September 24, 2024 • 44 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned every rapper from Biggie s Balls to Tupac,
(00:24):
and I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed
help transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists
from Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from
The Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few.
I also coach sports stars and host as well. I
(00:44):
feel I have the best of both worlds. As a
casting director, I know exactly what they're looking for, and
as an acting coach, I can coach you to be
remembered in that room. Now I know, I know actors
want to get the job. I get that, but being
remembered by casting director that is powerful. And now it's
(01:05):
time for meditation of the day. In all things, there
is a law of cycles.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
The universe has a way.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Of taking care of things if we trust it. On
a daily basis. I like to test the universe. I
will think of people, or I will put out a
wish for something, and always, to my surprise, something will happen.
I love it. I have learned not to question it,
but to embrace it. We all have the ability to
(01:37):
tap into our inner powers. We just need to not
fear it and just go with the flow. I will
test my inner powers today without fear. Welcome to the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
You are in for a treat.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Regardless of what's.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Going on in the world, chaos, all of the confusion, pandemic,
all of that, we have a true blessing, a true blessing.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I am so honored to say her name. I am
so honored to have her in our presence. Ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together for Grammy Awards, Tony Drama Death.
I could go on a pleasant of awards, Miss Queen
of Broadway, Jennifer Holiday, Thank you, Oh Jennifer Holiday. I
(02:37):
have to tell our audience and we were extremely blessed
you guys. About three years ago I did I had
a spirit Actor showcase and Jennifer came with someone and
I couldn't even I was like, I don't even do
a showcase. I just want to hang out with you.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Hoday.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I was in the revival of Color Purple on Broadway
at the time.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, and I actually coached this woman, Yolanda Wins in
the Color Purple prior to that you did.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Well, Karen Wilson was the name of the student who
in your class that brought me with it.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yes, yes, Karen, Yeah, so special.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Well.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I was very honored to have you in our presence.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
And I have to say that when I arrived in
New York City August fifteenth, nineteen eighty three from San Francisco,
I used to sneak in Broadway. I used to walk
in with the intermission crowd and scope out what seats
were available, and I would watch Broadway shows. So I
(03:44):
saw the second half of dream Girls. I didn't know
the first half until I was able to afford it.
You literally walked right past me.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I will never ever ever.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Re and then forget like that moment and how powerful
that moment was for me.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
You have the ability and.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I wanted to put this in words, but you make
me so happy that I am able to hear that.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
To not be able to hear your.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Voice and know the beauty and the elegance and the rage,
I feel like my life would just I may have
gone in a different direction, because Broadway.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Is my life. To this day, I live Broadway.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
So I have to say, at let's talk about where
it all started. Because I know you're born and raised Houston, Texas.
That's right, born and raised in Houston, Texas.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I also got discovered in Houston, Texas singing in the
church choir Present Growth Baptist Church choir. A young man
by the name of Jamie Patterson was in the chorus
line uh down at the music Hall, and so he heard me.
(05:11):
He wanted to go to church one day before matinee
and he heard me singing, and he came up to
me and he said, boy, you have a voice that
would be great on Broadway. Well I didn't know what
Broadway was. I didn't know what he was talking about.
And he said, but if something comes up, I would
love to, like, you know, get you to like audition
(05:32):
for it. And I was like, well, where is this
and he said in New York. I said, well, I'm
not grown yet. I said, I look grown, but Mama
you'd have to ask my mama could I could I
come if something happened. So about three months later, Uh,
there was a national company of your arms to shirt
to box with God. And he told me, and he said, well,
(05:53):
the role that you would play the lady wanted Tony
Award for her name was still ors Hall and he said,
he said, so, he said, I think you would be
perfect for it, and so you have to come to
New York to audition and stuff. And I said, well,
my mom is not going to let me come there.
(06:13):
You know when youre in nineteen correct, I was only
seventeen seventeen. Yeah, I was only seventeen at that time. Yeah,
I was only seventeen. I was nineteen in dream Girls.
So yeah, so uh, he said, well, let me talk
to her. So he talked to her. But my mom
was like, I'm not letting you go to New York
(06:34):
with no mayan, you know, and everything like this and
my child and all this kind of stuff. Yes, so
he didn't give up though. He had an aunt in
Brooklyn who was slaved sant to by a field with
the holy ghosts who called my mama and said, listen,
if you let her come, well she can stay with me,
(06:55):
I'll take it to that. I'll never let her out
of my sight. So sure enough I went up there,
I auditioned, I got hired the same day, and I
never never went back.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That was believable. And what was that audition like?
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Because I mean my background is a casting director. I've
been in that room where someone like you, extraordinary, you
walk in that door, you blow us away. We can't
even have we can't even articulate how we're feeling.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Like, did they just say you have it?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
You have it? That well?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I had.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I had never done an audition, you know, for anything,
just basically, you know, singing in the church choir, you know,
my whole time of my young life at that time.
And so they just asked me, just said, you know,
just sing, just sing from your heart. You know what
are you going to sing? And so so I sang,
God will take care of you, I saying him, and
(07:53):
so I sang it. And then Carol, are you familiar
with her?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
So she was the director. Nika Grant wrote the piece
and so she was the director. And so she said, okay,
well let's see do you know how to move around
any you know whatever. So so then she started me
how to my first introduction into interpreting song as a story.
(08:19):
So she would take me around and she would like,
you know, okay, B not so if you're going to
do B not, so you're gonna look at the autist
and you're gonna go here, what are the words again?
Because she didn't know to him, she was like, I
don't know this song, you know. She was like, what
is like, y'all? What is you know? It was not
that West Indians don't know hims, but she she was like,
(08:41):
look what is the song? Okay? What are the words?
The words all?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You know, whatever like that.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So she would walk me around and then she would say,
you know, sing it again, you know, and then so
like what is the chorus to this song? Okay? And
then she would teach me. She would walk me around
and walk me around, and they kept me. Then they
had they gave me, they fed me love, and then
they had me sing it again. What she taught me.
She said, now do it as I taught you, you know,
with the you know, just the gestures and the whole
(09:08):
thing and all that kind of stuff. And then she said,
she said, well, I would love to have you here,
so you know, you got an agent, you got I
was like no. She said, well, you know, we're gonna
send some papers for your mother and this kind of
thing and whatever like that, and you know, I was
(09:29):
just like, I didn't know what to think. I was like,
I don't know what this is.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I was like, okay, you know, and.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
My mother was you know, my mother was fine with it.
She just wanted to know, you know, what it was
going to do. So Jamie's aunt continued to, you know,
help me and get a place for me to stay
and stuff until we actually went out on out on
the road, you know, on the national tour, right.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So you literally had on training on site training, right.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
I traded, I was like, and then I was really
you know, and I was I was really frightened of
her because I had just never I had never seen
such a forceful woman. And then I didn't know what
a director was. You know, I knew what a director was.
So it used to be yelled.
Speaker 7 (10:21):
At, yeah always, you know, so I used to be
you know, yell but not like taken and just physically
and just kind of you know, nursing lyrics of a
(10:44):
song to tell a story with a dialogue.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
So that was all brand new to me.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
You know, when we talk about the song, which we're
all familiar with, and I am telling you I'm not going.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Did you.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
See the effect of the power in that song and
the performance in that song, of how it affected the audience?
Were you able to see how you touch like every
single night, how you touched people you either.
Speaker 8 (11:20):
I know.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
When I went back to dream Girls and I bought
my mom and my aunt, both of them cried through
that song. But happy tears just empowered tears. There was
an effect and there still is an effect with that song.
Do you do you see that? Did you see that
when you first sang it?
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Well, I did not see that because I was only
nineteen when I first and I had never been in
love and wasn't in a relationship, so I really did
not know what I was singing about. So and at
the time for dream Girls, I was already working on
Broadway in Your Armster Shirk to Bicycle because the national
tour did come back to Broadway, so we were on Broadway.
(12:04):
Me and Cleveland Derreks were both in that production. So
Michael Bennett came to see our performance and asked us
to participate in the workshop. It wasn't call dream Girls
at that time, and Sharlee Rath was the star of that,
so we were just we were just asked to come
be a part of it. So in the daytime from
(12:27):
ten to six, we worked on the workshop of the project.
It wasn't it didn't have a name. And then then
at nighttime I did your constructive box with God, you know,
from eight to eleven. So, you know, so we're we're
crafting something, you know, we're making something. And then Michael
(12:50):
Bennett decide that he wanted to direct the piece. So
when because Tom Iron was the director first, and it
was a vehicle for Shirley Raff at first, and so
when Bennett decided that he wanted to direct the piece,
then the whole everything changed. Then he began to focus
on me, and if he was not in the second
(13:12):
act at that time, and I'm telling you had not
been finished at that time, so uh, and I'm telling
you came not at the end of act one, but
in the middle of the act because Fie was never
really mentioned again, you know, after that. So it was
(13:33):
kind of more so like I was Florence Ballad or something,
you know, in the Supreme sort of and so right,
So in crafting of the song, again, very fortunate to
have a great director take me and teach me, because
now I'm moving again from interpreting song without dialogue dialogue,
(13:57):
I mean, you know, telling a story to song. And
he taught me a lot of that by making me
watch a lot of old Barber Streiss and musicals, you know,
of how to interpret song, you know. And then when
it came to and I'm telling you, I didn't have
anything to draw from from that emotion, So I drew
(14:22):
from my mother's pain of my divorce from my father,
because she so desperately loved him and she did not
want a divorce, and she begged him to stay. And
that's where that's where my own emotion was able to
come into that, plus with my own insecurity of my
(14:44):
weight problem because I was not a large size girl
when we've started the show. But Effie was supposed to
be you know, unattractive and awkward and whateverything like that.
And then I began to be depressed by Effie and
(15:06):
the character. And then I just kept gaining lots and
lots of eight, lots and lots of eight, and I
turned every birthday and during Girls twenty twenty one, twenty two,
all the way to twenty five. But I also gained
almost up to three hundred two hundred something pounds two
hundred twenty pounds.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
I mean, I could see at a young age, at nineteen,
playing a role like that, the death of that character
and really the death of that song. That says a
lot about you as an actress, because you know, actors
need to have experience, knowledge of.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Of your character in order to be authentic.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Well I would I would say that I really have
to credit Bennett with that. I mean, he just you know,
just just as the first director, Vinette Carol took my hand,
so did Michael Bennett took my hand. He wouldn't allowed
them to give me an acting culture or anything. So
I just want her to try to see where she
feels this is and try to try to see where
(16:09):
she can draw some of this. I'm just from, you know.
And like I said, I had never been in love before,
you know, definitely had no experience in begging no man
for anything. But but but I said, my mama did,
and it broke her and really made her life quite miserable,
(16:31):
that kind of love. So I did was aware of
that kind of love because of where it took my mother, right, had.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I not, I wanted to if you could share with
the audience, I always stress the actors the importance of
work ethic and your work ethics hous phenomenal, the difference
between because there's a certain stamina that you have to
have in Broadway. What is that stamina and what is
(16:59):
that work your approach in terms of your work ethic, Well.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I think that had I not gone from directly from
the church choir to the Broadway stage, I probably would
not have been able to have it of that kind
of stamina. But because when you're doing Broadway, they teach you.
They teach you how to preserve your instrument, to go
(17:27):
those eight shows a week, and to pace yourself. You know,
some of it they weren't drunk, but some of them
did do it, you know, doing some expirital drugs. But
for myself, because of my voice, you know, I never
I never drank or smoke or did any drugs or
(17:48):
anything because I was always worried about my instrument and
what happened to it. So the discipline that they taught me,
you know, at eighteen and eighteen, un till I got
that first lesson and then to Broadway. So when I
transitioned from just having a leading role in a show
(18:11):
to actually then be having a starring role in the show,
then my discipline from the first show kicked in even
more because I had already been properly trained from the
director and the people who were in that show, who
taught me what to do in little tidbits and tips
and stuff like that, because they give you tips and
(18:32):
stuff of how you should do. But as a star,
now I have double weight, not of just carrying the
songs or anything like that, but now I'm a star,
and who knows who knows how to be that at
twenty well, I hadn't turned twenty one when we were
on Broadway, so actually I'll be sixty years old next
(18:54):
month in October, and then Dream Girls will be forty
years old next year.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Right, So so at that point though, at twenty years old,
we had Boston trial, so we were there for a while.
So they were already calling me, oh my god, you
got to see this girl, you got to go here,
or so people were traveling to Boston before we even
(19:22):
got just to hear me, you know. So that was
an incredible. Wait. And then by the time we did
get to Broadway and then our opening night, you know,
I had turned twenty one just before, you know, prior
to our opening night. It was quite quite a lot,
you know, quite a lot.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
And what was it did you dream of winning a
Tony Did you think about Tony? What was that moment
like when you were nominated and then went.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
To the Tobees and received a Tony Award.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I did not dream of winning a Tony Award because
I had to learn very early about politics and show business.
You know, it's kind of like, okay, you know, the
Tony Wards are important whatever like this. And so they
did a kind of little trick on us before the
(20:17):
show opened. They opened another Broadway show, a white one
that they opened nine right before the cutoff time for
the Tony Awards. And they swept. They swept the the
Tonys and so had already been forewarned, you know, by
Michael Bennett. He said, listen, they have done this. So
(20:40):
now you and Charlie Raff are in the same category.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And he says, and also even though you work with me,
and he said, a lot of people hate me. He said,
That's why they opened this this road. It's not against
you all because you're black. It's against to teach me
a lesson. And sure enough, we did not win Best Musical,
(21:08):
he did not win Best Director, Tommy Toon did, and
nine did. So you go figure that one, you know.
And so I had an early lesson in about even
though you may be good and you may have people
standing up every night, it's you still could not win.
(21:29):
So as we know, with these awards and all these
kind of things, now we've come to learn these things.
Some of it is politics, and some of it is
your turn, or some of it is never your turn,
you know, and that's how it goes. So I did
not venture to dream in that, and I think that
that was why my Tony performance was able to be
(21:55):
as it was that it was. It was not for
awards recognition. It definitely was not for money we were
We were not making money like them help kids today.
I was like, oh my god, what what did we
go wrong? I'm just I was, like they said, for
the rest of their life. But you know, but God, yeah,
(22:16):
gave us a favor. I mean, you know, I mean
we don't have the kind of money that they have,
but we did. You know all of us have done,
you know, amazingly well you know what I'm saying from
that show. But you know, so I think that when
you love theater, especially back then we're talking, you know,
forty years ago, you did it for the love of theater. Yeah. Yeah,
(22:39):
because you had repertoire theaters, you had off off Broadway,
you had you had little black bosses, people were creative
and doing things, and and so I really, you know,
really didn't know. Also, we were in the middle of
the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, and that devastated a
(23:00):
lot of us as well. So there are a lot
of things going on, you know, for a young girl
to try to well, not young girl, but a young
lady at this point, you know, twenty one years old.
And by the time that Tony's were coming, I had
not had not even turned twenty two years old. So
absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
What do you feel in today's climate with theater?
Speaker 1 (23:23):
You know, my heart is broken just to think that
all the theaters are down. How do you think New
York is going to recover from this? Well, New York
is wealthy.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
I feel as a whole in that that medium of theater, right,
They've always you know, they've always been wealthy. Now what
they've chosen to do is another thing. And I'm quite sure.
And I was telling another young man the other day
and he was saying, well, what do you think that
(23:59):
will happen as well, a young young black brother, And
I said, well, at the bottom line with everything, unfortunately,
is money. And Broadway had already begun by doing movies
into theater, had already begun to think about the bottom line.
So the thing will be is for you to continue
(24:23):
to do the excellent work, but also figure out how
do you get those backers auditions like the white shows,
you know, because they start at different levels, so you
can do your own type of workshop, invite some people
backers in, you know, and unfortunately you need a lot
(24:47):
of backers to even put on a plate now, you know,
so that you'll see a play that's got eleven names
up there. You know. Back in the day when I
was coming out, it was one or two names. Yeah,
that was it. It was like if one person, if
one person listen, if one person thought that you had
a show, they backed the whole thing, you know what
I'm saying. But that's not the way way it is anymore.
(25:11):
So I think that the future of Broadway depends on
the people who have always held the future of Broadway
and what they want Broadway to look like. Unfortunately, So
unless you do get someone that has the the dollars,
(25:32):
that becomes a part of the producing branch of it,
then that's how you you know, that's how you get
I mean, I mean, I know Color Purple was was
born out of the Alliance Theater, you know, which was
a repertoire company. So it depends, like I said, yeah,
(25:52):
so you have to get someone to come and see
you and then you go. I don't know what that
does for small, smaller shows though, at the beginning of
when we come out of this, because when we come
out of this, the bottom line with a lot of
people is going to be money and how to make
it and how to make it quickly, and a lot
(26:13):
of that will be turning movies into musical Darth Vay
will be singing, you know, like.
Speaker 9 (26:24):
Yeah, okay, okay, you know, it will be like all
kinds of things that way.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
First, what kind of things will generate dollars first? Because
they have it and they all have always had it,
and so inclusiveness may not be at the front right away,
unless they revive something that's already been done, you know,
revival of a revival of something that regulars up says
(27:00):
to get things going right, and then once they can
see that, then they'll decide. So I would love to say,
all you got to do is dream and believe in yourself.
And no, that's a lot right now. That's a lot
right now.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Okay, it sounds good, though, it sounds good.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
But that's a lot right now. Okay, Yes, just survived
the pandemic. Yeah, continue to work on your craft, hone,
your craft, be good at what you do, know that
you're good at what you do, and be ready, be
ready when they are ready for to pull in that.
That's that's what's happening in Hollywood right now. All the
(27:38):
black progress is being green lid and whatever. They didn't
just get introduced to them. They've been sitting in their closets.
They were like, Oh, we're all the black things at
oh locked over there?
Speaker 10 (27:48):
Yeah, yes, or I Love this was back in the day,
but I Love I Loved with Waity to Excel came
out and then it's like, in the studios, do.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
We have any black female projects? Like right, you know,
they gravitate like said, these.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Have been on the bookcase, but these been these but
they were like, get that out. Wasn't somebody who's had
a project?
Speaker 2 (28:15):
What was the name of that?
Speaker 3 (28:16):
What was the name of that? It was something like,
I don't know, get everything out. I want everybody to
go through every project, remember that they were black, and
give them a call right now. So that's why, so
black Hollywood is having the best time of day life.
But unfortunately with Broadway and plays and things like that,
(28:37):
you know, you don't have that same type of opportunity.
You know you will you will have had to develop
something over over time because broadways are birth. Broadway plays
and musicals are birth from a process. So it is
ever ever tuning, ever tweaking, ever growing in that process.
(28:59):
So I think that that makes it a little more harder.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
I love the fact that you said a process because
just this whole journey of being an actor is a
process that actors people need to respect and they need
to understand that. You know, things are not going to
happen overnight, and that's for a reason. As Thruth said
(29:25):
this twenty eight minutes flew by Jennifer Okay, I can't
even tell you how this has been just riveting and just.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Empowering and inspiring.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
I want you and I always ask my guests if
you could leave the audience with some diamonds, some pearls,
what is it that they need to know on their journey?
On their journey?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
Just remember Dorothy in the Whiz with those rich shoes
when when the and It said to her you could
always go home. Well, whatever you have in you, like
Tyler Perry was talking about the other night, what's going
to be in your quilket? Well, what is it that's
(30:12):
in you? Number one that you know you have and
no one else sees it, but you know it's there.
And so how do you manifest that to the world?
And then second, how do you learn something in this
time of darkness, confusion, uncertainty and what is going to
(30:38):
be your new skill in terms of your acting? So
maybe you only like this particular role and you're stepping
out of your comfort zone to do what, But most
importantly it is just to be ready. How do you
be ready? And there were many years when I was
(30:58):
almost destined to, you know, with my career, and then
I got rediscovered after the Dream Girls movie came out.
And what had what had I not been able to sing?
What had I given up? And to say, well, nobody
want to hear me sing? Ain't nobody tried to do it?
But I was ready. I was like, give me the
give me the microphone. Okay, I'm ready. You know, even
(31:20):
though none of y'all gave a hoot about me for
three and a half years or four years, But it
doesn't matter, because what I have inside me wasn't given
to me by anyone and wasn't brought forth by anyone.
Only we can bring.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Our light forth. It's there.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Someone can teach you, someone can help to you know,
nurture you along your journey, but only you can unleash.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Your light and just be ready. Well, I don't know
if I was ready, Jennifer. I don't know if I
was ready for all this. I feel like I need
some more time. But I will extend another invitation to
you because you were phenomenal. Thank you, such a blessing
(32:12):
and to know that whenever I hear your music, and
so grateful for you for singing at rest in peace.
Congressman John Lewis was beautiful. You were so magnificent.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
You are in the cloth of black America, America.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
There's no colors. You are just an American.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Thank you, fall thank you, thank you, Jennifer blessing us
with your presence and your wisdom, your experience.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
We are grateful to you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Thank you, guys. I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
I told you this was going to be riveting vity.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
We are going to be back with the Spirited Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and we are blessed to
still have Jennifer Holliday with us for a class in session.
Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore,
and you are still blessed to have Miss Jennifer Holliday
with us. And so everyone who listens in on our
(33:23):
class and session and those of you who are new.
I'll break down the process. Leanne Amato Leanne is Our.
I called her our writer in residence because Leanne writes
all the scenes.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Give it up for Leanne yay and our actors. Today
we have Charlotte Hendricks Hey, Charlotte, Hi, how are you.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I'm excellent, happy to have you here, happy to be here, Thank.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
You, thank you. And Elfonzo Walker Junior.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
I haven't seen you in a minute. Happy to see you. Perfect, okay,
so lean you're reading the stage direction? Yeah, okay, all right,
so whenever you're ready, you guys ready, and let's action.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
My own decision.
Speaker 11 (34:13):
Interior kitchen day Grace guys peers through the windows on
this Saturday afternoon. Mac looks stunned after just hearing your
voice message up on their house phone. We see him
struggling to process be for opening his mouth, while Mecca
is deep in her book on the couch.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
That was a message from playing Parenthood for you.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
She looks up from her book.
Speaker 5 (34:36):
Everything okay, yeah, thanks.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
I'll call them back on Monday. I just need a
regular checkup.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
It sounds like you already went because they were calling
and see how you were feeling.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
So no response.
Speaker 12 (34:56):
Did you have an abortion? You've been laying around here
saying you don't feel well.
Speaker 5 (35:03):
Did you do it? Mecca?
Speaker 11 (35:05):
She tears up while he tries to contain his anger.
Speaker 8 (35:09):
I can't fucking believe this. How can you make a
decision like that without talking to me first? You know
how much this means to me? Say something?
Speaker 6 (35:21):
This wasn't ready. I couldn't fathom to think about keeping it,
about being a mom. It terrified me.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
It's not just your choice to me. Whenever you ever
felt like you couldn't talk to me, I.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Know how bad you wanted a baby.
Speaker 5 (35:38):
So you kept it from me.
Speaker 12 (35:41):
I can't believe you do this to me, Mecca tired, baby,
my first baby.
Speaker 11 (35:49):
He paces around, angry, sad, shocked. He doesn't know what
he feels.
Speaker 5 (35:58):
Did you ever plan on telling me?
Speaker 12 (36:00):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
I mean, it's my body. I don't know how I feel.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
I just don't know if I'm ready for the things
that you're ready for. You have everything figured out, and
it's like you just put me into this.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Picture you painted, and I don't know if I'm there, Mac.
Speaker 12 (36:26):
Maybe I'm not trying to scare you. I told you
my dreams that my goal is because I finally felt
like I found somebody who can share them with me,
and I want it all with you, and I want you, but.
Speaker 6 (36:45):
I don't know if the rest is for me, if
it's what I want. I just couldn't handle the pressure,
not right now, and if I told you, I know,
it would have been more pressure.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
I'm so sorry, Mac.
Speaker 11 (37:07):
She's beside herself. He sees her, He grabs her, and he.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
Holds her.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Okay, yeah, all right, wow, that's right.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
All right, I'm gonna throw it to you, Jennifer, whatever
you want to share.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Well, I love the scene because it's kind of like
a reverse, you know what I'm saying. It's like the
dude be like, okay, and what you gonna do about that?
You know what I'm saying. Look, you know what I'm saying,
I ain't ready for no, you knew, you know, blah
blah blah blah blah. So since it is the reverse,
I just felt that Charlotte when he first asked her
(37:48):
about the call from the plant Parry, I felt that
she wasn't more in the sense where, okay, does he
is he wan to figure out this? Or is this
the moment Now I'm going to have to come and
tell him, you know what I'm saying, And then I
think it. I think it was okay for definitely from
(38:11):
the director's direction, for when she welds up with the
tears and stuff. But then after that, you know, she
can be sorry about it, but she don't have to
keep you.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
Know, she doesn't.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
She doesn't owe him any explanations. He ain't put no
ring on it. You know, It's like these mens, come
on now, one minute you want this, one minute you
want that, And if she'd had a baby, then you
be complaining, you know, like you know whatever. It's kind
of like, so it is her body and she is
a woman. So I just felt maybe the crying and
the star and the weeping was just maybe too long
(38:42):
because she don't have to do that. It's kind of like,
you know, after you weld up. You weld up because
not not because of you did something to hemp per se,
but you welled up because this was also traumatic for you.
It was not easy for you to make this decision,
but you also knew he wasn't going to go for
(39:03):
this decision, you know, And we don't know the prior
conversations to all of this that led up to this.
So is it about money that you don't want the children?
Or is it about your career that you don't want
to when you say you're not ready, You've had to
have these conversations prior to you know what I'm saying.
So we don't know the rest of the before we
(39:25):
got to this scene. So I just feel that, you
know that maybe she should have just been a little
bit more like, oh okay, well, is he going to
figure out that something off planet or did I need
a new birth control perspective or what you know what
I'm saying. But then if this is the moment that
(39:45):
I have to reckon, yeah, I'm gonna come claim because
the bottom line that it is my body and we
are not married from I can tell from what it
is because he didn't didn't give that sense that they
were married couple and that they have not come to
the thing, you know, and the words say that I'm
not there yet. And because usually conversations about children, they've
(40:07):
had the conversation the fight has been the fight. You know,
I love Angela RAI would come and you know Angelaurai
wanted children and come and didn't want them, and she
asked them one day she said, so you know I
want you whatever she said, He said, how do you
feel about that? He said, well, I don't know. She said, well,
you just answered it because so we don't have the
same goal. So even though even though the d is good,
(40:27):
I got to go, you know, to say it, because
I already know I want to, you know what I'm saying,
because people, because it's not something that just all of
a sudden come up You've had the conversation lots of time.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
Right, and that saves the heartache, you know then, you know,
otherwise you're setting your own self up for me to
be disappointed because you have this information. You make that chaye.
So I agree, I definitely agree. I would have just
balanced it, like you said, played it a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (40:57):
But yeah, just balance it. That's the correct word. Yeah,
just you know, just just balanced it, you know what
I'm saying. And it's kind of funny because you know,
now now Coming is digging, Tiffany had to ash and
now Tiffany saying, well, I wouldn't bring a baby into
this world. No, you wouldn't bring a baby because Coming
don't want all.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Right, we already know, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Who that's all.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Well, I'm glad we were able to get that straight.
Speaker 5 (41:29):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
We got a lot of insight there, you guys.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
And I just want to take job fund So I
didn't mean not to give you a manor you're you
played it so so passionate that it was kind of
it was it was so believable. You know, there was like, Okay,
here's a man that is concerned about that he wants
to have have children. You know what I'm saying. And
he's not a he's not singing a rap songs that
(41:54):
I'm gonna make you my baby, I'm gonna you know.
It's like no, he is saying, listen, I got for this,
you know. But he is also, you know, apparently a
compassionate man, because he's like, Okay, I haven't been really
listening to her because in his mind, I think he
has reflected and said, she'd have told me this about
(42:16):
a hundred times. She don't want these children right now,
you know. So we're just gonna hug it and we're
gonna go out to eat it. It's gonna we're gonna
have good sex tonight. It's gonna be I'm not gonna
leave it alone.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
Because I was like, wow, there's resolve.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
But he was excellent. I felt, I felt I believed
him that he really wanted children and that he might
have to do some rethinking himself. He was kind of like, okay,
I this is one of my requirements. You know.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Yeah, well, lean once again, you gave us a wonderful scene,
and so he really was. So I want to thank
you for that. I want to thank Charlotte and Alfonzo
and I really really want to thank Mss Jennifer Holiday,
Queen of Broadway, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Bravo, bo and everybody.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
On October nineteenth, Yes, we're gonna be We're gonna be
blowing sprinkle dust and saying happy Birthday to Jennifer.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
Yes, I also have a virtual concert on that day too,
so tickets are for sale on www dot stellartickets dot com.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Wow, we gotta come, We gotta support you.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Okay, we're gonna We're gonna spread some love and let
everybody know I appreciate that wonderful, wonderful for your time
and all of your energy and support and love. We
just give you big, mad love. I'm giving you for
hugs and mad love. Thank you so much. You're on
the Spirited Action podcast with me Tracy Moore, and we'll
(43:57):
be back and I'm gonna give love, and now it's
time forgive love. I embrace my flaws every day. I
learned from them and they inspire me to be a
better person. We all of us are extraordinary spiritual beings
(44:18):
and we should embrace that. I just have a really
big problem with compliments. They made me uncomfortable until I
accepted them as reminders of who I was. Now I
embrace them with joy, and I am inspired to continue
to be my best and I am grateful. Thank you
(44:42):
for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next Spirited Podcast.
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Thank you,
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned every rapper from Biggie s Balls to Tupac,
(00:24):
and I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed
help transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists
from Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from
The Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few.
I also coach sports stars and host as well. I
(00:44):
feel I have the best of both worlds. As a
casting director, I know exactly what they're looking for, and
as an acting coach, I can coach you to be
remembered in that room. Now I know, I know actors
want to get the job. I get that, but being
remembered by casting director that is powerful. And now it's
(01:05):
time for meditation of the day. In all things, there
is a law of cycles.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
The universe has a way.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Of taking care of things if we trust it. On
a daily basis. I like to test the universe. I
will think of people, or I will put out a
wish for something, and always, to my surprise, something will happen.
I love it. I have learned not to question it,
but to embrace it. We all have the ability to
(01:37):
tap into our inner powers. We just need to not
fear it and just go with the flow. I will
test my inner powers today without fear. Welcome to the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
You are in for a treat.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Regardless of what's.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Going on in the world, chaos, all of the confusion, pandemic,
all of that, we have a true blessing, a true blessing.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I am so honored to say her name. I am
so honored to have her in our presence. Ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together for Grammy Awards, Tony Drama Death.
I could go on a pleasant of awards, Miss Queen
of Broadway, Jennifer Holiday, Thank you, Oh Jennifer Holiday. I
(02:37):
have to tell our audience and we were extremely blessed
you guys. About three years ago I did I had
a spirit Actor showcase and Jennifer came with someone and
I couldn't even I was like, I don't even do
a showcase. I just want to hang out with you.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Hoday.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I was in the revival of Color Purple on Broadway
at the time.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, and I actually coached this woman, Yolanda Wins in
the Color Purple prior to that you did.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Well, Karen Wilson was the name of the student who
in your class that brought me with it.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yes, yes, Karen, Yeah, so special.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Well.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I was very honored to have you in our presence.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
And I have to say that when I arrived in
New York City August fifteenth, nineteen eighty three from San Francisco,
I used to sneak in Broadway. I used to walk
in with the intermission crowd and scope out what seats
were available, and I would watch Broadway shows. So I
(03:44):
saw the second half of dream Girls. I didn't know
the first half until I was able to afford it.
You literally walked right past me.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I will never ever ever.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Re and then forget like that moment and how powerful
that moment was for me.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
You have the ability and.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I wanted to put this in words, but you make
me so happy that I am able to hear that.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
To not be able to hear your.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Voice and know the beauty and the elegance and the rage,
I feel like my life would just I may have
gone in a different direction, because Broadway.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Is my life. To this day, I live Broadway.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
So I have to say, at let's talk about where
it all started. Because I know you're born and raised Houston, Texas.
That's right, born and raised in Houston, Texas.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I also got discovered in Houston, Texas singing in the
church choir Present Growth Baptist Church choir. A young man
by the name of Jamie Patterson was in the chorus
line uh down at the music Hall, and so he heard me.
(05:11):
He wanted to go to church one day before matinee
and he heard me singing, and he came up to
me and he said, boy, you have a voice that
would be great on Broadway. Well I didn't know what
Broadway was. I didn't know what he was talking about.
And he said, but if something comes up, I would
love to, like, you know, get you to like audition
(05:32):
for it. And I was like, well, where is this
and he said in New York. I said, well, I'm
not grown yet. I said, I look grown, but Mama
you'd have to ask my mama could I could I
come if something happened. So about three months later, Uh,
there was a national company of your arms to shirt
to box with God. And he told me, and he said, well,
(05:53):
the role that you would play the lady wanted Tony
Award for her name was still ors Hall and he said,
he said, so, he said, I think you would be
perfect for it, and so you have to come to
New York to audition and stuff. And I said, well,
my mom is not going to let me come there.
(06:13):
You know when youre in nineteen correct, I was only
seventeen seventeen. Yeah, I was only seventeen at that time. Yeah,
I was only seventeen. I was nineteen in dream Girls.
So yeah, so uh, he said, well, let me talk
to her. So he talked to her. But my mom
was like, I'm not letting you go to New York
(06:34):
with no mayan, you know, and everything like this and
my child and all this kind of stuff. Yes, so
he didn't give up though. He had an aunt in
Brooklyn who was slaved sant to by a field with
the holy ghosts who called my mama and said, listen,
if you let her come, well she can stay with me,
(06:55):
I'll take it to that. I'll never let her out
of my sight. So sure enough I went up there,
I auditioned, I got hired the same day, and I
never never went back.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That was believable. And what was that audition like?
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Because I mean my background is a casting director. I've
been in that room where someone like you, extraordinary, you
walk in that door, you blow us away. We can't
even have we can't even articulate how we're feeling.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Like, did they just say you have it?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
You have it? That well?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I had.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I had never done an audition, you know, for anything,
just basically, you know, singing in the church choir, you know,
my whole time of my young life at that time.
And so they just asked me, just said, you know,
just sing, just sing from your heart. You know what
are you going to sing? And so so I sang,
God will take care of you, I saying him, and
(07:53):
so I sang it. And then Carol, are you familiar
with her?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
So she was the director. Nika Grant wrote the piece
and so she was the director. And so she said, okay,
well let's see do you know how to move around
any you know whatever. So so then she started me
how to my first introduction into interpreting song as a story.
(08:19):
So she would take me around and she would like,
you know, okay, B not so if you're going to
do B not, so you're gonna look at the autist
and you're gonna go here, what are the words again?
Because she didn't know to him, she was like, I
don't know this song, you know. She was like, what
is like, y'all? What is you know? It was not
that West Indians don't know hims, but she she was like,
(08:41):
look what is the song? Okay? What are the words?
The words all?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You know, whatever like that.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So she would walk me around and then she would say,
you know, sing it again, you know, and then so
like what is the chorus to this song? Okay? And
then she would teach me. She would walk me around
and walk me around, and they kept me. Then they
had they gave me, they fed me love, and then
they had me sing it again. What she taught me.
She said, now do it as I taught you, you know,
with the you know, just the gestures and the whole
(09:08):
thing and all that kind of stuff. And then she said,
she said, well, I would love to have you here,
so you know, you got an agent, you got I
was like no. She said, well, you know, we're gonna
send some papers for your mother and this kind of
thing and whatever like that, and you know, I was
(09:29):
just like, I didn't know what to think. I was like,
I don't know what this is.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I was like, okay, you know, and.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
My mother was you know, my mother was fine with it.
She just wanted to know, you know, what it was
going to do. So Jamie's aunt continued to, you know,
help me and get a place for me to stay
and stuff until we actually went out on out on
the road, you know, on the national tour, right.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So you literally had on training on site training, right.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
I traded, I was like, and then I was really
you know, and I was I was really frightened of
her because I had just never I had never seen
such a forceful woman. And then I didn't know what
a director was. You know, I knew what a director was.
So it used to be yelled.
Speaker 7 (10:21):
At, yeah always, you know, so I used to be
you know, yell but not like taken and just physically
and just kind of you know, nursing lyrics of a
(10:44):
song to tell a story with a dialogue.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
So that was all brand new to me.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
You know, when we talk about the song, which we're
all familiar with, and I am telling you I'm not going.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Did you.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
See the effect of the power in that song and
the performance in that song, of how it affected the audience?
Were you able to see how you touch like every
single night, how you touched people you either.
Speaker 8 (11:20):
I know.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
When I went back to dream Girls and I bought
my mom and my aunt, both of them cried through
that song. But happy tears just empowered tears. There was
an effect and there still is an effect with that song.
Do you do you see that? Did you see that
when you first sang it?
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Well, I did not see that because I was only
nineteen when I first and I had never been in
love and wasn't in a relationship, so I really did
not know what I was singing about. So and at
the time for dream Girls, I was already working on
Broadway in Your Armster Shirk to Bicycle because the national
tour did come back to Broadway, so we were on Broadway.
(12:04):
Me and Cleveland Derreks were both in that production. So
Michael Bennett came to see our performance and asked us
to participate in the workshop. It wasn't call dream Girls
at that time, and Sharlee Rath was the star of that,
so we were just we were just asked to come
be a part of it. So in the daytime from
(12:27):
ten to six, we worked on the workshop of the project.
It wasn't it didn't have a name. And then then
at nighttime I did your constructive box with God, you know,
from eight to eleven. So, you know, so we're we're
crafting something, you know, we're making something. And then Michael
(12:50):
Bennett decide that he wanted to direct the piece. So
when because Tom Iron was the director first, and it
was a vehicle for Shirley Raff at first, and so
when Bennett decided that he wanted to direct the piece,
then the whole everything changed. Then he began to focus
on me, and if he was not in the second
(13:12):
act at that time, and I'm telling you had not
been finished at that time, so uh, and I'm telling
you came not at the end of act one, but
in the middle of the act because Fie was never
really mentioned again, you know, after that. So it was
(13:33):
kind of more so like I was Florence Ballad or something,
you know, in the Supreme sort of and so right,
So in crafting of the song, again, very fortunate to
have a great director take me and teach me, because
now I'm moving again from interpreting song without dialogue dialogue,
(13:57):
I mean, you know, telling a story to song. And
he taught me a lot of that by making me
watch a lot of old Barber Streiss and musicals, you know,
of how to interpret song, you know. And then when
it came to and I'm telling you, I didn't have
anything to draw from from that emotion, So I drew
(14:22):
from my mother's pain of my divorce from my father,
because she so desperately loved him and she did not
want a divorce, and she begged him to stay. And
that's where that's where my own emotion was able to
come into that, plus with my own insecurity of my
(14:44):
weight problem because I was not a large size girl
when we've started the show. But Effie was supposed to
be you know, unattractive and awkward and whateverything like that.
And then I began to be depressed by Effie and
(15:06):
the character. And then I just kept gaining lots and
lots of eight, lots and lots of eight, and I
turned every birthday and during Girls twenty twenty one, twenty two,
all the way to twenty five. But I also gained
almost up to three hundred two hundred something pounds two
hundred twenty pounds.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
I mean, I could see at a young age, at nineteen,
playing a role like that, the death of that character
and really the death of that song. That says a
lot about you as an actress, because you know, actors
need to have experience, knowledge of.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Of your character in order to be authentic.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Well I would I would say that I really have
to credit Bennett with that. I mean, he just you know,
just just as the first director, Vinette Carol took my hand,
so did Michael Bennett took my hand. He wouldn't allowed
them to give me an acting culture or anything. So
I just want her to try to see where she
feels this is and try to try to see where
(16:09):
she can draw some of this. I'm just from, you know.
And like I said, I had never been in love before,
you know, definitely had no experience in begging no man
for anything. But but but I said, my mama did,
and it broke her and really made her life quite miserable,
(16:31):
that kind of love. So I did was aware of
that kind of love because of where it took my mother, right, had.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I not, I wanted to if you could share with
the audience, I always stress the actors the importance of
work ethic and your work ethics hous phenomenal, the difference
between because there's a certain stamina that you have to
have in Broadway. What is that stamina and what is
(16:59):
that work your approach in terms of your work ethic, Well.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I think that had I not gone from directly from
the church choir to the Broadway stage, I probably would
not have been able to have it of that kind
of stamina. But because when you're doing Broadway, they teach you.
They teach you how to preserve your instrument, to go
(17:27):
those eight shows a week, and to pace yourself. You know,
some of it they weren't drunk, but some of them
did do it, you know, doing some expirital drugs. But
for myself, because of my voice, you know, I never
I never drank or smoke or did any drugs or
(17:48):
anything because I was always worried about my instrument and
what happened to it. So the discipline that they taught me,
you know, at eighteen and eighteen, un till I got
that first lesson and then to Broadway. So when I
transitioned from just having a leading role in a show
(18:11):
to actually then be having a starring role in the show,
then my discipline from the first show kicked in even
more because I had already been properly trained from the
director and the people who were in that show, who
taught me what to do in little tidbits and tips
and stuff like that, because they give you tips and
(18:32):
stuff of how you should do. But as a star,
now I have double weight, not of just carrying the
songs or anything like that, but now I'm a star,
and who knows who knows how to be that at
twenty well, I hadn't turned twenty one when we were
on Broadway, so actually I'll be sixty years old next
(18:54):
month in October, and then Dream Girls will be forty
years old next year.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Right, So so at that point though, at twenty years old,
we had Boston trial, so we were there for a while.
So they were already calling me, oh my god, you
got to see this girl, you got to go here,
or so people were traveling to Boston before we even
(19:22):
got just to hear me, you know. So that was
an incredible. Wait. And then by the time we did
get to Broadway and then our opening night, you know,
I had turned twenty one just before, you know, prior
to our opening night. It was quite quite a lot,
you know, quite a lot.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
And what was it did you dream of winning a
Tony Did you think about Tony? What was that moment
like when you were nominated and then went.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
To the Tobees and received a Tony Award.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I did not dream of winning a Tony Award because
I had to learn very early about politics and show business.
You know, it's kind of like, okay, you know, the
Tony Wards are important whatever like this. And so they
did a kind of little trick on us before the
(20:17):
show opened. They opened another Broadway show, a white one
that they opened nine right before the cutoff time for
the Tony Awards. And they swept. They swept the the
Tonys and so had already been forewarned, you know, by
Michael Bennett. He said, listen, they have done this. So
(20:40):
now you and Charlie Raff are in the same category.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And he says, and also even though you work with me,
and he said, a lot of people hate me. He said,
That's why they opened this this road. It's not against
you all because you're black. It's against to teach me
a lesson. And sure enough, we did not win Best Musical,
(21:08):
he did not win Best Director, Tommy Toon did, and
nine did. So you go figure that one, you know.
And so I had an early lesson in about even
though you may be good and you may have people
standing up every night, it's you still could not win.
(21:29):
So as we know, with these awards and all these
kind of things, now we've come to learn these things.
Some of it is politics, and some of it is
your turn, or some of it is never your turn,
you know, and that's how it goes. So I did
not venture to dream in that, and I think that
that was why my Tony performance was able to be
(21:55):
as it was that it was. It was not for
awards recognition. It definitely was not for money we were
We were not making money like them help kids today.
I was like, oh my god, what what did we
go wrong? I'm just I was, like they said, for
the rest of their life. But you know, but God, yeah,
(22:16):
gave us a favor. I mean, you know, I mean
we don't have the kind of money that they have,
but we did. You know all of us have done,
you know, amazingly well you know what I'm saying from
that show. But you know, so I think that when
you love theater, especially back then we're talking, you know,
forty years ago, you did it for the love of theater. Yeah. Yeah,
(22:39):
because you had repertoire theaters, you had off off Broadway,
you had you had little black bosses, people were creative
and doing things, and and so I really, you know,
really didn't know. Also, we were in the middle of
the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, and that devastated a
(23:00):
lot of us as well. So there are a lot
of things going on, you know, for a young girl
to try to well, not young girl, but a young
lady at this point, you know, twenty one years old.
And by the time that Tony's were coming, I had
not had not even turned twenty two years old. So
absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
What do you feel in today's climate with theater?
Speaker 1 (23:23):
You know, my heart is broken just to think that
all the theaters are down. How do you think New
York is going to recover from this? Well, New York
is wealthy.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
I feel as a whole in that that medium of theater, right,
They've always you know, they've always been wealthy. Now what
they've chosen to do is another thing. And I'm quite sure.
And I was telling another young man the other day
and he was saying, well, what do you think that
(23:59):
will happen as well, a young young black brother, And
I said, well, at the bottom line with everything, unfortunately,
is money. And Broadway had already begun by doing movies
into theater, had already begun to think about the bottom line.
So the thing will be is for you to continue
(24:23):
to do the excellent work, but also figure out how
do you get those backers auditions like the white shows,
you know, because they start at different levels, so you
can do your own type of workshop, invite some people
backers in, you know, and unfortunately you need a lot
(24:47):
of backers to even put on a plate now, you know,
so that you'll see a play that's got eleven names
up there. You know. Back in the day when I
was coming out, it was one or two names. Yeah,
that was it. It was like if one person, if
one person listen, if one person thought that you had
a show, they backed the whole thing, you know what
I'm saying. But that's not the way way it is anymore.
(25:11):
So I think that the future of Broadway depends on
the people who have always held the future of Broadway
and what they want Broadway to look like. Unfortunately, So
unless you do get someone that has the the dollars,
(25:32):
that becomes a part of the producing branch of it,
then that's how you you know, that's how you get
I mean, I mean, I know Color Purple was was
born out of the Alliance Theater, you know, which was
a repertoire company. So it depends, like I said, yeah,
(25:52):
so you have to get someone to come and see
you and then you go. I don't know what that
does for small, smaller shows though, at the beginning of
when we come out of this, because when we come
out of this, the bottom line with a lot of
people is going to be money and how to make
it and how to make it quickly, and a lot
(26:13):
of that will be turning movies into musical Darth Vay
will be singing, you know, like.
Speaker 9 (26:24):
Yeah, okay, okay, you know, it will be like all
kinds of things that way.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
First, what kind of things will generate dollars first? Because
they have it and they all have always had it,
and so inclusiveness may not be at the front right away,
unless they revive something that's already been done, you know,
revival of a revival of something that regulars up says
(27:00):
to get things going right, and then once they can
see that, then they'll decide. So I would love to say,
all you got to do is dream and believe in yourself.
And no, that's a lot right now. That's a lot
right now.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Okay, it sounds good, though, it sounds good.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
But that's a lot right now. Okay, Yes, just survived
the pandemic. Yeah, continue to work on your craft, hone,
your craft, be good at what you do, know that
you're good at what you do, and be ready, be
ready when they are ready for to pull in that.
That's that's what's happening in Hollywood right now. All the
(27:38):
black progress is being green lid and whatever. They didn't
just get introduced to them. They've been sitting in their closets.
They were like, Oh, we're all the black things at
oh locked over there?
Speaker 10 (27:48):
Yeah, yes, or I Love this was back in the day,
but I Love I Loved with Waity to Excel came
out and then it's like, in the studios, do.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
We have any black female projects? Like right, you know,
they gravitate like said, these.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Have been on the bookcase, but these been these but
they were like, get that out. Wasn't somebody who's had
a project?
Speaker 2 (28:15):
What was the name of that?
Speaker 3 (28:16):
What was the name of that? It was something like,
I don't know, get everything out. I want everybody to
go through every project, remember that they were black, and
give them a call right now. So that's why, so
black Hollywood is having the best time of day life.
But unfortunately with Broadway and plays and things like that,
(28:37):
you know, you don't have that same type of opportunity.
You know you will you will have had to develop
something over over time because broadways are birth. Broadway plays
and musicals are birth from a process. So it is
ever ever tuning, ever tweaking, ever growing in that process.
(28:59):
So I think that that makes it a little more harder.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
I love the fact that you said a process because
just this whole journey of being an actor is a
process that actors people need to respect and they need
to understand that. You know, things are not going to
happen overnight, and that's for a reason. As Thruth said
(29:25):
this twenty eight minutes flew by Jennifer Okay, I can't
even tell you how this has been just riveting and just.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Empowering and inspiring.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
I want you and I always ask my guests if
you could leave the audience with some diamonds, some pearls,
what is it that they need to know on their journey?
On their journey?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
Just remember Dorothy in the Whiz with those rich shoes
when when the and It said to her you could
always go home. Well, whatever you have in you, like
Tyler Perry was talking about the other night, what's going
to be in your quilket? Well, what is it that's
(30:12):
in you? Number one that you know you have and
no one else sees it, but you know it's there.
And so how do you manifest that to the world?
And then second, how do you learn something in this
time of darkness, confusion, uncertainty and what is going to
(30:38):
be your new skill in terms of your acting? So
maybe you only like this particular role and you're stepping
out of your comfort zone to do what, But most
importantly it is just to be ready. How do you
be ready? And there were many years when I was
(30:58):
almost destined to, you know, with my career, and then
I got rediscovered after the Dream Girls movie came out.
And what had what had I not been able to sing?
What had I given up? And to say, well, nobody
want to hear me sing? Ain't nobody tried to do it?
But I was ready. I was like, give me the
give me the microphone. Okay, I'm ready. You know, even
(31:20):
though none of y'all gave a hoot about me for
three and a half years or four years, But it
doesn't matter, because what I have inside me wasn't given
to me by anyone and wasn't brought forth by anyone.
Only we can bring.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Our light forth. It's there.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Someone can teach you, someone can help to you know,
nurture you along your journey, but only you can unleash.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Your light and just be ready. Well, I don't know
if I was ready, Jennifer. I don't know if I
was ready for all this. I feel like I need
some more time. But I will extend another invitation to
you because you were phenomenal. Thank you, such a blessing
(32:12):
and to know that whenever I hear your music, and
so grateful for you for singing at rest in peace.
Congressman John Lewis was beautiful. You were so magnificent.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
You are in the cloth of black America, America.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
There's no colors. You are just an American.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Thank you, fall thank you, thank you, Jennifer blessing us
with your presence and your wisdom, your experience.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
We are grateful to you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Thank you, guys. I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
I told you this was going to be riveting vity.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
We are going to be back with the Spirited Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and we are blessed to
still have Jennifer Holliday with us for a class in session.
Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore,
and you are still blessed to have Miss Jennifer Holliday
with us. And so everyone who listens in on our
(33:23):
class and session and those of you who are new.
I'll break down the process. Leanne Amato Leanne is Our.
I called her our writer in residence because Leanne writes
all the scenes.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Give it up for Leanne yay and our actors. Today
we have Charlotte Hendricks Hey, Charlotte, Hi, how are you.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I'm excellent, happy to have you here, happy to be here, Thank.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
You, thank you. And Elfonzo Walker Junior.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
I haven't seen you in a minute. Happy to see you. Perfect, okay,
so lean you're reading the stage direction? Yeah, okay, all right,
so whenever you're ready, you guys ready, and let's action.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
My own decision.
Speaker 11 (34:13):
Interior kitchen day Grace guys peers through the windows on
this Saturday afternoon. Mac looks stunned after just hearing your
voice message up on their house phone. We see him
struggling to process be for opening his mouth, while Mecca
is deep in her book on the couch.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
That was a message from playing Parenthood for you.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
She looks up from her book.
Speaker 5 (34:36):
Everything okay, yeah, thanks.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
I'll call them back on Monday. I just need a
regular checkup.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
It sounds like you already went because they were calling
and see how you were feeling.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
So no response.
Speaker 12 (34:56):
Did you have an abortion? You've been laying around here
saying you don't feel well.
Speaker 5 (35:03):
Did you do it? Mecca?
Speaker 11 (35:05):
She tears up while he tries to contain his anger.
Speaker 8 (35:09):
I can't fucking believe this. How can you make a
decision like that without talking to me first? You know
how much this means to me? Say something?
Speaker 6 (35:21):
This wasn't ready. I couldn't fathom to think about keeping it,
about being a mom. It terrified me.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
It's not just your choice to me. Whenever you ever
felt like you couldn't talk to me, I.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Know how bad you wanted a baby.
Speaker 5 (35:38):
So you kept it from me.
Speaker 12 (35:41):
I can't believe you do this to me, Mecca tired, baby,
my first baby.
Speaker 11 (35:49):
He paces around, angry, sad, shocked. He doesn't know what
he feels.
Speaker 5 (35:58):
Did you ever plan on telling me?
Speaker 12 (36:00):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
I mean, it's my body. I don't know how I feel.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
I just don't know if I'm ready for the things
that you're ready for. You have everything figured out, and
it's like you just put me into this.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Picture you painted, and I don't know if I'm there, Mac.
Speaker 12 (36:26):
Maybe I'm not trying to scare you. I told you
my dreams that my goal is because I finally felt
like I found somebody who can share them with me,
and I want it all with you, and I want you, but.
Speaker 6 (36:45):
I don't know if the rest is for me, if
it's what I want. I just couldn't handle the pressure,
not right now, and if I told you, I know,
it would have been more pressure.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
I'm so sorry, Mac.
Speaker 11 (37:07):
She's beside herself. He sees her, He grabs her, and he.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
Holds her.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Okay, yeah, all right, wow, that's right.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
All right, I'm gonna throw it to you, Jennifer, whatever
you want to share.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Well, I love the scene because it's kind of like
a reverse, you know what I'm saying. It's like the
dude be like, okay, and what you gonna do about that?
You know what I'm saying. Look, you know what I'm saying,
I ain't ready for no, you knew, you know, blah
blah blah blah blah. So since it is the reverse,
I just felt that Charlotte when he first asked her
(37:48):
about the call from the plant Parry, I felt that
she wasn't more in the sense where, okay, does he
is he wan to figure out this? Or is this
the moment Now I'm going to have to come and
tell him, you know what I'm saying, And then I
think it. I think it was okay for definitely from
(38:11):
the director's direction, for when she welds up with the
tears and stuff. But then after that, you know, she
can be sorry about it, but she don't have to
keep you.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
Know, she doesn't.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
She doesn't owe him any explanations. He ain't put no
ring on it. You know, It's like these mens, come
on now, one minute you want this, one minute you
want that, And if she'd had a baby, then you
be complaining, you know, like you know whatever. It's kind
of like, so it is her body and she is
a woman. So I just felt maybe the crying and
the star and the weeping was just maybe too long
(38:42):
because she don't have to do that. It's kind of like,
you know, after you weld up. You weld up because
not not because of you did something to hemp per se,
but you welled up because this was also traumatic for you.
It was not easy for you to make this decision,
but you also knew he wasn't going to go for
(39:03):
this decision, you know, And we don't know the prior
conversations to all of this that led up to this.
So is it about money that you don't want the children?
Or is it about your career that you don't want
to when you say you're not ready, You've had to
have these conversations prior to you know what I'm saying.
So we don't know the rest of the before we
(39:25):
got to this scene. So I just feel that, you
know that maybe she should have just been a little
bit more like, oh okay, well, is he going to
figure out that something off planet or did I need
a new birth control perspective or what you know what
I'm saying. But then if this is the moment that
(39:45):
I have to reckon, yeah, I'm gonna come claim because
the bottom line that it is my body and we
are not married from I can tell from what it
is because he didn't didn't give that sense that they
were married couple and that they have not come to
the thing, you know, and the words say that I'm
not there yet. And because usually conversations about children, they've
(40:07):
had the conversation the fight has been the fight. You know,
I love Angela RAI would come and you know Angelaurai
wanted children and come and didn't want them, and she
asked them one day she said, so you know I
want you whatever she said, He said, how do you
feel about that? He said, well, I don't know. She said, well,
you just answered it because so we don't have the
same goal. So even though even though the d is good,
(40:27):
I got to go, you know, to say it, because
I already know I want to, you know what I'm saying,
because people, because it's not something that just all of
a sudden come up You've had the conversation lots of time.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
Right, and that saves the heartache, you know then, you know,
otherwise you're setting your own self up for me to
be disappointed because you have this information. You make that chaye.
So I agree, I definitely agree. I would have just
balanced it, like you said, played it a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (40:57):
But yeah, just balance it. That's the correct word. Yeah,
just you know, just just balanced it, you know what
I'm saying. And it's kind of funny because you know,
now now Coming is digging, Tiffany had to ash and
now Tiffany saying, well, I wouldn't bring a baby into
this world. No, you wouldn't bring a baby because Coming
don't want all.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Right, we already know, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Who that's all.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Well, I'm glad we were able to get that straight.
Speaker 5 (41:29):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
We got a lot of insight there, you guys.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
And I just want to take job fund So I
didn't mean not to give you a manor you're you
played it so so passionate that it was kind of
it was it was so believable. You know, there was like, Okay,
here's a man that is concerned about that he wants
to have have children. You know what I'm saying. And
he's not a he's not singing a rap songs that
(41:54):
I'm gonna make you my baby, I'm gonna you know.
It's like no, he is saying, listen, I got for this,
you know. But he is also, you know, apparently a
compassionate man, because he's like, Okay, I haven't been really
listening to her because in his mind, I think he
has reflected and said, she'd have told me this about
(42:16):
a hundred times. She don't want these children right now,
you know. So we're just gonna hug it and we're
gonna go out to eat it. It's gonna we're gonna
have good sex tonight. It's gonna be I'm not gonna
leave it alone.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
Because I was like, wow, there's resolve.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
But he was excellent. I felt, I felt I believed
him that he really wanted children and that he might
have to do some rethinking himself. He was kind of like, okay,
I this is one of my requirements. You know.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Yeah, well, lean once again, you gave us a wonderful scene,
and so he really was. So I want to thank
you for that. I want to thank Charlotte and Alfonzo
and I really really want to thank Mss Jennifer Holiday,
Queen of Broadway, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Bravo, bo and everybody.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
On October nineteenth, Yes, we're gonna be We're gonna be
blowing sprinkle dust and saying happy Birthday to Jennifer.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
Yes, I also have a virtual concert on that day too,
so tickets are for sale on www dot stellartickets dot com.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Wow, we gotta come, We gotta support you.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Okay, we're gonna We're gonna spread some love and let
everybody know I appreciate that wonderful, wonderful for your time
and all of your energy and support and love. We
just give you big, mad love. I'm giving you for
hugs and mad love. Thank you so much. You're on
the Spirited Action podcast with me Tracy Moore, and we'll
(43:57):
be back and I'm gonna give love, and now it's
time forgive love. I embrace my flaws every day. I
learned from them and they inspire me to be a
better person. We all of us are extraordinary spiritual beings
(44:18):
and we should embrace that. I just have a really
big problem with compliments. They made me uncomfortable until I
accepted them as reminders of who I was. Now I
embrace them with joy, and I am inspired to continue
to be my best and I am grateful. Thank you
(44:42):
for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next Spirited Podcast.
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Thank you,
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