By. Kevin Ray Johnson (Staff Writer for OnStage Blog)

I would like you to meet the talented Joshua Schubart. Joshua is currently performing in the Acting Ensemble in the return of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at The Metropolitan Opera (a show he previously performed in at The Met). He has also performed in the Metropolitan Opera's productions of Otello(Directed by Bartlett Sher), Prince Igor, and Cesare. You may also recognize him as Frank in The Tick on Amazon. He has also appeared in High Maintenance on HBO, Seven Seconds on Netflix, Twist of Fate on NBC Peacock, and Monsters Inside Meon on Animal Planet, just to name a few.

Joshua is also a very highly skilled stunt man/stage combatant, with training in hand-to-hand, almost every bladed weapon, and most guns. Passionate as well about stepping behind the camera, Joshua is the co-founder of the production company 2 Ladies & A Giant. Joshua's talent is endless with a wonderful personality and strength to back it up. His story is truly inspiring and someone you want in your cast no matter if it's a comedy or serious drama. I am very honored to have the chance to feature an Actor who starred in the recent reboot of one of my favorite shows of my childhood (The Tick).

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer?

I was fourteen years old, and I had just come off the streets and into foster care. I was doing tons of drugs, drinking, and just making terrible life choices. My trauma-induced stutter kept me from expressing myself. Until my foster parents enrolled me in Catholic school, and needless to say that brought in a whole new world of challenges. I saw the announcement for auditions for the school play, and for whatever reason, I was drawn to it. When I stepped on stage, I was able to speak in full sentences for the first time since I was very young. It was like I was hit with a lightning bolt. I knew immediately what I needed to do with the rest of my life, and I never looked back.

Where did you study and do you have any mentors that truly helped you become the amazing performer you are today?

First of all, thank you for that compliment. I did most of my training in college, out in the world doing Shakespeare summer stock, and shooting indie films. Currently, I have a BA in theatre from Stony Brook University, and I've completed two years of an MFA from The Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. (I did not graduate.) I can point to specific moments with various acting teachers that broke it open for me: I was introduced to Viewpoints by Laura Stanley, during a production of "bobrauchenbergamerica", and that experience helped me understand that method is far from the only way.

Theresa Kim's Suzuki training introduced me to my true internal power and the simplicity of truth. When Andre Babel introduced me to the Demidov method (A Russian technique that helps you tap into your natural improvisation, and artistic instincts.) All of the other things I learned begin to all click together in a wonderful way. I now have Frankenstein's monster of an acting technique, if you will.

As for mentors, I have had many, although they don't know it. No one has ever taken me under their wing and walked me through it, but I've had some wonderful conversations with people I've worked with who are further along in their careers. The things I've learned from these wonderful people have shaped how I walk through this artistic life.

Congratulations on returning to Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at The Metropolitan Opera. How does it feel to be returning to this amazing Opera?

Thank you so much! Lady Macbeth is one of the best live theatre experiences I've had in my career. The physical, emotional, and mental demands of the piece are extremely fulfilling. By the end of the show, you feel artistically empty, in the most rewarding way. As a performer, you give all of your creative essences to the audience and the other folks around you. You don't get many opportunities to energetically thrive with a group of incredibly talented artists. It's magical to be able to experience that again!

Are there any shows or moments in your career that stick out and are near and dear to your heart?

I got the opportunity to be a part of The Tick on Amazon Prime. I played a character named Frank, who was a bad guy with a heart of gold. The Tick has been a part of my life since I was small. The first time I met the big blue hero was when the animated series was airing. I remember feeling strange and out of place in my life. Like I didn't belong in my own body, or anywhere else in the world. Then all of a sudden I’m watching this show where everything is odd, upside down, and wildly funny. No matter how absurd or strange it was, you always felt the love all the characters had for each other. It made me feel like I belonged for the first time.

It was truly an honor to be a part of the new version of The Tick. Knowing that what I was helping to bring to life would have the same impact on others as it had on me, is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

What advice would you give any young performers wanting a career in the performing arts?

1. You are enough. - In the beginning of your career people are going to try to tell you who you have to be in order to “make it.”There is no one like you in this world, and you bring so much to the table. Find those things that are uniquely you, and cultivate them.

2. There are no shortcuts. - There is no substitute for hard work and experience. If anyone offers you a shortcut based on how much you pay them. Or offer you, never-ending classes, from a “guru”. Throw rocks at them and run away.

3. Failure is awesome! - You want to be failing hard, and often. It is such an incredible tool. Change what failing means to you. It’s not bad, it’s growth. You’re not embarrassing yourself; you are learning how to do everything better. How can you do things right, if you don’t do them wrong?

4. Try everything. - You don’t know what you will love doing. I had no idea I would end up being a multi-hyphenate member of this industry, but I will tell you it opened up my creative world more than anything else. Every time I tried something new it was terrifying, but it always made me a better artist. Understanding brings greatness.

5. Be curious, not judgmental.- If you are curious, and ask questions about everything, all you do is learn, and get better. You will meet so many different types of people, and encounter so many different stories in our wild and crazy world of entertainment. If you close yourself off from new experiences, conversations, ways of life, and people, how can you grow into the storyteller you are meant to be? Nothing is binary, everything is fluid and alive with magical potential. Get out there and find out why!

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk opens on September 29th and runs until October 21st. For more information, please visit - https://www.metopera.org; To learn more about Joshua, make sure you visit his official website at - http://www.joshuaschubart.com

Joshua Schubart Discusses his Journey & Not Being Judgmental!

Subscribe