đĽ Actor, Musician, and Noises Off Avoider: Justin Demers on I Saw You In That Thing I Saw You In!
This episode of I Saw You In That Thing I Saw You In dives deep into the art of stagecraft, vocal discipline, and the delicate balance between high-level performance and creative burnout! Host Stephen Lomer sits down with multi-talented New England actor and gigging musician Justin Demers.
đ The Musician vs. Actor Identity Crisis
Stephen challenges Justin on how he defines his creative identity. While his social media simple tags him as a musician and singer-songwriter, Justin explains how balancing theater contracts with gigging prevents his "creative muscles" from going stale. He opens up about keeping performance as an intense passion rather than a soul-crushing corporate job, maintaining a day job specifically so he can protect his love for the arts.
đ The Great Noises Off Betrayal
In a hilariously tense segment, Justin confronts Stephen over a broken promise. After assigning Stephen one specific piece of pre-podcast homeworkâwatching the classic comedy Noises OffâJustin discovers Stephen aggressively failed to complete the assignment. The two engage in a hilarious back-and-forth negotiation, complete with Letterboxd plugs and a strict end-of-summer deadline to save their friendship.
đ From Audition to Curtain Call: The Stage Masterclass
Justin provides an exhaustive, step-by-step masterclass for anyone curious about the mechanics of professional theater:
đ The Post-Pandemic Audition
How virtual self-tapes transformed the stage casting process, saving actors from awkward group auditions in front of entire rooms of competitors.
đ The Sprint of Tech Week
Navigating dry tech, wet tech, costume fittings, and the intense time constraints of learning full, two-act musical choreographies in as little as eight days.
đ On-Stage Intimacy & Over-Communication
Justin highlights the necessity of over-communicating and strict choreography when handling intimate scenes on stage to ensure absolute safety and comfort for all partners.
Why actors owe it to the audience to keep a show "frozen" once it opens, avoiding ego-driven improvised changes while still letting the emotional depth of the character naturally grow denser over a 10-week run.
đ The High School "Booze-ical" Scandal
Justin shares a wild behind-the-scenes story from his junior year at Bates College. He details the infamous tradition of "The Dirty Show"âa secret, one-night-only, sold-out late-night parody performance where the cast completely rewrote family-friendly shows into filthy, unhinged comedies. Justin recalls taking a heavy drag of a joint in the wings right before stepping on stage for High School Musical, immediately realizing he was completely incoherent, and improvising his way through a sold-out theater with zero memory of the script.
đ Justin's Essential Advice for Actors
"Don't try to fit the exact mold you think a casting director wants. Don't steal pieces of other people's performancesâit comes off as hollow and phony. People have incredible bullshit meters. Bring a version of yourself that is rooted in real life and real truth. Even if you get rejected, you'll know you presented something authentic rather than a lie."
đ Where to See Justin Next
Catch Justin on stage at the Prescott Park Arts Festival, starring as the Prince in their summer production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella!
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