playbill vip

Doing theatre has been a passion of mine since I was a little kid.  I knew when I took my first bow that I would be an actor.  My passion for acting hasn’t changed, but my passion for theatre has changed.  When I found out that I had been hired for my first show with Artstarts, I was so nervous.  So many children in 1 production, double casting the show, an entire new team of people that I had never worked with.  It was very daunting, but more than that it was exciting!  Now all these years later, the children that I have watched grow and the talent they are cultivating.  It is a proud “Uncle Joey” moment every single rehearsal.  I get to watch the girls that I met when they were in middle school who would cry after auditions saying “I just want a part” to watching them land leading roles.  The boys whose voices hadn’t changed who now sound like grown men when they talk.  The kids who were so little when I met them in the Pridelands and are now almost as tall as me.  Time really does fly.  I have been truly blessed by this organization and my peers.  Mostly I have been blessed to spend so much time with these kids.  They are so kind, funny, driven, very loud haha, and the best part of my week is getting to be with them.  Thank you, parents, for letting your kids be involved with Artstarts.

Kids, soon we will be done with ice murders, walking like trolls, smiling with teeth, all this talk about true love, over-back-side-heels, and Olaf’s big bouncy butt.  I hope you keep these memories with you.  When you’re old, like me, I hope you remember that you weren’t just part of something special, this show was special because YOU were a part of it.

Joey Johnson

Director