John Morello
Actor & Storyteller
About
John Morello has been on stage as an actor and storyteller for over 20 years. At one time a high-school dropout, he now holds college degrees in Theatre Arts and Communications. His performances have been critically acclaimed by the New York Times but the reviews he cherishes most are the letters from students and teachers.
John survived a high-risk adolescence while witnessing those around him struggle with addiction, depression, and the despair that can accompany poverty in a small town. To help himself and others better understand these struggles, he created the one-man show, Dirt; a show which has now been seen by millions across the world.
As an author, he has published a graphic novel and a collection of poetry and stories titled, Buckshot Words.
A multi-faceted performer John frequently takes roles in stage plays, performs as a poet, and recently was featured as a storyteller on PBS. He is currently performing a groundbreaking theatrical adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land in which he brings to life the characters of the poem within an immersive multimedia setting. He is currently workshopping a new collection of stories for the stage which he will take across Canada and the US.
Actor
"What elevates this first-rate production to extraordinary heights is the sensational, bruised naturalism and film noir charisma Morello brings to the role" - Worcester Telegram
“Scenes with John Morello are fire…Morello plays with ease. He doesn’t push for the limelight, he simply gets inside the skin of his character: he moves, talks, laughs and is the character” -Worcester Magazine
“This is where the show’s best scenes and performances occur. Morello could have played his part as a singular dimensional antagonist but, instead, he gives the most interesting, layered and vibrant exchanges of the show.” -Metrmag
Storyteller
As seen on PBS' Stories From the Stage, John Morello presents stories in a style that is poetic and vulnerable. His core belief is that some of us succeed because of the story we are born into and others in spite of that story, but we all certainly have one to share. When not telling his own stories he hosts the music-themed storytelling event, Soundtracks.
Voiceovers
The secret to good voice acting is good acting and the key to a good voice is having a strong character behind that voice. There are a lot of great voices in the world but the best ones dig deep enough to bring the character off the page and into the mind of the listener. Whether it's anime, video games, commercials, or audiobooks, Morello brings the same strength and versatility he brings to the performance stage into the recording studio.
T.S. Eliot's
The Waste Land
What did you do during Covid? Take up an instrument? Learn a new language? John Morello memorized all 434 lines of T.S. Eliot's epic poem The Waste Land. In April of 2025, his vision for an immersive multimedia performance of the poem was realized and made it's premiere with 4th Wall Stage Company. Soon to be seen in Providence, Montréal, Chicago and colleges everywhere.
School Assemblies
In 2002 John Morello was invited to workshop a one-man show at a NYC theater. In the audience that night was a teacher that felt his hysterical and touching show of characters would also make an impact with adolescents if shared in schools. Reluctantly, John agreed to perform at a place he swore he would never return to; high school. Since then, millions of young people around the US, Canada, and First Nations have experienced his show "Dirt." For more information visit the link below.