SWFL nonprofit exec takes center stage with dramatic side gig

Executive

Bill Johnson Jr., 51, executive director of the Horizon Foundation. Johnson took on that role at the nonprofit that funds the efforts of the Horizon Council in November 2022, after stints at the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association and Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral. The council is a public-private board established in 1991 to advise Lee County commissioners on economic development. 

Diversion

Acting. Johnson acted all through high school and college. “But after college I put it on the shelf and went into the business world,” he says. A little over a year ago, his daughter lured him back in, convincing him to audition for the role of Rev. Shaw Moore in the musical “Footloose” at Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral, which he landed. “I fell back in love with acting and dove in head first after that,” he says. 

Take the stage: Johnson is currently in rehearsals for “Something Rotten,” his sixth show at Cultural Park Theatre. “That’s been my home since coming back to acting,” he says. “It’s a true community theater; anyone can walk in off the street and try out for a role. It has a real family feel, which is one of the reasons why I didn’t branch out to other places. I put my roots down there because it feels like home.”

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Let loose: Acting serves as an escape for Johnson. “I’ve always been a creative person, but acting allows me to express that creativity in fun ways,” he says. “I primarily do a lot of the character roles where I can do different accents and play different characters. I get to be goofy and act on stage, and it’s just a nice stress reliever. It’s my go-to place to kind of just decompress.”

Big benefits: That decompression pays off in the office. “I love my job, but much like any other job, there are days that are a little crazier than others,” says Johnson. “To have a creative outlet at the end of the day makes it a lot easier the next day to deal with a situation or issue or tackle the day head on.”

Living the dream: Johnson got to take on one of his dream roles at Cultural Park Theatre, playing Hercule Poirot in its production of “Murder on the Orient Express.” “I have been wanting to play that role for a very, very long time,” he says. “That show was kind of like the perfect storm: We had the right cast at the right time of year. Our set design team had a rotating train car on stage. It was perfection.”

Making connections: Johnson wants people to leave entertained when they pay money to see a show at Cultural Park Theatre, just like he wants to make connections and support the local business community through his role at the Horizon Foundation. “Being able to entertain people gives me the same feeling of being able to pass it forward and make a difference for someone,” he says.

Balancing act: Acting brings Johnson joy, but his day job takes priority. “Everyone at the theater is fully aware that ultimately, the Horizon Foundation comes first,” he says. “One thing I love about Cultural Park is they’re flexible with actors’ schedules.”

On a role: When Johnson auditions for a show, he typically has a few roles he’d be happy playing. “We are very fortunate at Cultural Park in that we do get a lot of very talented people that try out for all of the shows,” says Johnson. “I feel confident when I audition, but there are always nerves when I go into an audition.” So far, he’s landed roles he wanted, even if they weren’t his top choice going in.

Acting the part: Johnson would tell anyone who’s interested in acting to just go for it. “Go try it,” he says. “The nice thing about community theater is, while you might not get a lead, there are always ensemble parts where you could start out and then find your foothold. I’ve seen people come in and start out as ensemble players who are leads now. Anything is possible. If you don’t try it, you’ll never know.”