Joel Drake Johnson (d. January 11, 2020) was a member of the inaugural Playwrights Ensemble at Victory Gardens Theater. During his tenure, five of his plays were produced at VG, all world premieres: Before My Eyes (1998), The End of the Tour (2003), Four Places (2008), A Guide for the Perplexed (2010), and The Boys Room (2011). Joel was an award-winning, internationally produced Chicago playwright and teacher, and his presence brought joy to so many of his students and collaborators.
