John is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theatre Arts. He was formerly the head of the acting program. Before coming to University of Iowa, he was a member of the theatre faculty at Stony Brook University on Long Island for 10 years where he served as Director of the Living/Learning Center for the Arts and Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Theatre Arts. He trained with Sanford Meisner and has performed on stage in Europe, Central America, Australia, and in various regional theatres throughout the United States, and in television and film.

He is also a director and playwright. He has directed extensively for the academic and professional stage and television, and his plays have been produced at a variety of academic and professional theatres. 

John is the recipient of a Collegiate Teaching Award at University of Iowa.

John retired in December 2020, after 23 years of teaching at the University of Iowa and training over 100 MFA actors and countless BA actors in his classrooms and on stage.