NOELLE
DIANE
JOHNSON
Actor | Facilitator |Speaker
ABOUT
Noelle is an actor working regionally in the DMV, Philadelphia/PA , and NYC. She is often drawn to roles that live at the intersection of emotional intimacy and depth, strength, and wit, and especially enjoys classical and contemporary work centered on language, humanity, and relational complexity. She continues to explore creating and expressing my artistry through different mediums, with storytelling at the center. In addition to working regionally, she continues to share her solo Stories in my Mother Tongue.
Regional: TJ Loves Sally 4Ever, Theatre Horizon; A Raisin in the Sun, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, The Garbologist (Barrymore Nominated), Montgomery Theatre, The Woman Question, People’s Light, Liberation, Philadelphia Theatre Company and Baltimore Center Stage. Intimacy Direction: Choir Boy, Philadelphia Theatre Company; Redwood, Ensemble Studio Theatre; A Raisin in the Sun, Bristol Riverside; John Proctor’s the Villain, Bryn Mawr College; The Climb and On My Deen, InterAct Theatre Company; Be Here Now, Montgomery Theatre; and Spring Awakening (Barrymore Nominated), Relic Theatre.
Noelle holds a BA in Theatre from Temple University and an MA in Theatre and Certificate in DEI Strategy from Villanova University. Noelle is also an adjunct professor at Rowan University has worked nationally, serving the non-profit sector, empowering communities through storytelling, collaboration, and equity-based and strategic solutions in race and belonging.
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Liberation
October 9-25, 2026-Philadelphia, PA
January 16-Feb 7, 2027- Baltimore, MD
Playing: Joanne
By Bess Wohl
Directed by Taibi Magar
Philadelphia Theatre Company-The Suzanne Roberts Theatre; a co-production with Baltimore Center Stage.
Before movements had hashtags, before conversations moved online, women gathered in living rooms, community centers, and rec halls to tell the truth about their lives. Set in a small-town Ohio rec center in the early 1970s, Liberation follows a group of women who come together for a consciousness-raising meeting—unsure what to expect, but certain they need one another. As stories unfold about work, marriage, motherhood, race, desire, and ambition, the room becomes a place of courage, laughter, conflict, and possibility.
Moving between past and present, the play asks what those gatherings made possible—and what they left unfinished. What does freedom really look like? Who gets to claim it? And what do we inherit from the generations who came before us?
Funny, intimate, and deeply human, Liberation reminds us that change begins when people come together. This is where stories are shared. This is where ideas are challenged. This is where we gather.
Noelle is thrilled and honored to be nominated and recognized by the Barrymore Awards this year!
Nominations include:
Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play - The Garbologist (Marlowe)
Outstanding Choreography/Movement-Spring Awakening (Intimacy Direction)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play-The Woman Question (Eliza Ann Grier)
The Barrymore Awards are a nationally recognized symbol of excellence for professional theatre in the Philadelphia region, acknowledging the work produced by local theatres and individual artists while increasing public awareness of the richness and diversity of our city's thriving theatre community. The Barrymore Awards also include annual cash awards, which strengthen the ability of theatre companies and individual artists to pursue artistic work of the highest caliber.
The Barrymore Awards support the mission of Theatre Philadelphia in its efforts for inclusivity and support of the cultural economy of Philadelphia.
Barrymore Nominated
Award Ceremony-November 16, 2026
The Suzanne Roberts Theatre
EDUCATO R
Educator | Facilitator | Speaker
Education and Consultation WorkNoelle is an Adjunct Professor at Rowan University and is passionate about teaching the next generation of emerging artists. She has served as the cultural competency consultant for the Philadelphia Teaching Artist Institute (PTAI). She has also consulted for Bucknell University, Delaware University, Barnard College, Columbia University, and Bryn Mawr College.
Noelle occasionally partners with organizations, creative teams, and educational institutions on projects aligned with her expertise in theatre, facilitation, courageous communication, boundaries & consent, psychological safety, race & belonging, and collaborative practice. Currently accepting a limited number of consulting engagements.
WORK WITH NOELLE