THE FRIDAY SIX: Q&As with Your Favorite Broadway Stars- NYMF Edition with Josh Davis

Welcome to THE FRIDAY SIX: Q&As with your favorite Broadway stars. Want to know what hooked them to a career in the theater? Their dream roles? Their Broadway crushes? Read on!

In this week's edition, we caught up with Josh Davis, who stars in the new musical THE GOLD, playing at NYMF August 1-6.

What was your first "live onstage" taste of theater?

Well, it wasn't much of a stage, I think I just sat under a desk the whole time, but in first grade I played Captain Cook in Mr. Popper's Penguins. But the first time I actually knew some what of what I was doing was freshmen year of high school. I played Baby John in West Side. I knew then that I felt at home on stage.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual?

It depends if its a new show or something like Beautiful that I've been doing for 3 years. If it's a new show I'll always take a few minutes and quiet my mind and let all those fears drop off, even if its for a few minutes and then they're back. It just allows me to sit in the center of everything and find some mental stability. As for a show like Beautiful that I've done over 1000 performances of I get in the wig chair at half-hour and then don't put my costume on until the downbeat of the show. In between there's nothing ritualistic that I do of any importance except fill my water bottle up. maybe that's it. I fill my water bottle up.

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment?

I'm not sure if this is a "The Show Must Go On" or if it's just a lesson in paying attention but...If you've ever seen Les Mis then you're familiar with the Master of The House Scene. Lot's of actors on stage, lots of movement and often times lot's of choreographed flying props. I was doing it in '07 at Pioneer Theater. It was the first time a regional production was allowed to produce it and as such the run was extended several times. As with all theater you reach a point where things begin to become second nature and actors start to get "creative" with the scenes either on or off the stage. A game had slowly been evolving where upon our entrance to Thénardier's the props guy would call out a TV show through the up-stage left window and as us actors came down the stairs to the stage we would have to shout back a line from the show. Now I will be the first to say you shouldn't do this. Your attention should be on your blocking and acting and it was't the most professional thing I've done. But... I was young and we all need life lessons. So one night the props guy shouted out The Simpsons and I shouted back one of my favorites line, of which I can't recall now, and I went on to do the scenes. About a 1/4 of the way through my mind started to wander to other funny lines from the Simpsons and I lost focus for a few seconds and forgot I was suppose to catch a flying pewter mug. Well Thénardier tossed the mug and it hit me right in the forehead and quickly broke me out of my distant day-dream. I felt the thick thud hit my head and a throbbing started. I felt more embarrassed than hurt and I could feel the sweat start to pour down my head. I sat there and waited for the next cue to move. But as I looked around the stage it became quickly apparent that something was wrong. Every time I looked at an actor and they looked back at me their face went from happy-go-lucky bar patron to terrified actor. In my utter obliviousness I hadn't realized that the sweat pouring down my head was not sweat but blood, literally pouring like water down my face. I looked like Sissy Spacek in Carrie and I could see thick drops of it falling onto the table and my costume, until it coved my eyes and I was basically blinded by my own blood. I new I had to get off stage so I stood up and faced upstage so the audience couldn't see. I pretend to say good-bye to all the inn patrons and danced my way off to what I hoped was the left wing. Upon reaching it I quickly tripped over an SM and fell into the wall, my face and costume soaked in blood. Luckily one of the crew was an EMT patched me up promptly. I missed the next ensemble scene, but was able to make it back for the rest and finish the show. I was pretty embarrassed and learned a valuable lesson. Probably a few lessons. Ah, youth.

What's your dream role?

Fanny Brice, hey a boy can dream.

Who's your theatrical crush?

Like a character? Probably Mary Poppins. Most prim and proper people have a whole other side to them just yearning to get out.

Share something about yourself that would surprise people.

Well if you knew me you wouldn't be surprised, but I write for a cannabis magazine called The Hemp Connoisseur. I focus on industrial hemp and its myriad of uses.