Josh Clayton hails from Jackson, a small town in southeast Missouri, where he spent his formative years climbing trees, finding turtles and avoiding cow patties.

He had an early knack for business. As a fifth-grader, Josh began buying candy in bulk to sell to fellow classmates for a profit until the principal shut down his operation. Continuing down the business expressway, Josh went on to become state president of the Future Business Leaders of America and, at 18, was a professional motivational speaker, developing and presenting "The Power of Positive Thinking: Change Your Life by Changing Your Mind" to audiences around the country.

He went on to study business at the University of Missouri. While in college, Josh's high school English teacher, who always believed his true home was in the arts, sent him a New York Times story about corporate CEOs who took acting classes to improve their presentation skills. So Josh took his first acting class, where he was rescued from a life of desk jobs and paper work. In his final year of undergrad, Josh took every acting class the university had and was the lead in four plays. He earned his marketing degree and minored in performance theater and English literature, graduating with honors in May 2004.

Craving additional training, Josh enrolled in Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, one of the top training programs in the country, to pursue a master's degree of fine arts. And yes, his parents were entirely supportive of his stray from business.

But before making the trek from Missouri to New Jersey, Josh sold his truck and used the money to spend a summer backpacking in Europe. Practicality be damned! He saw great theater and learned life beyond Missouri is a strange and wonderful thing.

Josh spent the next three years earning his MFA in acting, a challenging and rewarding experience, thoroughly preparing him for his newly-chosen career. He graduated in May 2007.

Now, Josh is an actor based in New York, combining his degrees in acting and marketing to navigate the world of show business.  Favorite previous roles include Tom Joad in "Grapes of Wrath"  (Ovation Award nomination: best actor) and Jeff in "Lobby Hero." Dream roles include Biff in "Death of a Salesman" and Iago in "Othello."

When not acting, Josh spoils his pit bull, Stella, and volunteers at a local animal shelter. He is a self-acknowledged coffee addict, a vigorous supporter of Roth IRAs and a devout follower of political news shows.  He is also a certified personal trainer and a lover of cheesecake (thankfully, a harmonious combination).