Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gavin Michaels. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Gavin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?

As an actor and musician, you’re dealing with a lot of dates, time commitments, conflicts and more. It’s a lot to keep track of, and often times our first instinct is to just say “yes” to any opportunity in front of us. I remember at one point when I was getting my undergraduate degree, I was commuting via bus, train, and ferry for two hours each morning to my university classes, then in the afternoons and evenings, rotating between rehearsals to play the lovesick Romeo, and dancing in Seattle Opera’s Aida, while trying to learn lines for my acting class which was also in the evening. One night I came into my acting class late, frazzled and hardly ready to work. My acting mentor laid into me, and told me how unacceptable it was that I was coming into another class late, and that it was a disservice to my scene partner and me. It stung to say the least. But he was right. I needed to seriously re-evaluate my commitments because I had so much going on and was only able to half-ass all my commitments. That was a good lesson in learning to say “no” and learning that if I’m going to take on a project, I need to be able to give it my full attention.

Gavin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a classical actor / pop-punk musician. I often say my favorite roles involve dueling, dark humour, or dying – in other words, Shakespeare and classical work is a passion of mine.

I started acting at a young age, just doing school productions, before getting my first agent in my teens. In college, I decided I wanted to make a career in the arts, and dedicated my time to learning my craft and getting as much experience as I could get my hands on. Now I’ve been greatful to work at some of the finest theatres in the U.S. including the Guthrie, Cleveland Playhouse and Seattle Opera.

As far as music goes, I really was captured by music in my teens. I saw the pop-punk band Four Year Strong with a friend of mine, and we did our first stage dives that night. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced – running on stage next to pounding drums and blaring lights, and throwing myself through the fourth wall into a sea of hands. That energy – or rather the connection between the audience and musician is what I strive for with all my music. There’s a real opportunity in the punk scene to interact with an audience in a more personal and authentic way. Artistically, I love experimenting with the line between pop and punk. And contrary to a lot of artists I love the phrase Emo! I think the best music requires the artist to be overly emotionally invested.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Art has changed my life in a truly unmeasurable way. I don’t think any of us would be the same people we are today without the art that’s influenced us in our lives. It allows us to see other perspectives, allows us to laugh or grieve when we need it most, and it’s sometimes the only thing we have that makes life worth living.

My art is just another way of contributing to the beautiful history, hopefully helping people grow, and find out what it means to be a little more human.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

People don’t realize how much you sacrifice in your relationships to be an actor or musician. I’m missing two of my friends’ weddings this year because I’m contracted for theatre shows. There’s an old acting joke that says “If you’re not booking work, just plan a vacation.” Nine times out of ten, you’ll get your wish (regrettably). If you can’t afford to fly your partner out to wherever you’re performing, then you have to get used to being away from your partner for weeks or months at a time. There’s a lot of excitement in this industry, and a lot of beauty. But the sacrifices are far from glamorous.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_gavinmichaels/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7LtWSrSbxqtJh4vuOP3Veg

Image Credits
Logan Westom Mollie Crowe