I have recently closed a production of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe with Alberta Theatre Projects, where I performed as the White Witch as well as serving as the Fight Director. I also recently Fight Directed Vertigo Theatre‘s production of Whispers in the Dark, and taught an FDC Intermediate Actor Combatant Certification course with Knight Fights.
The Asylum original series Black Summer in which I was both a Co-Star and Stunt Actor is on Netflix. Ghost River Theatre‘s production of GIANT, a telling of the story of Andre the Giant with an all female-identifying ensemble, for which I was the fight director recently closed in Calgary and is preparing for touring opportunities over the next several seasons. As well, I was nominated for a 2019 Betty Mitchell Award for Best Fights for my work on the show.
Over the past months I have been working with both Westmount Charter School and West Island College on high school workshops, as well as fight direction for Central Memorial’s production of A Horse and His Boy. I fight directed Storybook Theatre‘s production of A Boy’s Own Jedi Handbook, and assistant fight directed on Alberta Theatre Projects‘ productions of Disgraced and Zorro: Family Code.
In preparation for GIANT, I recently undertook professional wrestling training with Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling in Vancouver. As well, I have successfully completed my Fight Instructor’s apprenticeship at the 2018 Academy of Fight Directors Canada Nationals workshop, and now hold my certification as a Fight Instructor.
Recently, I have worked as a day player on Wynonna Earp; I also recently directed for the first time in cohort with Christian Goutsis, on a youth production of Peter Pan, through Calgary Young Peoples Theatre.
Skinner, the Cave Puppets short film I was a part of was recently accepted into last year’s Edmonton Film Festival of Fear, and I am very excited and honoured to have won the award for Best Actress in a Short Film, as well as the film being nominated for Best Short Film.
I am incredibly honoured to have received a Betty Mitchell Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for my work in The Money Shot, as well as with the cast of The Crucible which won its nomination for Best Production of a Play.
Other recent work includes the fight choreography for Grounded, The Three Musketeers, and Macbeth, as well as 3 successive Cannonball Festival events with Calgary Young Peoples Theatre, fight direction for Reasons to be Pretty, with Search Tower Company, and assisting with fights choreography for The Thirty Nine Steps and Wait Until Dark with Vertigo Theatre.
I have also recently wrapped filming on the indie features #PartyTime and Damned Rites, as well as several short films including The Folded Dark, and Momento Mori, as well as the web series The Reapers with The Mercenary Company in Calgary. Previous film experience includes the lead on the Indie Feature Exu with RichWards Media, and the Horror Short Skinner with Cave Puppet; on the latter project I was both an actor and stunts coordinator.
Previously, I have been involved as an actor with many of Calgary’s staple companies, including performing in several productions with The Shakespeare Company, such as The Three Musketeers, The Tempest, and Julius Caesar, Theatre Calgary‘s The Crucible, the Ground Zero/Hit & Myth Production of The Money Shot, Sage Theatre‘s Ignite! Festival, Birnton Theatricals/Stage West for Kids, and the Halloween thriller The Bone House, which ran at Calgary’s Motel Theatre; as well, I have been been involved as a Fight Director for Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) with The Shakespeare Company as well as Fight Directing Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo with Search Tower Company, Hoodlum Theatre‘s production DNA under the direction of Christian Goutsis, and choreographing the stunts for Sundowners with Egomaniacal Productions.
Additionally, I work as an Artist in Residence with Trickster Theatre in Calgary, and as a princess with YYCPrincess.
I have previously worked with DeFakto Theatre Company, Storybook Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park (now Shakespeare by the Bow), the Calgary Fringe Festival, the Calgary Common Ground Festival, and Mount Royal University.
I have certification as an Advanced Actor Combatant through the Academy of Fight Directors Canada and recently completed my apprenticeship period with them, under the mentorship of Karl Sine, to attain my Fight Instructor’s Certification.
Over New Years 2014 and 2016 I attended the Paddy Crean Workshop in Banff, and received training in Motion Capture, Wire Work, stunt fighting, and stage combat.
Brianna Johnston 