North Bay native and TV actor Jim Watson happy to be back home

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Jim Watson is proof that you can come home. The West Ferris graduate was back at his high school last week.

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For years he was a stage performer there, and now as a busy professional actor, Watson was back in West Ferris as a referee for the recent NTS (formerly Sears) Drama Fest.

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Watson just finished a four-year run on CTV's drama series Transplant and has been auditioning for new roles.

This weekend, however, Watson was watching actors who were in his shoes almost 20 years ago.

What this teaches you as a high school student, which is the best time to learn these things, is that you have to be present and there can't be any days off. There are no sick days in my profession. You have to show up every day. If you don't, hundreds of thousands of dollars are wasted, said Watson, who was happy to be back home judging the work on stage. I think it's a wonderful program and I'm happy to see it again.

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It was a regional theater festival, as in Canada more than 12,000 students and their teachers participate in the celebrations each year, collecting some 500 prizes.

Knowing all too well what it was like as a teenager to perform in a theater pressure cooker, Watson has a certain sympathy for the performers in the plays he judges.

It's not a joke, I dreamed last night of being on stage and not knowing my lines, Watson said. It's been a long time since I had dreams like this. There is immense pressure to achieve this. Many of these students want to move on to the next round.

Since he is a professional actor with a lot of experience, what does he look for when judging performances like this?

I look for effort and connection. Some of the texts (plays) I have read are challenging and require a lot of rhythm (from the performers). You have to hit things and hit things (script passages), Watson explains.

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Ultimately, theater, no matter the language; the format does not matter; it's about the connection to the room. Connecting with the audience is the most important thing.

Watson says that when it comes to judging performance,You just feel it. You know when these kids hit him.

Watson will also spend time mentoring these actors if they choose.

That's the great thing about Mr. (Allan) MacAskill (retired drama teacher from West Ferris) over the years, he got me talking to people. I work with a lot of actors and I also worked at Canadore with this program (Acting for Stage and Screen).

Watson noted that in his meetings with student actors, it was all about getting to work.

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I love it, and when I know that if you're serious about this, then we can be serious about it.

(NTS Drama Fest Winner – Submitted)

Watson jokes that he's currently an unemployed actor but has his irons in the fire.

There are always opportunities. My agent has been with me since I started and always has my best interests in mind. I'm constantly auditioning and watching.

Watson says four seasons of a show like Transplant doesn't hurt finding additional work in the industry.

We always wonder what the consequences will be after spending four years on a series like this. Did it boost me?He has.

Geographically, Watson will take work where he can get it, but he knows where he's coming from.

I am a proud Canadian actor and I have no plans to leave (Canada). I'm happy to work in America, but this is home. Seeing that Transplant mattered was an important thing for me.

Watson will continue to act, but he also has a few personal projects in mind that he has written.

At 35, says Jim Watson, I have plenty of time ahead of me to continue.

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