Aladdin's Josh Drake on 'Proving People Wrong' and His Journey to Agrabah

For the past two years, Josh Drake has been a singing and dancing resident of Agrabah in Aladdin on Broadway. The hit Disney musical marks the standout dancer's Broadway debut, something he's been preparing for a very long time. "I started dancing at three years old," the North Carolina native said. "My mom put me in tap shoes when she saw me dancing in front of a music video in my diaper." Although the moves came naturally for Drake, he says it was all but natural for others to see him up on stage. "Being a homosexual, male dancer was tough," he said. "Bullying from people was tough. It made me want to prove them wrong, in a weird way." And proving them wrong is exactly what he did. Drake went on to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and make his name known. "A lot of people from back home have reached out recently," he said. "I'm not sure if they're seeing something online or what. It makes me step back and realize that it's been several years of putting in work, and seeing them reach out and show so much love and support has been amazing. This is all I've ever wanted to do." Now that he is living out his dream performing Casey Nicholaw's Tony-nominated choreography, he has some advice for those looking to do the same. "Never give up. Get to get to the city as soon as you possibly can. There's something about being in the city, and being surrounded by what we do, that really drives you to never give up."

Watch the video below to hear Drake talk about overcoming his obstacles and more!

Photo Credits: Photographs by Matthew Murphy | Styling: David Withrow | Grooming: Morgan Mabry | Assistant: Evan Zimmerman & Sydney Goodwin
Video Credits: Directed by Kyle Gaskell | Produced by Paul Wontorek & Caitlin Moynihan | Additional camera: Alexander Goyco | Location: FD Studios