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In his senior year of high school, he began considering attending theatre school in the USA. During his audition preparations, he met David William, former Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival of Canada, with whom he established a tutorship, mentorship, and friendship. Under Mr. William’s guidance, Jonny embarked on an intensive classical theatre training program focused on Shakespeare. This relationship endures today, and Jonny credits much of his artistic development to David's mentorship.
After a long journey of preparation, auditions, and finally acceptance into college, Jonny received a major career opportunity: The Doodlebops, a show that fully utilized his diverse talents. In spring 2004, he withdrew from the Goodman School of Acting at DePaul University to begin dance and music rehearsals for his first television series.
Over the next four months, he filmed the first season with the support of numerous talented individuals, including renowned children’s television producer Michael Hirsch, Emmy-winning choreographer David Connolly, Gemini award-winning music producer Carl Lenox, visionary director Jamie Waese, and his gifted co-stars Chad McNamara and Lisa Lennox.
Season 1 led into Season 2 the following summer, preceded by a brief return to London to star in It's A Wonderful Life at the Grand Theatre during Christmas. This production gave him the chance to work closely with Canadian theatre legend Bernard Hopkins and perform alongside former teacher Kelly Handerek.
After a busy summer of filming, The Doodlebops embarked on a national Canadian tour that winter. Season 3 began swiftly in spring ’06, just a month after returning from the tour. The team then headed to the US to introduce The Doodlebops there, starting at Disney World’s MGM Studios with Playhouse Disney's Magical Beginnings, performing sixteen sold-out shows to over 30,000 attendees.
This was just a warm-up for a full national US tour, which featured an appearance on the Today Show Concert Series and three sold-out days at Madison Square Garden. The Doodlebops traveled to 87 cities over eight months, completing 176 shows across nearly every state. During the tour, they also performed in Disney’s Christmas Day Parade on ABC, viewed by millions across North America.
After concluding the tour in spring ’07, it seemed Jonny might finally get some rest, but instead he embraced a new challenge: relocating to Los Angeles. Over the summer, he settled in North Hollywood, focusing on artistic growth and development. He took on a rigorous training schedule, studying acting with Michael Woolson, singing and piano with Joel Ewing, and dance/gymnastics with top breakers and gymnasts, alongside occasional classes at the EDGE. Embracing his new life, he was pushed to his limits when he embarked on another 12-month US tour of The Doodlebops that fall, with a brief return to MGM Studios for a second Magical Beginnings and another visit to the Today Show in New York City.
Traveling between LA and the tour every weekend, he completed approximately 200 more shows that fall before taking a well-earned vacation. He spent over two months alone in Europe, returning just before New Year’s. Looking ahead to 2009, he eagerly anticipated obtaining a green card, the Canadian premiere of Disney’s High School Musical in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the start of recording for the new Doodlebops cartoon, The Doodlebops Rockin’ Road Show, and the addition of new US management and an agent to his outstanding Canadian representation team.
