The Things that 'As You Like It''s Mishka Yarovoy Can't Perform Without

With impressive training that began at New York's LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts and continued to Interlochen Arts Academy and Boston University, Mishka Yarovoy has quickly emerged as one of the brightest new talents on the Boston theater scene.

Last year, his professional career reached new heights with his brilliant turn in SpeakEasy Stage Company's "The Inheritance" and with his hilarious, heartwarming performance in The Front Porch Arts Collective's "Chicken and Biscuits." As a result, he was a double nominee at this year's Elliot Norton Awards, taking home the award for "The Inheritance."

Now, he's appearing in Shakespeare's "As You Like It," a collaborative effort between Actors' Shakespeare Project and The Theater Offensive, which runs in Medford through June 25. Here are the things that Mishka Yarovoy can't perform without:

Face masks!

"I got in the habit of putting on a sheet mask or under eye patches during my run in "The Inheritance" at Speakeasy. My amazing cast mate and friend Eddie Shields never went on without a pre-show mask in the dressing room. And while I don't do it before every show, it has become part of my routine for difficult nights and two-show days. Self-care is so important during a run of any show, and I often tend to forget to take that time to check in with myself and treat my body. This feels like a very small but reliable way to do so. I usually buy a ton of different masks during tech, and by the end of my run have tried all of them. It's so fun."

Music

"Music is a huge part of my world-building and helps me focus my energy before every performance. I am always wearing my AirPods in the dressing room, and even backstage - right up until my first entrance. I build a playlist for every character I play, and love that the songs end up creating an emotional and physical response in my body. To me, it is the easiest way to enter a character. For "As You Like It", I listen to very upbeat music that can fuel my energy for the entire show. Being in love is exhausting, and sometimes the right song can be exactly what I need to fuel myself on a day when I am especially tired."

Chocolate

"Another amazing way to keep my energy up for a show, I absolutely always have chocolate on hand in the dressing room. I once heard that James McAvoy would eat an entire bag of gummy bears before every performance of "Cyrano." I don't know if that's 100 percent true, but it definitely inspired me to eat more sugar. And it makes me very happy. So yes, chocolate is wonderful."

Colgate Max Fresh Wisp

"I don't remember how this began, but I have used these for shows for years, and for a while it was a defining trait that all my cast-members laughed about. They're these tiny toothbrushes that have mint in them, and I use them all the time. Dental hygiene is so important! Especially for any show that includes intimacy and kissing. I feel incomplete if I don't use it before." $5.99, Target.

Cologne, currently Vetiver 46 by Le Labo

"I love to smell good. And I am absolutely convinced that it makes me act better, most of the time. The only tricky thing with perfume, is that there are certain characters who I could never imagine wearing a fragrance. Although I am by no means a method actor, I do like to eliminate any extra obstacles between myself and my character. So smelling delicious when my character wouldn't isn't always the most helpful. I like Vetiver for this show because it is extremely woody and musky - and fits beautifully into the magical world of Arden. It's silly and will probably never be noticed by anyone other than myself - but it fulfills my hearts in a funny way. I love changing scents depending on my character and the play I am in." $97-$1055, Le Labo.

A gin and tonic (Only on Sundays! Usually. Most of the time. Kind of.)

"No better way to end a week of shows than with a gin and tonic and my beautiful cast mates!"

"As You Like It" runs through June 25 at Balch Arena Theatre at Tufts University, 40 Talbot Ave., Medford. Tickets and more information available here.