Profile for

John is an SAFD Certified Teacher and Fight Director currently serving as their Vice-President. He holds a Bachelors degree in performance from Illinois State University, where he was the recipient of the prestigious Jean Scharfenberg Acting Award. John has taught stage combat classes at DePaul University, Illinois State University, Ball State University, The Actor's Gymnasium, and was a Guest Artist at Roosevelt University. He has also taught at The Winter Wonderland Workshop, Seattle Sockeye, March Madness, Rumble in the Rockies, Havoc in the Heartland, the National Stage Combat Workshop and the North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Session: Introduction to Stage Combat. Currently, John teaches theatre courses at the College of DuPage and is the Executive Director of MACE - Movement and Combat Education.

Select productions that John has choreographed include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Ragtime: The Musical (Drury Lane Oakbrook); One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Lonesome West,Summer People and Streamers (The Gift Theatre Co.); Of Mice and Men (Steppenwolf); Accomplice, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Ruthless: The Musical (Noble Fool Theatricals); Temporary Help and Communicating Doors (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble); Robin Hood and The Glory of Living (College of DuPage); In the Blood and Bat Boy: The Musical (Ball State University); and Cyrano de Bergerac (Independent Players). Select roles that John has performed include Dr. Caius in The Merry Wives of Windsor (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Ronald in The Altruists (Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.), Gerstein in Ghetto (Famous Door Theatre Co.), Dr. Astrov in Uncle Vanya and James in That Championship Season (Independent Players). John resides in Geneva with his wonderful wife, Colleen.