(Joshua as Gavroche in Les Misérables, 2014.)

Joshua: It taught me so much. It’s something that I look back on so fondly, and really changed who I was as a performer. I was thrust into the theater world at 10 years old, and it always felt like home.

I was so excited to get back to New York, because it was really the people that left such a lasting impact. Seeing people from my childhood and returning to places I loved in New York feels so reminiscent. My family’s also here with me, so it’s almost like we’re reliving the whole thing over again. 

When I was younger, I was just a kid who could sing, and I didn’t have to think about it as much as I do now. (Laughs) Now I definitely have to think about where I’m placing it, how to maintain my stamina throughout the show, and everything like that. 

I feel so prepared and so ready, like I’ve blossomed from the young performer that I was to the adult that I am now. It’s a blending of both worlds, but the whole thing is very nostalgic, for sure.