What He Did For Love
For Jay Armstrong Johnson, acting is more than just a profession; it's a way of life. Appearing in his first Regional show at the age of fourteen, he entered the world of West Side Story as 'Baby-John.' From their, his future in stage acting took off. Taking on the roles of 'Link' (Hairspray) and 'Jeffery (Godspell), the Texas native was off to a great start. Ready to continue, Johnson went to New York, where he attended New York University.More recently, he has been seen in the touring production of A Chorus Line. After auditioning for a role in New York, in hopes of landing a part in the Broadway cast, he made it the last cut. But as one door closed, another one opened for Johnson. The opportunity arose for him to play the part of 'Mark' in the Regional production of A Chorus Line. After discussing it with some of his professors, they convinced him that it was too good of an opportunity to give up. And so, Jay Armstrong Johnson officially became a member of the cast that was certain to impress the nation, one city at a time.
Like 'Mark,' Johnson is a young performer. Though he isn't new to auditioning like his character, he is still very impressionable. The two have a good deal of similarities, including their exceptional talent. In order to better the character, Johnson used the film version of A Chorus Line as inspiration. He was able to get a better understanding of 'Mark' by seeing the movie adaptation. However, the differences he brought with him are what made his performance truly unique.
Being on tour is very strenuous. One thing that he notes about the difficulties of traveling, is how hard it is to keep a schedule. The time differences from city to city make it hard to stay on track. The best part of acting, though? For Johnson, it's the people you meet. For him, friends are the most important aspect of it. The advice he gives to aspiring actors is that "if you have the heart for it, pursue it fullheartedly." And what's next for this young actor? When the tour is finished, he plans on returning to New York to continue taking classes at New York University. As for his career in acting, one thing is certain: he's someone to keep an eye on, as his passion and love for the stage make his presence memorable.
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