Introducing Justin Hoch, appearing as "Walker" in TWO ROOMS

As a special feature on opening week, we're excited to introduce you to our cast and creative team, who talked with us about their life as actors and their experience of creating the world of TWO ROOMS. 

TWO ROOMS opens February 21 and runs through March 9 - Wed-Sat at 9pm and Sat-Sun at 4pm. For tickets and information, click here. 

Introducing: Justin Hoch, who's playing Walker in TWO ROOMS. Here is his first-hand account of his life as an actor, and his perspective on working with this production.

Full given name:  
JustinHoch.com. My parents were waaaaaay ahead of the curve on that one.

Where you were born/where you were raised:  
I was born in Wyoming and raised mostly there, with some time spent in upstate New York, as well.

Zodiac Sign: 
Jake Gyllenhaal.

What your parents did/do for a living: 
Both of them are/were educators; my mom is director of math for a school district upstate and my dad is a retired elementary school principal.

Siblings: 
Yes

Favorite food of all time:
My mom's lasagna and/or french toast.

Special skills: 
I should go pro at catching food in my mouth. Like a seal, I am.

Something you're REALLY bad at: 
Self-immolation. Seriously. I'm horrible. Haven't ever even singed myself.

If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway or Off Broadway show, what would it be?:  
I'm ashamed to say I don't really have a deep enough knowledge of theater history to answer this in any intelligent way. One of the perils of growing up in Wyoming, I reckon. (They don't say "I reckon" anywhere else but Wyoming, either.) Because he just passed, I've been thinking a lot about Philip Seymour Hoffman in Death of a Salesman, so I'll go with that.

Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations as a young actor?: 
My first inspirations were movies, and I've always just liked telling stories. The first play I remember seeing was a high school production of Flowers for Algernon, when I was in 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th grade -- something like that -- and that was when I first thought, "Yeah, I want to do that!" It was the first time I realized acting as a thing you could do. There was something real and tangible about seeing actual people on a physical stage versus watching them on a screen that snapped it into focus for me.

What age did you start acting, and what was the project: 
I demanded that I be the ringmaster in my pre-school circus. So I was 4 or 5 years old. I still remember having to leave mid-speech to go pee. It's weird the things that stick in our minds, isn't it?

Current show other than your own you have been recommending to friends:  
DYING CITY

Favorite plays: 
A favorite recent show I saw was Lickspittles, Buttonholers and Damned Pernicious Go-betweens by Johnna Adams. I loved The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh, The Book of Mormon was hilarious. (Musicals count, right?)

Most embarrassing moment on stage: 
Nothing stands out as particularly embarrassing, actually. I'm sure that's more a function of repression and denial as a defense mechanism than the lack of mortifying occurrences.

What's your favorite part about being a part of The Seeing Place?: 
Working with the people. It's a great group.

What most excites you about your involvement with TWO ROOMS / DYING CITY? 
The opportunity to work/play with such talented folks is the first thing. Beyond that, it's awesome to be working on such good material and to be such a critical part of the creative process. There really is a ton of room to try things, even crazy things, make mistakes, and try some more things. That's a very freeing environment. I'm very much looking forward to sharing this show with audiences.

***

This is Justin's second show with The Seeing Place. TSP: MEN IN WHITE (Dr. Levine/Mr. Rummond). NYC: BEARD ENVY (Free Willy; co-writer), A PIECE OF PROPERTY (Pete), A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF TWENTY-FIVE STRANGERS LIVING IN A CITY BY THE LAKE (Jack), LAST ENCOUNTER (William). FILM: "Saturnalia" (Jonas) (7 festival awards and counting...), "You Don't Know Jack" (Tom Youk)(HBO, Dir. Barry Levinson, starring Al Pacino). "Thanks to all involved!" www.justinhoch.com

TWO ROOMS opens February 21 and runs through March 9 - Wed-Sat at 9pm and Sat-Sun at 4pm. For tickets and information, click here.

It runs in repertory with DYING CITY, which runs at 7pm and 2pm on the same dates. For tickets and information, click here.