"I Turned Down Broadway" w/ Josh Drake [Bonus Ep]

[SPEAKER_00]: We really gave podcasts that we called that's a gay podcast. [SPEAKER_01]: Had the gay on name for a gay podcast. [SPEAKER_01]: Josh Drake is on that's a gay ass podcast with a lot of sexy baggage. [SPEAKER_01]: Josh, are you cool if I go in on how you became such a hot successful man? [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, the invitation is open. [SPEAKER_01]: So I just want to say that your photos, first of all, are really incredible. [SPEAKER_01]: It's like it's giving high fashion.

[SPEAKER_01]: It is giving like beyond head shots. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure you're taking all kinds of photos, but you have a career as a performer. [SPEAKER_01]: You did Aladdin on Broadway, Bats and Derella, you toured with Finding Neverland, you did Dirty Dancing. [SPEAKER_01]: Can you tell me, are you living the multi-high-finite life now? [SPEAKER_01]: Are you leaning more photographer, videographer, and less performance? [SPEAKER_01]: What's just like the breakdown for your current status?

[SPEAKER_00]: You're soon catching me in the midst of that big transition, right? [SPEAKER_00]: Like I turned thirty, I'm thirty three now, but when I turned thirty, everything sort of shifted like they say, you know, wait a second. [SPEAKER_00]: Everything sort of shifted or flipped upside down, I like to say. [SPEAKER_00]: And my passions and my mental health sort of pulled me away from the business of it.

[SPEAKER_00]: But after I did boop in Chicago, the out of town run, I got this job with Broadway Cares and I couldn't say no. [SPEAKER_00]: So once Broadway [SPEAKER_00]: for when Boop came to Broadway and the offer came out. [SPEAKER_00]: I really had to like think about the next two years of my life and I ultimately turned it down.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Josh, what an amazing power play though and I mean like power playing the sense of a powerful moment for yourself of saying yes to what you really want to do and it's sometimes you got to say no to like big opportunities. [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean like I like you said I was in a lot of [SPEAKER_00]: The chunk of time that I did that show was five and a half years in total.

[SPEAKER_00]: Through the pandemic and a couple of vacations, of course, but five and a half years in one building in one show can ruin you. [SPEAKER_00]: And it really did it. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I killed my body and it just made me look at the business from a different angle. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, love working for the mouse. [SPEAKER_00]: Love the mouse. [SPEAKER_00]: But it is such a corporation and it's a corporation first, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: So I think doing that and then going into bad Cinderella, which was my first original Broadway company, you know, we all know how that story ended. [SPEAKER_01]: For any listeners who don't bad Cinderella was running for how long? [SPEAKER_00]: I want to say four months almost to the day. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so, you know, she had legs for, you know, sometime. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I think it was April, May, June, maybe three for getting now.

[SPEAKER_01]: We sometimes block out our trauma. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I will say that I'm going to ask you obviously questions about Broadway bears about some of your horny stuff, but just because I am someone who also works in trying to be a multi-hifin and also as a performer, I didn't use graffiti for a spell and similarly for like a mental health and also just like [SPEAKER_01]: I just didn't see a world where I was gonna be paid well, ever.

[SPEAKER_01]: Unless I knew I had to do something first in order to like, then make money doing theater, which was like become like a gay sitcom character who knows. [SPEAKER_01]: But can you just tell me out of my own curiosity what is like, what do you miss the least about doing musical theater? [SPEAKER_00]: The least, wow, that's, I've never been asked that. [SPEAKER_01]: Like what basically in trying to ask like what really fucked you up about the industry?

[SPEAKER_00]: I want to say the schedule, the schedule, mostly. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, we're trained and we're raised to give everything to the graft. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, really put yourself at stake for the graft. [SPEAKER_00]: The show must go on, right? [SPEAKER_00]: But you don't realize what that means for your lifestyle, for your families, your mental health, your health and your sanitizing a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: A lot, you know, so for me was the schedule I moved uptown to inward during the pandemic. [SPEAKER_00]: So coming back to Aladdin post pandemic and, you know, getting out of work at eleven, eleven o'clock, ten thirty. [SPEAKER_00]: Taking a train that shuts down four stops before mine. [SPEAKER_00]: Jumping on a shuttle, not getting into eleven, forty five. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, waking up to go to a one o'clock matinee. [SPEAKER_01]: No. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's enough to really drive you crazy. [SPEAKER_01]: So now you have your nights back to yourself. [SPEAKER_01]: Have my nights back. [SPEAKER_01]: Have your life in in would. [SPEAKER_01]: Are you now going to go personal? [SPEAKER_01]: Are you currently single or taken? [SPEAKER_01]: What's the what's the status currently single? [SPEAKER_00]: Hell yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And if any of our listeners want to send you a flirty DM, how do you feel about that? [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.

[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_00]: We love DMs. [SPEAKER_01]: And you'll get them and you'll get them. [SPEAKER_00]: It might end up in the requests folder, but [SPEAKER_01]: And sometimes they do, you know, it doesn't hurt and shoot your shot everyone. [SPEAKER_01]: And if it lands and requests, it's, you know, at least you're landing amongst. [SPEAKER_01]: There's no shame, no shame. [SPEAKER_01]: The stars of requests.

[SPEAKER_01]: So you also have this really great feature on you about doing [SPEAKER_01]: I believe it was Aladdin and you were talking about taking ballet as a young person and getting bullied because you were growing up doing ballet as a young gay kid. [SPEAKER_01]: There's a target on your back. [SPEAKER_01]: Would you say that you embraced your gayness later in life? [SPEAKER_01]: Was there a moment earlier during your school days?

[SPEAKER_01]: When would you say you're like, I'm gay as hell and embracing it? [SPEAKER_00]: I was lucky. [SPEAKER_00]: My family [SPEAKER_00]: Accepted me full stop and yeah, school was tough, but once I was I moved to North Carolina where I was nine and I found this triple threat training studio. [SPEAKER_00]: Shout out to Robert Clayton at least. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, shout out.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, they really they [SPEAKER_00]: lived in New York for many years and went back to North Carolina at the sort of teach. [SPEAKER_00]: The kids coming up what was happening in the big city, right? [SPEAKER_00]: And obviously I was accepted there. [SPEAKER_00]: So I loved how I joined that studio when I was fifteen, fifteen. [SPEAKER_00]: And at least the OK who was one of the owners literally sat me down one day and was like anything you want to tell me.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah, I remember when she opened the door. [SPEAKER_01]: She swung that door open and I decided to either step through or what you, oh, you don't. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I don't. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't because I trusted her. [SPEAKER_00]: My favorite thing at least here ever said was, you guys are all making bad decisions and you're supposed to be dumb kids. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, get it out now at this point in your life.

[SPEAKER_00]: I could literally start crying because she really, you know, it kind of formed me and [SPEAKER_00]: just showed me that what I was feeling was okay, all while dancing and acting and doing what we loved. [SPEAKER_00]: But she literally sat down and said, is there anything you want to talk about? [SPEAKER_01]: And you know what she did, is she set you up for a life of not hating who you are deep down. [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I think that's what we're saying.

[SPEAKER_01]: So many of us deal with is like being shamed by people, whether it was consciously or subconsciously. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, becoming adults and being like, why am I saying such horrible things to myself? [SPEAKER_01]: And listen, I am not immune to that experience. [SPEAKER_01]: I have, you know, great parents, a great family, but I grew up in fucking Missouri where there was a lot of things told to me.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like subconsciously that really made me, you know, feel like bad that I was given this lot in life of being a big old gay guy. [SPEAKER_01]: And so I still deal with those really mean thoughts. [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that the person that you tell me the name again of that amazing. [SPEAKER_01]: Lisa, we shot out Lisa because you know, it's you really she gave such a positive path for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: As a gay journalist, I'm going to have to ask, did you have your first gay kiss with one of the boys from this program? [SPEAKER_01]: Was it after when did we have the first moment? [SPEAKER_00]: It was before, actually. [SPEAKER_00]: He was eighteen years old. [SPEAKER_00]: And he was fourteen. [SPEAKER_01]: Which I'm going to say, not that I'm Judge Judy, but I'm going to say whatever your old teenager is. [SPEAKER_00]: That passes, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_01]: I think so. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: Not to bring it down, but sadly, he's recently passed away. [SPEAKER_00]: So that, you know, he sort of took that whole time of my life with him. [SPEAKER_00]: But he showed me the ropes with all of that. [SPEAKER_00]: His name was Zach. [SPEAKER_01]: That we're going to shout Zach out. [SPEAKER_01]: I believe in the other side. [SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to say Zach.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for giving Josh the first kiss and we hope you are doing a five six seven eight on the other side. [SPEAKER_00]: Amen. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he really showed me the ropes and yeah, that was beautiful. [SPEAKER_00]: So [SPEAKER_01]: First boyfriend Zack fall wait and how you said you were fourteen? [SPEAKER_01]: I was fourteen and where were you geographically? [SPEAKER_01]: North Carolina and he was eighteen and how long did you do date?

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know I felt like seven years of course it probably was two months You know what short but he was also the one that I was with when I came out my mom found out about us [SPEAKER_00]: against my will. [SPEAKER_00]: Sure. [SPEAKER_00]: But we were together. [SPEAKER_00]: So he really carried, he carries that whole moment of my life with him. [SPEAKER_01]: Zach. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for your service.

[SPEAKER_01]: Zach, we send you all that love. [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's really amazing to talk to somebody who has embraced themselves for so long, but especially creatively too.

[SPEAKER_01]: When we talk about Broadway Bears, I need to go into the horniness of that entire [SPEAKER_01]: celebration you have performed in Broadway Bears there's a video on your Instagram if anybody here has not yet followed Josh go follow Josh and there is a video of you tearing up that stage in a tiny ass thong and now you are what like the in-house videographer what's that deal [SPEAKER_00]: to really a crazy story.

[SPEAKER_00]: The more I talk about it and think about it, I'm like, this is truly a full circle moment. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so I, my first time doing Bears was twenty-fourteen and I was dancing in the shadows, couldn't see me. [SPEAKER_00]: I was a child and I actually made some of my two of my best friends ever from doing Bears. [SPEAKER_00]: The second year my best friend, Kellon Stanzel, who is now the director of the show, Cassney has his lead for his number.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I was leading the second year and then I think I'd led two more times after that. [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, you know, once you're in with Broadway cares, it's just like, what else can I do? [SPEAKER_00]: What more can I do when you start to see the numbers that you're a part of that are being raised? [SPEAKER_00]: The hunger is just like, oh my god, like it's that easy to just raise money to help people.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, so I dove in and yeah, the passion for my videography and photography. [SPEAKER_00]: they sort of mesh together during the pandemic and then getting offered, you know, I was working with people throughout the years during various who worked here regularly. [SPEAKER_00]: So they started to realize my talents outside of performing. [SPEAKER_00]: And as if I was ready to sort of forfeit that schedule for a bit forfeit, Broadway and join the team.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I said yes. [SPEAKER_00]: So now I'm sort of, you know, I've been there the last two years shooting the show and still getting to be a part of it. [SPEAKER_00]: A small sliver of me misses it wants to be back up there, but hey, [SPEAKER_00]: There's plenty of time for that. [SPEAKER_01]: And also plenty of opportunities for you to be dancing naked somewhere. [SPEAKER_01]: I see that in your future. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, so true. [SPEAKER_00]: That's so true.

[SPEAKER_01]: So true. [SPEAKER_01]: Did you ever meet anybody from rehearsing abroad with bears number and go home and have just furious sex? [SPEAKER_01]: I just imagine the rehearsal room or the backstage is fraught. [SPEAKER_00]: It's pretty crazy. [SPEAKER_00]: I will say, [SPEAKER_00]: It sort of becomes the new norm, like the normal very quickly. [SPEAKER_00]: Because you start taking your clothes off and rehearsal and you're like, oh, that's how that person looks great.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then they become a coworker and you're trying to stay professional. [SPEAKER_01]: You know what it sounds like? [SPEAKER_01]: I'm doing the fourth person I've interviewed about Barras and I'm always like, I got fucking it. [SPEAKER_01]: And it's, I'm like, I just come across as like a letter. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to find them. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, trust me, they're fucking. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know who it is, but it's happening.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the night of the show is so heartfelt and supportive and it's also hot as hell usually. [SPEAKER_00]: So people who actually don't even feel that sexy normally because they're exhausted, they're hungry and they're sweating their asses off. [SPEAKER_00]: So they're like, get away from me. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, listen, I always have to try to get erratica from Broadway bears and I appreciate you allowing me to... Absolutely.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it's so nice just brushing shoulders with naked people, you know, men women in between. [SPEAKER_00]: It's just hot. [SPEAKER_00]: It's just so hot, so nice. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, speaking of sexiness, as we get into the next part of our interview, which does turn horny, we're going to be going into the paywall. [SPEAKER_01]: So people who would like to hear the rest of this horny chat, which Josh, we're going to be going into some slut tails.

[SPEAKER_01]: I use the word slut as a compliment, as something we use as a positive identifier. [SPEAKER_01]: Is the word slut a word you have ever identified with, currently identify with, what's your history with that word? [SPEAKER_00]: Yes. [SPEAKER_00]: For me, it always referred to, it was used with women, you know, in really sort of applying it to men and more specifically gay men in my community. [SPEAKER_00]: is newer for me, I would say. [SPEAKER_00]: But I welcome it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm very sex positive. [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't think slut even has to be sexual. [SPEAKER_00]: Now, you know, like it can be like, I'd probably a bear is, you know, I feel so slutty on that stage and I'm dancing for thousands of people. [SPEAKER_00]: So I think I welcome it. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm open to it. [SPEAKER_00]: I know a lot of very kind, whole, hearted, beautiful sluts. [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: Do you kind yourself amongst them?

[SPEAKER_01]: Hell yeah, so let's get into that are you as a single slot are you? [SPEAKER_01]: Have you had any you don't have to go specific yet, but are there and have you recently been dick down in a way that's been great are you hurting for a squirting? [SPEAKER_00]: I need to write down all these little, these little settings are beautiful. [SPEAKER_00]: Um, yeah, absolutely. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I, for the rest of this interview, I had to sub-stack linked in the description.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can also watch bonus episodes with Mikey Grassefa from Death Becomes her Isaiah Rutledge, Sunset Boulevard's Demon Moon. [SPEAKER_01]: We have Derek Cage, Patrick, Nick, Thanos, Mark, they're all hot. [SPEAKER_01]: The stories are amazing and you should go check it out at subsac.com slash at Eric Will's linked in the description. [SPEAKER_01]: I love you, bye!