In The Haus: Nicholas Joy

Nicholas Joy has been lighting up stages and leaving his creative mark on Queensland’s local theatre scene. From humble beginnings in high school theatre to launching his own production company, NJOY Productions, Nicholas’s journey has been fueled by a passion for storytelling and an unrelenting drive to explore all aspects of the performing arts. His infectious energy, inspired by iconic figures like Peter Allen and Hugh Jackman, has seen him take on diverse roles both as an actor and director, all while staying connected to his roots in Toowoomba’s tight-knit creative community.

Now, with his upcoming one-man show Hell Yeah! A High School Boy’s Journey premiering in Beenleigh this November, Nicholas continues to prove his dedication to championing new talent and heartfelt narratives. With a dream to someday host the Oscars, direct an Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, and conquer Broadway, Nicholas Joy is a force to be reckoned with in Australian theatre. In this exclusive IN THE HAUS interview, we delve deeper into his creative inspirations, his impressive career milestones, and what the future holds for NJOY Productions.

We’d love to know more about the beginning of your career – where and how did you get your start?

I have always been a very loud and creative person, and I did a little bit of theatre when I was younger, which was always really fun. I didn’t do my first show until I was about 16 when my high school was putting on a play. Then in Year 12, I discovered musical theatre when I performed in High School Musical playing Ryan. After that, I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t doing something creative, whether it was performing in local shows, traveling for gigs, or up in my room writing scripts—just anything to get my hands dirty. What drew me to what I am doing now has to be a drama program at the Empire Theatres in my hometown of Toowoomba. The people I met, and the way I got to express myself creatively, were huge reasons I started chasing this as a career. That, as well as my school drama program, inspired me to keep doing what I’m doing and to dedicate my life to telling stories in any way I can.

What or who were some of your early influences or inspirations that shaped your career?

I’ve been inspired by a lot of different things throughout my life. Hugh Jackman comes to mind as a performer I would like to emulate, and Baz Luhrmann when I think of being a director. However, my biggest influences in my career came from Peter Allen (a bit of a dream role of mine)—just an Aussie guy who made it to the big stage. Very inspiring to me personally, as I am also an eccentric guy from Australia. I’ve always been influenced by the movies as well. My favorite movie of all time is La La Land, but the movie I always come back to, which inspires my sense of humor, is the 1996 movie The Castle. I love a good underdog story, and The Castle is a classic example of that. I feel like I get the majority of my comedic skills and sense of humor from that type of Australiana.

What are some of the most defining moments or milestones in your career so far?

I feel I’ve been quite lucky with the amount of theatre and performance opportunities I’ve had. Some community highlights include the Empire Theatre shows: Kinky Boots, Mamma Mia, and We Will Rock You. Other community performances include Big Fish (Toowoomba Philharmonic Society), School of Rock (Toowoomba Choral Society), Spongebob the Musical (Phoenix Ensemble), and The Drowsy Chaperone (Swich Up Productions). Directing-wise, I’ve been very fortunate to direct Be More Chill (Crescendo Theatre Company) and earlier this year, Catch Me If You Can: The Musical (Beenleigh Theatre Group). In 2023, I was lucky enough to fly to the United States to direct Mean Girls: The Musical, which was mind-blowing. This year, I’ve also started working at Sea World, where I’m “friends” with Donatello the Ninja Turtle—an absolute blast. The biggest highlight, though, has to be my very short appearance on Australian Idol, where I was called a “cheese factory oozing cheese.” Meant as an insult, but I express it with pride!

What is a quirky fact about you, or something people wouldn’t expect about your story?

Something a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’m a huge fan of the Olympics, particularly the opening and closing ceremonies. The artistry behind them and how they bring the world together for such a massive event has always been inspiring. I remember watching the 2012 Olympics as a kid when Mr. Bean started playing the piano with the London Symphony Orchestra. From that moment, I was hooked and have tuned in every Summer and Winter Olympics since. I’ve also recently discovered a love for cricket and AFL. Sports have never been my forte, but I’ve loved learning about the games and the athletes who play them. Up the mighty Brisbane Lions! I feel there are many similarities between creative people and athletes, as they all have stories of greatness and triumph to tell.

What are you currently working on and how has that creative process been?

I’ve had quite a big year. Right now, I’ve just launched my own theatre company, NJOY Productions, where the emphasis is on giving up-and-coming actors, writers, and creatives a chance to really shine! We’re so excited to start developing the next generation of theatre makers while supporting the amazing arts scene here in Brisbane and, eventually, around the world. It has been an absolute joy setting this up with some very exciting plans for the future.

Our first show is a one-man show written by me about my high school experiences called Hell Yeah! A High School Boy’s Journey. I originally performed the show in 2021 as part of Empire Theatre’s Homegrown program, which was a fundamental part of my career. It taught me a lot about being a creative person—actor, director, writer, and producer. The reason I did my one-man show in the first place was to prove to myself that I could do it—that I could be this creative person creating art for the world. To celebrate the launch of my theatre company, I thought, why not start with the thing that inspired me the most? The show is all about the events that happened to me in high school and how they shaped the person I am today. It’s a show of heart, laughs, and sweat—mostly mine. People should definitely come see it! The process has been a little lonely, being a one-man show and all, but really fulfilling at the same time.

What’s in your rehearsal bag that you can’t go without?

I used to be terrible at bringing anything to rehearsal. I remember times when I was doing big dance numbers in shows, and I had to scramble to find a cup of water just so I wouldn’t dehydrate and die! But I’ve become a lot better since then. What I usually bring now is my bright pink water bottle (so I don’t lose it), a pencil case full of pens and pencils, my laptop (my everything that goes everywhere with me), and my green steamer for great vocal health. When I direct, I also make myself a big book with the script and blank pages, divided into three sections. I find that I have a much better understanding of what I want as a director with this method.

I’ve always been a person who learns by doing, and in that, I’ve learned so much—not only about my craft but about myself as well. I’ve done quite a bit of training on the side, like singing lessons, accent classes, film acting workshops, and much more. I also studied the Meisner technique for about 12 months, which is really about connecting acting to your own life. It’s not for everyone, but I found it really enjoyable at the time, even if it made me a little emotional. It helped me a lot with learning lines and being very connected with the other actors around me.

What advice would you give to a young person today aspiring to walk in your shoes?

My advice to any young person out there who wants to do theatre—whether behind the scenes or in front—is to just go out and do stuff. Give it a red-hot crack. Even if you fail, you’ll learn something, and that something will make you better and better. I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past, but I also know that with all I’ve learned, I’m slowly but surely becoming the creative person I want to be. Take risks, but the most important advice is to be yourself.

What are your future aspirations or projects that you’re excited about?

I’m currently working on my one-man show again, Hell Yeah! A High School Boy’s Journey, which is opening at the Beenleigh Theatre on Crete Street on November 1st and 2nd. I’ve also written a three-year plan for NJOY Productions, where I would love to produce and direct. One project is already in the planning stages. However, I definitely have some dream roles—Peter Allen, Corny Collins, Beetlejuice, to name a few. There are three big goals I’d love to achieve: 1) Host the Oscars, 2) Write something that will be performed on Broadway, and 3) Direct an Olympic Games opening ceremony. If anyone knows the Brisbane 2032 organizers, I’ve got some fantastic ideas I’d love to share!

Theatre Haus is the ‘home of theatre’, where, what or who do you call home?

I moved to Brisbane in 2021 to support my dreams, but I still call Toowoomba home. My experiences in Toowoomba, including high school drama classes, shows at the Empire Theatre, and the creative people I met there, give me a sense of home. I love going back when I can to see my friends and family and to enjoy some amazing Super Rooster chips. Even after traveling the world, which I feel very fortunate to have done, Queensland is still home.

Don’t miss the chance to see Nicholas in his one-man show ‘Hell Yeah! A High School Boys Journey’. Grab your tickets at this link!

Alternatively, follow Nicholas on Instagram.

Want to feature in our In The Haus series? Email [email protected].