In 2014 Micah Stock made his Broadway debut in the Terrence McNally comedy It's Only a Play in a cast that also featured Nathan Lane, F. Murray Abraham, Matthew Broderick, Stockard Channing, and more. The then-unknown artist was the only member of the company to receive a Tony nomination, for his humorous performance as aspiring actor Gus.

Stock later reunited with Tony winner Lane for a 2016 revival of The Front Page that also starred Holland Taylor, John Goodman, John Slattery, and Robert Morse, among others. And, now, the Ohio native is back on Broadway in his first leading role, playing Tony winner Laurie Metcalf's long-estranged nephew Ethan in Samuel D. Hunter's emotionally charged family drama Little Bear Ridge Road, which arrives on Broadway following an acclaimed debut at Chicago's Steppenwolf. 

Directed by Joe Mantello, the Idaho-set play at the Booth follows the two lonely souls as they unravel their tangled history with equal parts comedy and pathos. They are joined in the haunting piece, which marks the Broadway debut of playwright Hunter, by John Drea and Meighan Gerachis, both also making their Main Stem bows.

READ: Samuel D. Hunter Is One of America's Most-Produced Playwrights. Now He's Finally on Broadway

Stock's additional theatre credits include McNally's And Away We Go, Waterwell's Hamlet, and works at Sundance Theater Lab, Long Wharf Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and more. His numerous screen credits include English Teacher, Kindred, The Americans, Bonding, The Right Stuff, Amazing Stories, Escape at Dannemora, Brittany Runs a Marathon, and Maggie Moore(s).

In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Stock shares what he thinks happens to his character at the end of the play, and why he loves sharing the stage with Metcalf.

Where did you train/study?
Micah Stock: I got my BFA in Acting from SUNY Purchase Conservatory.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
I had a wonderful acting teacher named Charles Tuthill, who passed away in 2017. Prior to his death, he was an essential figure in my life and work, often coming up with odd jobs for me so that I could make some money that to this day, I’m not really sure he needed done. He just wanted me to have what I needed to keep pursuing this.

How would you describe Ethan? Did you base him on anyone you know?
Ethan is a brilliant person who lives in a state of lack due to his childhood experiences growing up with addicts. I certainly didn’t base him on any one person, but there are commonalities to be found in Ethan amongst many young men I’ve met before. He’s a hodgepodge of those pieces mixed with a dash of me and a dash of Sam Hunter.

Tell me about sharing the stage with Laurie Metcalf and with John Drea.
What they share is a generosity of spirit and thoughtfulness that makes acting with them simultaneously joyous but also a high-wire act, as that generosity breeds a diversity of possibilities in how a scene might go. Where they differ is in their tactical approach—Laurie is a stealth bomber. John is an open wound. I would be remiss to not also mention our castmate Meighan Gerachis, who, though I don’t share the stage with her, brings a documentary level of grace and precision to her role. We cannot play the song without her. I’ve fallen in love with all of them.

What do you think happens to Ethan after the events of the play?
I’m not sure whether he sinks or swims, but I know he’s changed by these two relationships he finds and [is] willing to die trying.

Can you share a favorite memory from making your Broadway debut in It's Only a Play?
I loved running the first scene every night before going onstage with Nathan Lane—we always did a speed-through of the first 15 minutes at our half-hour call, and I loved the routine.

Do you have any dream stage roles or actors you would like to share the stage with?
Is there life after Laurie Metcalf? I just want to work on exciting new American plays.

What do you consider your big break?
My collaboration and friendship with Terrence McNally kind of inarguably birthed the career I have today. I miss him and will always be grateful for him reaching down and lifting me up.

Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
Laurie Metcalf. Her precision and curiosity is endless. Just yesterday, she told me that she still daydreams daily about new moments in Little Bear that she can bring in to the next performance.

What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
Find your people, and don’t let them go. You don’t have to impress everyone, just a few who think you’re the bee’s knees.

In such difficult times in this country and around the world, how do you think theatre can play a positive role, either for yourself and/or the community at large?
It’s about feeling less alone, isn’t it? That’s why I go to the theatre. I’m not sure if it always elicits immediate change, but it gives us the strength to keep going.

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Photos: Little Bear Ridge Road on Broadway

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