age of 76, leaving behind his wife Barb Donovan, son Zachary, and extended family Erin and Stephen Donovan.

During his 36-year career at the U of M, Johnson’s most visible accomplishment may have been how he lobbied tirelessly for the university to build a decent theatre to replace the dark, barely functioning space in the basement of University College. It was Johnson who dubbed it the Black Hole in an effort to shame the university administration into building a professional-quality stage.

By the time the university succeeded, finishing construction of the Conklin Theatre in Taché Hall in 2015, Johnson was set to retire.

“It feels like I finally did the job, so it’s time to go,” Johnson told the Free Press in a 2015 interview marking his retirement. “In a way, it’s a good punctuation.”

Fellow U of M professor Bill Kerr says he hopes Johnson will be remembered for “his unflagging support of Winnipeg theatre.

“Just at the university, he directed more than 100 productions and for a long time, he was a one-man show,” said Kerr, who describes Johnson as both a friend and mentor. “He oversaw the growth of (the university theatre) going from a tiny hole in the basement to a brand new state-of-the-art theatre, which would never have happened without him.

“And when the fundraising happened, he was by far our most important connection to our alumni,” Kerr said. “Chris just made all kinds of personal connections.”

“Most of us were flabbergasted that Chris was suddenly gone,” said his colleague in the department, George Toles, who will remember Johnson as “unquestionably the most ardent, passionately enthusiastic theatregoer and supporter that I have ever known.

“He saw thousands of shows of every description and he was interested in every kind of experiment or adventurous undertaking,” Toles said. “He made no distinction between the work offered by a complete beginner or those by seasoned professionals. He just had omnivorous interests.

“He was always there and he would give you an honest response — not cruel, but he would not praise something extravagantly if he didn’t care for it,” Toles said.

Kerr also praised Johnson’s precise, intelligent and creative instincts as a director. “He was so good at working with large groups, but he was also too generous and giving,” he said. “He would never dictate. He always said you have to be allowed to fail, and what he meant by that was that gave them a chance to succeed.

“He was committed to others’ creativity, which was part of his great creativity. He enabled others to be their best. I learned so much from watching him as a director, watching him interact with other students, and how carefully he kept in touch and cared for students during and after their tenure.”

In 2018, Johnson received a Theatre Educator Award — an Evie — for his longtime support of the Winnipeg theatre community. The citation read: “Chris will do anything to help his students succeed and, as a supporter of all Winnipeg theatre, can be found in the audience of professional and independent productions of all shapes, sizes and budgets.”

randall.king@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @FreepKing