A CHAMPION RETURNS

In my first interview with Ethan Joseph a year ago, I wondered how a 12-year old boy would be able to top performing at the Met in Terence Blanchard’s Champion. On one of the biggest stages in New York and with the largest pit orchestra, onstage chorus, and production budgets, as well as all the worldwide talent of artists at the top of their craft’”how would anyone be able to top this experience? Well, Ethan did just that. He not only performed the role of Little Michael in the national tour of MJ The Musical, ending his 6-month contract at the prestigious Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, but then he returned to New York for the Met’s production of Fire Shut up in My Bones (see Stage and Cinema’s review), playing the protagonist’s younger self, Char’es-Baby. After a recent performance, I was thrilled to do a follow-up interview with Ethan.

Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Little Marlon, Ethan Joseph as Little Michael
in MJ The Musical  (photo by Matthew Murphy, MurphyMade)

GREGORY FLETCHER: Ethan, I’m sure the Met was so impressed and taken with you in their last season, it wasn’t hard to picture you in this role. Did you know last year that you’d be cast? Or how hard was it getting the role?

ETHAN JOSEPH: When I finished with Champion, I told my mom that I wanted to be in Fire Shut up in My Bones, but since I had committed to being in the national tour of MJ, I didn’t know if I’d be available. Luckily, the role wasn’t cast until January when I knew when my contract with MJ was ending. The casting director Spencer [Gualdoni] sent me the audition material’”he’s the same person who cast me as Little Emile in Champion’”and I was so happy to get to audition. I had listened to the CD of the original production and heard all about the role from Walter who played it in 2021.

Ethan Joseph in Champion Met Opera Encore Screening (The Met)

FLETCHER: What luck! How’d you cross paths with him?

ETHAN: Easy. He was playing young Marlon in MJ. And previously, he played Little Michael. He’s a few years older. I think, he’s 15. Walter Russell III.

FLETCHER: You could follow in his footsteps, playing all the roles he outgrows. I wonder if Marlon Jackson is next for you. No, I’m sure, you’ve got your own path. But how nice you were able to get some insight into the role beforehand, which probably made you feel very confident for the audition, yes?

ETHAN: No, I was so nervous because I knew if I got it, it would be really big for me’”the biggest part I’d ever had. And I wanted it so bad. I missed the Met; I really wanted to come back here. I was so happy when I learned I got the role.

Backstage at The Met (photo Ava Joseph)

FLETCHER: Since this was a revival of the 2021 production, how actively involved were the creators at rehearsal? [The composer, Terrence Blanchard; the book by Charles M. Blow; the libretto by Kasi Lemmons]

ETHAN: They were very involved and really helpful. I could see that they knew what they wanted with the show, so it really helped that whenever I did something I was unsure about, they’d help me work through it. It was great knowing their vision for the show. They made me really comfortable with the role without any pressure or stress.

FLETCHER: How long was the rehearsal process?

ETHAN: I would say a little less than a month.

FLETCHER: How much time onstage before your first audience?

ETHAN: Two or three weeks, here or there.

Ethan Joseph as Char'es-Baby and Ryan Speedo Green as Charles
(photo by Marty Sohl)

FLETCHER: You played opposite Ryan Speedo Green for the second time, playing his younger self in the role of Charles. [In Champion, Mr. Green played Young Emile to Ethan’s Little Emile.] Having worked with him before, did it make it easier jumping into this role?

ETHAN: Yeah, it’s crazy that this is my second time, you know, being the younger version of him. He’s such a great, famous opera singer, when I see him, I wonder if he’s my older self.

Brittany Renee as Loneliness, Ethan Joseph, Ryan Speedo Green
(photo by Marty Sohl)

FLETCHER: From your lips to God’s ears; yes, you should be so lucky to turn into Speedo. His voice, his presence’”he’s powerful to say the least. I love how you two often duplicated the same gestures and moments to indicate that you were the same character. You could literally see where your character was heading. Did that make it easier building the role?

ETHAN: I kept considering what this character experienced. What did he want? What did he think he deserved? How did his mom treat him? How did his family treat him? Stuff like that. He’s sexually abused. His mom didn’t really care for him that much. His brothers bullied him, and everyone treated him like a little baby. But, you know, deep down he wants to be a big boy. He wants people to see him as a big boy. I want the audience to see that.

Ethan Joseph as Char'es-Baby, Latonia Moore as Billie, Brittany Renee as Destiny,
and Ryan Speedo Green as Charles (photo by Marty Sohl)

FLETCHER: You also got to play opposite the wonderful Latonia Moore, who plays your mother, Billie. In last year’s Champion, she played your mom, Emelda Griffith. A second reunion’”did that make it easier to jump into a mother/son relationship?

ETHAN: Whenever I see Latonia, I see my mom.

Ethan Joseph as Char'es-Baby, Latonia Moore as Billie,
Brittany Renee as Destiny, and Ryan Speedo Green (photo by Marty Sohl)

FLETCHER: And yet the two moms were very different. Neither of whom were ideal.

ETHAN: Yeah, I think I’d prefer this one because it feels like she cares a little more than the other. It was really easy working with her. I watch her and Speedo and try learning as much as I can in case one day I want to be an opera singer. I try not to get on their nerves but just enjoy every moment I can.

FLETCHER: How long did you have the music before rehearsals?

ETHAN: I think one week. But I also had the CD before that and the video.