Broadway actor Josh Young recently landed a new role as a theater professor at Oakland University. However the Tony Nominee is suddenly finding himself in a different spotlight, this time as a virtual theater professor.

"Teaching theater is a very hands-on thing. You're used to being with other people. We've converted completely to online,” said Young. 

This new format poses an interesting set of challenges for a curriculum that very much relies on in person instruction.

"What I've been doing the past couple of days is figuring out how everybody's setup is going to work," Young told NY1. "Is their camera at eye level? Are we showing enough of their bodies so that we can do actual work? Is there an external speaker close enough to the computer where I can hear them? I've spent about a half an hour with each student over the past couple of days making sure that their setup works so that we can get work done.”

While Young says he doesn’t foresee vocal lessons as posing a problem, other areas of study may be more challenging.

"I do think dance is going to be the most difficult thing and I know students have been having a problem with that. I don't have the solution for how dance is going to be taught virtually,” said Young. 

Like all serious university theater programs, Josh’s student’s four years culminate with a senior showcase for industry professionals here in New York City.

"Our seniors are very lucky in that the week leading up to the first case of the virus was the week that they were there. So I would venture to say that we were the last class that got to do a senior showcase,” Young said.

Young said the coronavirus shutdown has been a total shock to him and his colleagues in the performing arts community.

"I mean, this was a total black swan event. Nobody saw this coming, I don't think. I certainly didn't. As a performing artist, I didn't ever, I don't think any of our friends saw something like this coming. If we had we would've saved some money from those tours that we had done,” said Young. 

However, Young remains hopeful that instruction will be able to continue at a productive level.

"I definitely think it is possible to be effective teaching the performing arts. I think eventually, over the next month, if we can keep getting the technology we need I think we'll be fine,” Young said.