By. Kevin Ray Johnson (Staff Writer for OnStage Blog)

I would like you to meet Shawn W. Smith. Shawn is fresh off of playing Earl in the National Tour of Waitress and is now performing as Stacee Jaxx Rock of Ages at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina! Shawn has also worked with Lamb's Players Theatre, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Cortland Repertory Theatre, and the White Plains Performing Arts Center just to name a few. He has also recorded original music that you can find on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your music. Shawn has a voice that knocks you out and then some and a stage presence that is truly remembered a long time after watching him grace the stage. The sky is the limit for this very talented Artist. I am so happy to have the chance to feature him!

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a Performer?

I always was a class clown and a weird kid that liked to put on a show. I remember learning the dance break to the Men in Black theme song when I was 7 or 8 years old and filming it in my living room. And once I hit middle school, I did all the school plays because that's what my friends were doing (and as my hormones kicked in, I knew all the cute girls were at dance class... so I was at dance class). Once I reached high school I started to really only feel at home in my skin when I was on stage. It was how I knew to communicate with people. So around Sophomore year was when I really KNEW I wanted to be a performer for the rest of my life.

Where did you study? Are there any mentors that truly helped make you the Performer you are today?

I went to the University at Buffalo. I actually only applied to 3 schools: UArts, Syracuse, and Buffalo. We didn't have money for me to travel around auditioning, plus I was a slacker in grade school so I didn't have the grades to get in anyways. Only Buffalo accepted me and honestly, I am very grateful. I had a handful of great teachers there but two really took me under their wings and taught me an unbelievable amount. Nathan Matthews who taught a handful of my Musical Theatre courses and was the head of the department really guided me in how to use action to tell a story through song. And Stephen McKinley Henderson (who is most known for his roles in Dune, Lincoln, Tower Heist, and The Newsroom) taught Lloyd Richards Acting Technique. He is an amazing teacher filled with so much positivity and joy and helped me to hone my craft as well as trust my instinct.

Congratulations on Rock of Ages at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina! How has your time been in South Carolina performing in this Musical?

Thank you! Honestly, I'm so thrilled to be here. I unabashedly love Rock of Ages. And Stacee is just a hilarious time (with some killer songs). I'm still reeling from travel whiplash. I did double duty during my first week of rehearsals for Rock of Ages flying back and forth between that and my final week of performances with Waitress. But it's a great company I get to work with and we're all so game for rolling up our sleeves and jumping into the sandbox to make this kickass show.

Are there any other shows, performances, or moments in your career that will always stick out and be near and dear to your heart?

Oh, so many. I have been very blessed with the amount of theatre I have been able to do over the last 7 years. (My first few years out of school were a theatrical wasteland but once I got momentum, I was able to keep riding it.). Getting to do Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar at Arizona Broadway back in 2017 was a really life-changing moment. It was the start of what I consider my forward momentum into my current career path as well as a huge confidence builder. And my time at sea with For the Record: The Brat Pack not only introduced me to some of my closest friends (one of which is also my bandmate with our music collaboration 'Stray and the Soundtrack') but it also provided me the space and resources I needed to grow into the creator side of my artist soul. And while I don't have the time to go deep into my experiences with Waitress, it has been the main part of my life for 3 years now, bookending the pandemic. Ask me again tomorrow and I’ll have a different answer for you. Everything is meaningful to me for various reasons.

What advice would you give any young artist who would like a career in the performing arts?

I think I'll keep this one as brief as I can and say three things:

1.) Ask yourself repeatedly why you want to be a performer. If you can't answer the why look deeper into if you really want this. This life comes at a huge cost but can reap huge rewards. If you're here just because it's fun and you have friends here, there might come a day where it's not enough anymore. And that can be soul-crushing.

2.) If you ever are doing a show where you walk off the stage at night and you don't feel more satisfied, fulfilled, or purposeful than when you stepped onto the stage, it's time to leave that show. There are plenty of days when I don't have what I think is needed to do my job, and I don't want to go on stage. But I almost never leave the stage feeling worse off for having done the job. When I feel worse off, the job is no longer worth its rewards.

3.) Take care of your mental health. And don't be embarrassed by it. I am a depressed, anxious, recovering alcoholic. I own these things now and do my best to keep them in check. And I know I ain't alone out there. We need to take care of ourselves to take care of each other.

Rock of Ages recently opened on June 29thand will be running until August 14that The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. For more information please visit -https://www.artshhi.com; and to learn more about Shawn, make sure you visit his official website at -www.shawnwsmith.com

Shawn W. Smith Discusses Rock of Ages, JCS, & Taking Care of Your Mental Health!

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