Meet Gavin Michaels | Actor and Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gavin Michaels and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gavin, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I think a lot of people assume that talent is something you’re born with. It’s easy to look at an actor or musician and think “Wow they’re so talented, I could never do that.” People don’t realize 99.9% percent of us (with the exception of Mozart-like child prodigies) sucked at one point. I know I did. I have videos of me playing guitar at 15 and I can barely play a power chord. But I think if you love something enough, you’ll put in the work and grow.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m primarily a classical actor as well as a pop-punk musician. It’s a strange combination, but once you get more into reading Shakespeare (plus Ibsen, Chekov and Goldsmith!) you’ll realize there’s a surprising amount of overlap in themes. I’ve been fortunate to perform for audiences of 3 and for audiences of nearly 3000.

When I was 16 I was taking classes at the local community college with the idea in mind that I was going to be a software development major, and I was going to just keep acting and music as a little side hobby so that my parents would be proud of their financially secure son. After taking several coding classes and realizing I was going to hate my life sitting at a desk all day, I had to tell my parents I wasn’t going to have a desk-job, but that I was, for all intents and purposes, going to live the vandal-hippy-bohemian-circus life of an artist. I think they realized they weren’t going to convince me otherwise, and I was lucky to have their support. It’s hard to be adamant about something like that when you’re so unsure about what your future holds. But I think it takes having a lot of trust in yourself to believe that you can do it, and you can’t be talked out of it.

So often in our lives we have contain ourselves, our emotions good and bad, just to fit in. I think when we’re appreciating art – whether that’s at a heavy metal concert, watching an outlandish comedy, or in staring at abstract lines in a museum – we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, and express whatever it is we’ve been holding in. At the end of the day, my work is about trying to make people feel something.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m from South Seattle originally, but I recently moved to Cleveland OH. Here’s a few for each and I’ll let you pick!

There’s a strip in downtown Tacoma called Antique Row, with an antique shop called Sanford and Son. It’s three stories and in this old old building, but at the bottom of this former ballroom there’s a two story library with VERY old books. Some books are from the 1800s and you can find little notes written in them – and you can buy them for $10 a pop. It’s the best place to spend a few hours getting lost.

The next place in Seattle would be walking along the Ave in the U district. I went undergrad at University of Washington, and many cups of coffee were sipped at Cafe Solstice, and bowls of (surprisingly affordable) pho at Pho-Shizzle. Also it’s worth walking around University of Washington! It’s a large campus with some astounding architecture. Make sure to check out the Suzzallo library, or as we called it, the Harry Potter room, where we’d all cram before our final exams.

Last in the Seattle area I would say you should visit Poulsbo! It’s a little Norwegian Village in Kitsap County, and there’s some beautiful little shops, and great restaurants, The docks on the water have a ton of sea life attached. Anemones, crabs, fish, and even glowing plankton! It’s a really lovely town, and I’ve spent a lot of time there.

As far as Cleveland, I’m a little newer to the city, so this list is still being updated! First I would say the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is free, is a WORLD CLASS museum. They have some really famous works there, and it’s an amazing place to spend a day.

Second, if you’re into boutique shops, Coventry Village is right next to Case Western Reserve University (where I’m currently getting my masters) and has some really cute shops. Also in Coventry is The Grog Shop, which is my favorite punk/alternative venue I’ve found in Cleveland.

Lastly check out a show at Playhouse Square! It’s the largest performing arts center outside of NYC, and you’re surrounded by grand, historic theaters, as well as the world’s largest outdoor chandelier

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s too many to count! My parents, Greg and Lisa, were instrumental in giving me the opportunities I’ve been presented with. Countless acting mentors – namely Rebecca Lloyd and Aaron Clements-Levin. As far as my journey as a musician goes, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Billie Joe Armstrong. Green Day taught me how to play guitar, how to write a good song, and defined what it meant to be a legendary performers.

Website: https://www.gavinmichaels.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_gavinmichaels/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7LtWSrSbxqtJh4vuOP3Veg

Image Credits
Mollie Crowe Logan Westom