From starring in "Descendants: The Rise of Red" to returning to Broadway in "Hadestown," we spoke to Joshua about his artistic growth and stepping into his dream role.

I’m a pop-culture writer covering everything from TV and movies, to music, Broadway, books, and games.

When Joshua first saw Hadestown at 18, he dreamed of one day trying his hand at the role of Orpheus — and years later, his dream has become a reality.

Taking the stage at the Walter Kerr Theatre starting March 3, Joshua is bringing a new interpretation to the poetic hero. It was a treat to chat with Joshua about stepping into the iconic role and how Descendants prepared him for his return to the Broadway stage.

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Joshua: I saw Hadestown front row when I was 18 years old, and I was so moved by the show. There are so many layers to it, and so much lore with every single character. I really love getting to figure out my own version of Orpheus — it's very collaborative in that way.  

Hadestown is something I've always had my eyes set on, and something I felt I could do really well. When it finally came my way, I was excited for the opportunity to show what my version of Orpheus would be.

They messaged me, and they were like, "Are you interested in possibly playing Orpheus? Can you send us a video of you singing 'Epic III'?" I was so excited, I even sent them another video of me singing "Wedding Song."

Now I'm here, literally about to be on Broadway again after so many years. I've always been looking for the right role to come back to Broadway with, and this one just felt perfect. Because, seriously, nothing has moved me the way that Hadestown has.

(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.

Joshua: I'm always excited to do "Wait For Me" because that was so impactful for me when I first saw Hadestown. I remember sitting front row and feeling the heat of the lamps, and that was such a memorable experience. 

It's such a powerful moment for Orpheus. The whole show leading up to it is Orpheus figuring things out, and then that moment is him stepping into this power that he has. 

It just feels crazy when you're actually doing it — the whole set is moving, and you look like you're actually controlling it. The adrenaline of that scene is so much fun. I'm really excited to experience that with a crowd, and reach my flower over the audience and hopefully inspire another kid, just like I once was.

Joshua: I saw Jack do the show recently, and he came and watched my put-in as well. We've gone out for dinner and stuff like that, and he's really encouraged me to make it my own. He's just so wonderful. We've both said that it feels like we've known each other for so long. 

Going through this rehearsal process, it's a lot of material, and it's a lot of hard work. Having someone there to validate you and your feelings and give you as much advice as they can — while also inspiring you to really bring yourself to it — was so vital and so wonderful. Jack is just the most talented and kind person ever. I feel so lucky that the person handing me the flower is Jack.

Joshua: There are so many layers to Orpheus. There's definitely a childlike wonder that I'm really excited to play with, and a joy that maybe hasn't been played to the extent that I am. I'm playing it very "cinnamon roll," definitely towards the beginning.

I'm just bringing myself to it, honestly. I feel like so much of my Orpheus has come from Jordan [Tyson], who is my Eurydice, and the other cast members. Really, just being in the moment and playing with them on stage is the most exciting and fun thing. 

The text is so concrete and so poetic, and everything you need is already in the material. So, acting as a vessel for Anaïs's [Mitchell] music is really key.

Joshua: Oh gosh, they're both hard for different reasons. On tour, it was very dance-heavy, so I was really exercising that aspect — and also the fact that we were going to a different place every single day was wild. It was seriously like a whole other world, but I feel like it actually prepared me so much for Broadway. My stamina has grown from it, because there was so much running around, and costume changes, and dancing. I also got to perform my original song, which was so exciting for me.

Broadway is really hard because everything is just so raw and in the moment. (Laughs) There's really nothing to hide behind when you're on Broadway. It has been very challenging, but in the best way. I'm definitely excited to tell a story. It's really nice to get to melt into a character and just be in the world of Hadestown. It's so immersive and so real when you're doing it.

Jordan and I have bonded so much. It really does feel like we are Orpheus and Eurydice, learning the show together, and now doing eight shows a week. Broadway is a hard job, and I applaud everybody who has done it and will do it.

Joshua: On my Descendants film, Kenny actually wasn't the director, but my friend is writing a show that Kenny is involved with, so I got to meet him and become friends with him through that.

Kenny has been the sweetest ever, and he's so talented. He's been so supportive of my Descendants journey. He seriously changed my childhood — he changed my whole life — because High School Musical was my holy grail as a child. Meeting him and just getting those words of affirmation from him meant so much. He's always been the greatest supporter of me, and I couldn't be more grateful. 

I honestly can't believe my life right now. It feels like such a dream. The baby version of me would just be so proud and so excited to hear that I'm friends with Kenny Ortega, I'm on Disney, and I'm now leading a Broadway show. All of those things were just my wildest dreams. The fact that I'm now getting to do all of it is seriously such a dream come true.

Joshua: I feel like I grew so much as a performer on the Descendants tour. That was so wonderful and such a collaborative space — so much so that I got to write a song for the show. Performing my original music and getting to share that with the world was something that I'll never, ever forget. It's something that really impacted and inspired me. It made me realize how much I love making art and performing my own art. 

There's so much that I have in my brain and that I've been working on, and I am so excited to share with the world. I feel like every one of these experiences leading up to this point has made me who I am, and has changed my voice as an artist.

Hadestown has taught me so much about getting back into the world of a piece and really immersing yourself completely in a character. Hadestown is so inspiring. Anaïs's work is so thorough, and you can feel how much love she put into it, and how real the characters and the world are to her. I'm just so excited to start making my own world and share that with everyone.

Don't miss Joshua as Orpheus at the Walter Kerr Theatre (tickets here!), and keep up with his adventures on Instagram, @joshuarobertcolley.

Check out my interview with Jack Wolfe, the prior Orpheus.