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STUDENT KUDOS: Southwest thespian makes TV commercial debut

By Diana Fedinec

Andre Johnson IIITheatre major Andre Johnson’s star is rising. He recently made his acting debut in a television commercial for Meritan, a Memphis-based non-profit organization supporting senior citizens, families and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He auditioned virtually and was one of two finalists selected for consideration to play the role of a caregiver.

“I was overjoyed to be chosen and to see the commercial come to fruition,” said Johnson. “It was a great experience! The skills I learned in my acting classes at Southwest helped prepare me for this role.”

Johnson relished the experience, saying the taping was much easier than he thought it would be, only taking an hour. “As an actor, I know how to adapt and stay in the moment,” he said. “I focused on bringing the director’s vision to life so the proper messaging for the commercial would engage the audience.”

Associate Professor of Communications, Graphics and Fine Arts, Levi Frazier, put the call out for students interested in volunteering for the commercial. Johnson, who just finished working on a virtual play with Frazier for the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival, jumped at the chance.

Frazier says Johnson is a consummate theatre artist. “Andre is a Renaissance man who knows no bounds,” Frazier said. “He is a playwright, director, producer and actor. Although he is a young man, he has quite a bit of experience and has written, produced and directed his own original works. I am so proud to have him in our department and equally proud to have him work with me on some of my theatre projects.”

Though he has been performing for 10 years and is a former graduate of the Stax Music Academy, Johnson credits the real-life learning opportunities Southwest provided him for honing his acting abilities. “It’s a non-speaking role, but this commercial introduced me to something I’ve never done before – what it takes to perform in front of a camera. It was another level of acting I never experienced. It’s incredible how many opportunities I’ve been given through Southwest.”

Johnson has another starring role on the horizon—Southwest graduate. He will earn an Associate of Arts degree in speech and theatre this spring. For his second post-secondary act, he plans to transfer to the University of Memphis to pursue a bachelor’s in theatre and acting.

The Meritan commercial is currently playing on several major networks including Fox News, CNN, The Hallmark Cannel, Discovery, Lifetime Movie Network, BET, MSNBC, ESPN, USA Network, TNT, The Food Network, History Channel, TV Land, OWN, Lifetime Regular Channel, Animal Planet, and the Weather Channel. Look for Johnson to appear as the first caregiver in the commercial.

Watch the Meritan commercial here: https://youtu.be/QMVavOH6AJ8 or click on the photo of Andre in the commercial below.

Andre - Commercial Appeal