Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Joshua Mahaffey

We have good news and bad news. The good news is, you're about to fall in love. The bad news is...he's already married. But that shouldn't stop you from fawning over Josh Mahaffey, who plays Moth (and the guitar like a god) in Love's Labour's Lost! He was also our latest guinea pig in the HIDiot's Guide series, where actors drunkenly summarize Shakespeare's works. He's cute, down-to-earth, and an adorable, drunken mess, just like normal people!

"Normal" is a relative term.

HID: Pop Quiz! What’s Moth’s favorite color and why?

JM: Color - Green YO!!!! Moth's favorite band is Green Day. Also, as the name would suggest, Moth prefers being outdoors among the trees, and, on the grass (no pun intended - maybe?), and clearly, outside, green is King of the Colors.

HID: You provide most of the soundtrack for the show on your lovely guitar. What other instruments do you play, and how long have you been playing them?

JM: I "play" the guitar, piano, ukelele, bass guitar,  and clarinet. I've been trying to make sounds on the piano since I was a toddler, but never took any formal training. I picked up Ukelele this year, and it still needs some work :) Clarinet I played in elementary and middle school, and then we lost touch with other. Guitar, I've been playing since I was twelve. I took lessons for three years, and continued to teach myself ever since. It is definitely my preferred instrument.

HID: Moth says he hopes to prove a man if he lives. What do you want to be when you grow up?

JM: When I grow up, I want to be the President of the United States. However, it should be noted that the question was prefaced with "When you grow up", and I have no plans to do that anytime soon. Hopefully, whenever that day comes, it'll still be as easy to jump into the race as it seems to be today.

HID: We know there are a lot to choose from, but you’re onstage for most of them: What’s your favorite joke in the play?

JM: I think my favorite joke of all is when Berowne finally confesses his love, "sans crack or flaw", to Rosaline in a very tender moment, only to be shut down with a dig at his poor pronunciation of the word "Sans." It's such a good joke on it's own, but also represents the feeling of the play as a whole. It's also a play on language, which has been a very important element in the show's process.

However, I want to give an honorable mention to one of "Dull's" first lines, which is simply, "Me. I am Anthony Dull." The delivery from the actor (Travis Klemm) is just brilliant.

HID: Spoiler alert! Anyway. Anything else we should know about you or the show itself?

JM: Well, most of my favorite songs from the '90s don't exactly jive with the overall theme of the show, but I still found some moments to stick them in. I would challenge the observant listener to spot the inclusions of Nirvana, The Offspring, and Jane's Addiction in the backing score.

Will you take up the challenge of identifying the whole playlist? Come fail at suppressing the urge to sing along at the toe-tapping, knee-slapping extravaganza that is Love's Labour's Lost!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here: http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead 

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!