Dean John-Wilson: Reflections on Performing and Coaching
After playing to sold out performances at the London Palladium in The King and I in 2018, Dean John-Wilson is currently reprising the role of Lun Tha in the current UK Tour. In our interview, Dean talks about the experience rejoining the show after 5 years and the joy of getting to rediscover the character that saw him woo audiences and critics alike in the West End. A seasoned performer with credits on Aladdin, From Here to Eternity and Passion, Dean tells us how this show feels more relevant than ever and how it feels particularly special now being able to tell this story to audiences up and down the country.\xa0 We also spend some time delving into the legacy of Rodgers & Hammerstein as a renaissance of their work seems to be happening with successful revivals of Oklahoma and South Pacific recently. Dean also tells us about his experience working with Tony winning director Bartlett Sher and shares his reasons for why he thinks this production has been so successful.
In this new interview, Dean John-Wilson also opens up about his career as a vocal coach with VCA - a company helped establish in 2015 where he offers coaching sessions to aspiring performers. He remains humble about his career beginnings as he shares his own experiences of how having coaches and mentors in his own career have helped him enhance his mindset. Over the years, he's also developed a reputation for his physical fitness - similarly offering classes to students wanting to lose weight or gain muscle mass. As he now returns to the role of Lun Tha, he stresses how he feels it's important to be able to show people it's possible to be performing full time whilst also running an online business. As the interview closes, he shares his own\xa0 hopes for the future and continues to encourage aspiring performers to make their dreams a reality by making bold choices.
The King and I continues its UK Tour till 2024 before commencing a West End run at Dominion Theatre.