The Journey of The Unpredictable Times
by Kevin Ray Johnson
Hello my name is Kevin. I am a Singer, Actor and Playwright who currently resides in New York City by way of Germantown Maryland and before that Brooklyn Park Minnesota and I will forever be a proud Minnesotan (Champlin Park Rebels for life!). Growing up in Minnesota is way different than growing up anywhere else. Besides delivering the world the greatest film franchise of all time (The Mighty Ducks), the greatest athlete of all time (Kevin Garnett) and the biggest Mall in America (The Mall of America) okay maybe I’m a little bias lol but anyone who grew up in Minnesota will tell you that wherever you go a little bit of Minnesota always stays with you. And I don’t care what anyone says. It’s Pop not Soda lol. When I had to move in 2002 I was beyond devastated but when I look back at it I think of it as a blessing in disguise as well. I have always had theatre in my life but really got into it when I moved to Maryland and I met my best friend in the entire world in DaRoyce Young who reminded me a lot of Minnesota with how genuine he is and being one of the only few people who I felt understood me in Maryland.
I started writing the beginnings of what was to become The Unpredictable Times when I began classes at Montgomery College in 2004. The show is based on 5 friends coming home after graduating college to Champlin Minnesota hoping for the summer of their lives before facing the so called real world. During the summer they face unresolved issues from the past and present that will challenge their friendships developed from childhood now as adults. The Characters are as follows – Henry (The straight laced bookworm), Nicole (Aspiring Actress), Jake (Frat Boy), Samantha (Aspiring Lawyer, most level headed) and Carl (The Voice and Reason). Now this show is not based directly on my life but the characters are based on people I knew in my life growing up in Minnesota. This show is about friendships and the obstacles that come your way with the one thing that everyone in this world wishes they had more of and that’s time.
Below is a picture timeline of The Unpredictable Times:
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| The Unpredictable Times Logo! |
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| James Mulhern III and Miriam Pultro (Nicole) in rehearsals to perform a couple of scenes with Artist Bloc in Washington, DC (2010) |
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| Megan MacPhee (Samantha) and Kevin Alan Green (Henry) in the 2011 Staged Reading at the Director's Company Studio |
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| Actor Peter Kane (Henry) in a promo pic for the 2012 NYC reading |
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| The Unpredictable Times reading sign at The Pier One Theatre in Homer, Alaska (2013) |
On August 30th, The Unpredictable Times will be performing its biggest reading yet featuring:
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| Matt Shingledecker as Henry |
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| Christy Wyatt as Nicole |
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| Nick Anastasia as Jake |
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| Ashley Wool as Samantha |
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| Brian Charles Johnson as Carl |
When I originally wrote this I wanted to write something that everyone could relate to not just people of my generation and in the past when I have performed readings of this it has always been so amazing how many people who have come up to me and told me how relatable this show is and how much it hits home.
I couldn’t be more thankful for this project. They say writing can be therapeutic and having worked on this for close to ten years that couldn’t be more true. As a working actor The Unpredictable Times is such a great escape from the performing world while staying in the arts but just in another field. This reading on august 30th I could not be more excited for. The cast is truly a dream come true and the director has such an amazing vision and I am so excited and hopeful that the world can witness his vision of this play. I truly hope this reading brings people who would love to bring this piece to the next level. The one line that’s become kind of popular in this play is ‘Anything’s possible when its Unpredictable’ and with the journey that this play has had that couldn’t be more true.
For more information about the play or if you would like to attend the reading please e-mail TheUnpredictableTimesPlay@outlook.com and like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheUnpredictableTimesPlay and to contact the playwright directly please e-mail kevinrayjohnson@hotmail.com or visit his website at www.kevinrayjohnson.com
Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from you all in the future! – Kevin Ray Johnson