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John Watkis

@johnwatkis

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Your Voice On Center Stage. Professional Speaker | Speaking Coach | Author

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This happened 26 years ago today. My first time on stage as Mufasa in The Lion King. I was the first Canadian to ever do it 🥹. The nerves, panic, joy…it’s a feeling I’ll always remember.

Last night, I commemorated the moment by singing Mufasa’s solo, They Live In You, at @colonytheatre Tunesday open mic. Listen until the end of the clip if you want to hear the iconic line…

#thelionking #mufasa #anniversary #ididthat taken in Princess Of Wales Theater, 300 King St, Toronto, Canada by @johnwatkis

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4 months ago

Another fabulous Mix & Mingle in the books 🎙️ 💜

I really have the greatest industry friends and didn’t even get pictures with everyone I knew who was there! But for those of you who took one with me while I yelled “Proof of life! We left the booth!”😂 Thank you

Thank you for all you do for our community @rebeccasvoice — and congratulations on the Be Brad award! Can’t wait to celebrate with you in December at the NAVA Gala by @johnwatkis

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9 days ago

✨Magical cast, Magical wrap party ✨

Season 2 of Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc is out on Amazon Prime! To celebrate, we had a wrap party to watch the finale, and it was just so… magical. I don’t have a better word to describe it.

We laughed, we cried (okay, I cried), we sang, we danced, and we got CAKED UP 🎂

I truly love this group of people. I feel so grateful to be part of this show, and to work with each and every one of you.

Thank you @blu.digitalgroup, @sebastianzancanaro, and @paulette_lifton for trusting me with Hitomi 💙 She’s taught me how to push myself further and to be brave.

And a huge thank you to @stacyyines and @thegoodnite for putting together such an incredible evening and for hosting us!

“Hey Kana @verina_vo … we did it! We did it! 😫”

#wrapparty #magilumieremagicalgirlsinc #magilumiere #anime #voiceactor by @johnwatkis

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20 days ago

That’s a wrap for season 2 of Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. ✨

📽️: @primevideo

#Magilumiere #magicalgirlsinc #Magilumieremagicalgirls #MeiTsuchiba #anime by @johnwatkis

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20 days ago

July didn’t turn out quite the way I had planned.

Remember that pesky viral infection folks were catching in 2020? I thought I was immune until July 🫤. I’m not used to being sick or catching anything, so this one threw me for a loop.

I still can’t taste coffee. If you know anything about my love for coffee, you understand there are few punishments worse for me 😩.

The virus also derailed my return to the musical theatre stage after 25 years away.
I didn’t even make it to dress rehearsal.

At least I was able to watch the show and see my face in the playbill.

Fortunately, July ended better than it began. I was back to myself (relatively speaking) in time to teach at Harvard. Missing that would have been worse than not being able to taste coffee 😮‍💨.

I was also able to drive to San Diego to teach a workshop at a gorgeous resort.

Here’s to hoping August follows the program 🤞🏾. taken in Harvard Kennedy School by @johnwatkis

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2 months ago

Take a guess. What am I up to? taken in Antaeus Theatre Company by @johnwatkis

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4 months ago

I knew it would happen again. I could feel it. Just didn’t know when.

It’s never happened to me anywhere else in the world, but today…for the THIRD TIME since moving to LA…a bird attacked me from behind.

This brazen bird was bolder than the others. The previous two flew away before I knew what was happening. This one sat on a branch and chirped at me 😳.

Three. Times… taken in North Hollywood, California by @johnwatkis

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4 months ago

What a week 😮‍💨!

LA 👉🏾 Toronto 👉🏾 Boston 👉🏾 Chicago 👉🏾 LA

Family time in Toronto
Teaching at Harvard
Presenting and coaching in Chicago…with a side of salsa dancing mixed in.

I’m still adjusting to being back on Pacific time. taken in Toronto Ontario Canada by @johnwatkis

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4 months ago

Do you know who these people are? Can you spot me in the far right corner?

These are the instructors for Harvard’s Senior Leaders in State and Local Government program. Yes…I teach at Harvard. This is my fourth year teaching Communications and Public Speaking.

Feeling blessed and looking forward to being back in Boston later this month.

#Harvard #publicspeaking #communication #blessed taken in Harvard Kennedy School by @johnwatkis

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4 months ago

Tunesday Nights at The Colony Theatre in Burbank.

I’m grateful for the community and opportunity to express myself creatively in a safe environment.

The story behind the Atari t-shirt will be told someday..

@andrewlederman on the keys
🎥 @jaycraigselig taken in The Colony Theatre by @johnwatkis

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5 months ago

So good to be back at @colonytheatre Tunesday open mic night. Three weeks off is too much!

Although the lyrics of this song couldn't be less like me, the range fit like a glove.

Shout out to @oliverrotunno for the video. by @johnwatkis

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6 months ago

What really happened behind the curtain when I was the Mufasa understudy in the original Canadian cast of The Lion King?

Find out in episode 1 of the Hidden Behind the Curtain podcast. Link is in the bio.

Thanks to @paulette_lifton for being the host so I didn’t have to talk to myself.

Music created by @notthe1stnoel taken in Los Angeles, California by @johnwatkis

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6 months ago