Joshua Turchin Interview With Colby

Joshua Turchin stopped by for a chat!

Colby: Hello, Joshua! Congratulations on the release of your new single “Captain’s Code”! Can you share the inspiration behind the song and what the creative process was like while working on it?

Joshua: I’ve been fascinated by pirates for a long time and the history of seafaring. About a year ago, I came up with a concept for a musical about pirates. Over the summer, I finalized the idea to make it a musical about the end of the golden age of piracy. When working on it, I knew immediately that the show had to have a villain, so I created the role of The Captain. Of course, since this is musical theatre, every villain has to have a villain song! Captain’s Code helps to establish the rules of the ship and the Captain’s worldview. When working on the song, I took a lot of inspiration from sea shanties and British Navy songs, as well as theatre patter songs.

Colby: From your Broadway debut in “A Christmas Story” to your recent work on “Schmigadoon” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” you’ve had a diverse career in both theater and television. How do you approach transitioning between these different mediums, and what challenges or exciting aspects do you find in each?

Joshua: Transitioning between different mediums is something I find so exciting. The different forms of acting, from vocal to physical, are so much fun for me. Theatre acting is much more animated, as compared to the more toned-down film acting. To prepare for a role in a specific medium, I have to make sure I approach it from the mindset of, “Ok, this is for Film/Theatre, I need to change my visual responses to these lines”.

Colby: As a multi-talented artist who plays 15 instruments, writes songs quickly, and hosts your own show, “The Early Night Show,” how do you balance your various creative pursuits, and what advice do you have for young artists looking to explore multiple aspects of the entertainment industry?

Joshua: A lot of the balancing between my creative pursuits relies on time management. Recently, I’ve been writing down everything that is due for school or any of my projects. I like setting deadlines for myself to finish songs or scripts by, so that way I’ll have more time to focus on other pursuits. One of my biggest pieces of advice for young artists looking to explore various aspects of the entertainment industry is to not overbook. Overbooking is something I’ve definitely done accidentally. By pacing yourself, you’ll have a lot more time to do the things you want to do outside of creating.

Colby: You’ve been actively involved in charity work with organizations like The Actors Fund, BC/EFA, and The Ukulele Kids Club. How has your passion for using music to bring happiness influenced your involvement with these charities, and can you share a memorable experience from your charity work that left a lasting impact on you?

Joshua: I’ve always felt like music could be used to help people emotionally, and charities like the Ukulele Kids Club which use music therapy to help kids around the world really speak to me. One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had was doing a charity event for the UKC in 2023, and to hear everyone’s stories and see the joy on people’s faces was incredible.

Colby: “TikTok Takes Broadway” at Below 54 sounds like a fantastic collaboration. How did the idea for this show come about, and what was the most enjoyable part of working with your Broadway and influencer friends on this project? Additionally, how has the TikTok platform influenced your approach to connecting with your audience and fellow performers?

Joshua: For “TikTok Takes Broadway” at 54 Below, I planned the show with one of my good friends and TikTok star Katherine Lynn-Rose. We had initially talked about it early in the year, and getting to create the show together was so much fun. I loved being able to work with all of my TikTok friends for the first time in person. We had all collaborated previously online, but being able to play each other’s music was a blast. When it comes to connecting with my audience and fellow performers, social media and TikTok specifically allow for near-instant feedback on songs. Based on feedback, I can change my music in ways that would appeal to a larger group of people!