Cairns Little Theatre, 1964 “Paint Your Wagon.”
Apologies to NARPACA (North Australia’s Live Entertainment Circuit) for lifting their words instead of making a link. The URL icon has disappeared preventing this to happen.
VALE John William Watson (1951 – 2014)
It was with heavy hearts that we heard of the sudden passing on Monday 4 August 2014 of our much loved and respected colleague and friend John Watson. A true cultural warrior, John will be remembered as much for his passionate belief in the arts and his many talents as a writer, producer, director, dancer, costume and set designer/maker, as for his mischievous nature, glittering eyes and ability to make everyone he met, feel special.
As one of Queensland’s most loved theatre practitioners, a tribute was staged to honour John on 15th of August 2014 at the Queensland Theatre Company’s Bille Brown Studio. This special event allowed the community to celebrate and farewell an adored man who touched the heart of all who knew him. During the tribute, John was described as a “true friend and helper, a man of the theatre who was as adept with a sewing machine as he was with a cordless drill”.
John entertained and inspired the lives of thousands through his many and varied creative projects including his work as Producer River Stage & National/Corporate Days World Expo ’88, as writer of Smiley – the Musical (Book & Lyrics) and as co-writer and director of the enormously successful musical Possum Magic which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and on its last tour, played to over 80,000 people.
John passed away in his sleep the night before he was to commence as Manager of the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre in Bundaberg. He died in the way he lived, excited, brimming with ideas and full of expectation for his new adventure. John is buried in an unmarked grave. Vale John Watson.
Click here to watch the Tribute to John’s life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FURCAdtXFfM
Sunday Mail story September 7, 1997: “Where Have All The Hippies Gone”?
The Tony Worsley attribute might be wrong, spitting image of a youthful John Watson.
A Letter From Les 
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