June 17, 2025 • 19 mins
ICYMI: ‘Later, with Mo’Kelly’ Presents – An in-depth conversation with actress, spoken word artist, arts educator and friend of the program Candace Nicholas-Lippman who returns with a preview of her powerful Off-Broadway show, ‘A Rose Called Candace’, playing for a limited engagement at The Robey Theatre Company - on KFI AM 640…Live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app & YouTube @MrMoKelly
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well this lame.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Kelly six Live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app and YouTube.
Let me tell you about Candace Nicholas Lippman. She's an actress,
spoken word artist, and arts educator with a passion for
using her god given talents to uplift others. You may
know her from her time as Jasmine on the show
(00:25):
Blind Spotting. Candas Nicholas Lipman's solo play, A Rose called Candace,
is an epic, moving, inspiring, cinematic ode to survival, grace,
and exhilarating ambition. Candas is a shiny exemplar of how
living as an artist, in spite of what the universe
throws at you, or perhaps because of it, is truly
a road to freedom. As the review goes, a Rose
(00:45):
called Candace is a templess for any one of us
to use in our own lives. She has created an
ethos for artists to follow, and she joins us now
back here on later with mo Kelly. And there's a
there is a wrinkle to this because when you came
in i'll say last year or so and told us
about this one woman's show, you were doing everything. When
(01:06):
I say it's a one woman show, I mean you
were hanging the lights here, you were doing everything. Part
of the reason why we brought you back is the
show has grown. It's going to be running from June
twenty first to the twenty ninth at the Los Angeles
Theater Center. Have that right, yes, which is five fourteen
Spring Street. But one of your producers is Academy Award
(01:27):
winner Viola Davis. Yes, that's not bad news. You have
to tell me the story of and it wasn't it
by chance? You just happened to run into Viola Davis. Now,
let me tell you this. I happened to run into
Viola Davis at the Whole Foods across the street from
the studio. It didn't go as well for me. How
(01:48):
is it when you ran into Viola Davis you ended
up working with her?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Okay, guys, this is a little bit of a long story,
so I'll just give the cliff notes version. A couple
of years ago, we were both in text for South
by Southwest, promoting our individual projects. Long, long story short,
we just happened to be staying at the same hotel.
We just happened to be in the Jacuzie at the
same time. Meet her and her husband, and we just
started talking about everything from like faith to what's going
(02:14):
on in the world, to art and all the things,
and we just kind of connected organically. And as you know,
mister Kelly, I'm very transparent about, you know, things in.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
My life and what's going on.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And then it was just you know, it's been really
really hard and seven so we were just talking about
all the things, and then that's how we kind of connected.
Mister Julius and Miss Biola were like, Hey, when we're
back in La, connect with us. Here's our assistance information.
And then from there, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
You say that, you know, we all have our story, yes,
and sometimes people only know us by our glory. You've
worked in Hollywood for quite some time, you have had success,
been on grades of Dat Toy, of course blind spotty.
But people think, oh, it's easy after that, and that
couldn't be further from the truth.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Is it so far from the truth?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
And I think that is the thing that's really really
powerful in terms of what I believe my purpose and
assignment is. I believe my vulnerability is my superpower. And
I just recently did an interview with KKW News and
something that I quoted on there was. You know, we
do live in a world right now, specifically with social
media and everyone trying to put on this sort of facade.
I guess if you will, yeah, you know, but people,
(03:24):
I feel really really described to this whole mantra of like, oh,
you know, you fake it till you make it, fake
it till you make it. And I don't really subscribe
to that. I really believe in faith it till you
make it, because if you're faking anything and then you're
not being authentic, how can you really be used by God?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
How can you really touch somebody?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
How can you really make a difference if you're not
authentically being yourself? And so I am on this journey
of freedom, which is a big theme in my show.
It's because I want to release all of the things
of like what my childhood has instilled in me, in
terms of the people pleasing, the lack of boundaries, the
caring what other people think about you, you know, like
I am me, I am Joe, you know, and I'm
(04:00):
in this season of where I'm really like, I want
to release all of that other stuff, including feeling shame
or guilt about things that I may experience, I e.
Like a strike happening, like what happens when you're in
your dream and then the strike happens and those shows
get canceled. Now what happens? What does that really look like?
Do you just give up? Or is it like, oh no,
I got to put one pants leg back on at
(04:21):
a time, get back up by faith and just keep going.
And that's what I'm showing you this in my show.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
We have talked to you about this show, probably in
a different iteration before, yes, and then you have a
different producer, different eyes on a different viewing of it.
They they see it slightly different. How has this show changed,
improved or grown with the addition of not only Viola
Davis but her husband, Well, it has grown.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
For one, of course, having their support is a big deal, right,
so I'm very very grateful for that in the sense
of how it has changed or how it has grown.
I really have to say that is my choice in
deciding to bring in a co director. I haven't had
a director since like twenty nineteen. I've just kind of
been doing it just me and got you know, from
all the listen Jesus so from all the friends in
(05:11):
Los Angeles to me taking it to off Broadway, Like
all of that was just by myself, by faith, right,
and so now having someone coming on and producing it
where that kind of part of it is a little
bit oliviate, you know, taken away in terms of the
stress of that, I decided.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
To bring in a co director.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
And after weeks and weeks of researching various directors, because
I'm really really big on who I bring with me
along this journey, because it is a journey and I
know all that it takes to put up my show,
I decided to bring.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
On the amazing Bernadette Speaks.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes, you may know her from Love Jones, from All
American And I just think I could not have been
more grateful for God to have partnered us together, because
she is stretching me in ways that I did not
know that I still needed to be stretched. She is
challenging me in ways because the thing is, I did
my show all the way back in twenty eighteen. But
I'm not the same person I was in twenty eighteen.
I'm not even the same person I was last year
(06:06):
when I did this show, hopefully or not right, And
so my as my story is evolving, so am I
And so when I am constantly evolving, as we all are.
Hopefully as artists, our art should reflect that evolution.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
I always wonder, though, and I asked you some form
of this question the last time we spoke, and maybe
the answer is the same or it's somewhat different now.
I wonder how you manage to tell some of these
same stories, relive some of the same pain, and not
either become numb or find yourself falling back into that
pit of pain.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, This is also another reason why I'm so grateful
that I have a co director, because a lot of
the trauma or whatever it is that I'm sharing on
stage from part of my life story is either trauma
that I am still currently actively working through, like in
therapy or whatever, or it may be something that I
am reliving currently right now in my present day. So again,
(07:00):
my vulnerability is my superpower, and I think within that
transparency that's the thing that really touches people's souls, because
it's like, here I am bearing my soul on this
stage unapologetically in hopes and hopes that I can impact,
inspire and courage one person in the audience that my
bravery and my courage and my understanding that our stories
(07:21):
are our trials or tribulations of what we go through
is not just for us. It is literally meant to
help to save to someone else. And so because I
talked about this too in another interview that because within
the African American community specifically, we are always brought up
to be like, hey, what happens in this house days?
And it's not you bet not going against the grain.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
You bet not. I promise you.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
We cannot break generational curses that way, we cannot heal
that way.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And because I.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Am so much joy right, I literally am an illustration
of not looking like what I've been through, and I
think that.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Is powerful too.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And so if I can show people that resilience and
how no matter what, I still can continue to get up,
then you could get up too.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
We're talking about a rosecalled Candace with idi am. I
am amazed Candace Nicholas Lipmann because each time we talk,
you have a renewed sense of self and energy which
confounds me. And then I hear your person of faith like,
oh yeah, that expats that, you know.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Yeah very quickly?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
How can people find the show and get their tickets
right now?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Yes, right now?
Speaker 1 (08:26):
You can go to the Robitheatercompany dot org. Robitheatrecompany dot org.
They are also a producer on this show.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
That's r O b e Y Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
R O b e Y Theater Company dot org.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
You can also head to my website a rosecall Candace
dot com for more information and it will be We
have our first preview this Friday, hold June twentieth, and
then the official opening is June twenty first, and we
run through the twenty ninth.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Just got to let people know it's the Robytheatercompany dot org.
That's r O b e y t e e A
t r E Company dot org. We're gonna make sure
that you get there. Will help more with boy I
tell you Candace Nicholas Flipman because I tried not to
get too caught up in the conversation, you know, but
when the spirit starts moving, as they say, you know
(09:15):
more in just a moment. It's Lady with mo Kelly
k if I AM six forty. We live everywhere in
the iHeartRadio app and YouTube.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty k if.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
I am six forty, Yes Later with Mo Kelly We're
live on YouTube and the iHeartRadio app, and you're just
tuning in. My guest in studio is Candace Nicholas Lipman.
You know her as an actress, probably from Blind Spotting
as Jasmine and her solo play Now I'm sorry to now,
I'm sorry. I hate when I get things wrong with that.
I am so sorry.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
But we're here for your solo one woman play, a
rose called Candace, and it is debuting on the twenty first,
and it's running through the twenty ninth at the Roby
Theater excuse me, at the Los Angeles Theater, which is
five to one four Spring Street in LA. And from
what I hear, you got two people in the studio
(10:08):
who will be there as well.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
You see, it.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Should be foult mister Kelly, look fair enough, fair enough toala.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
You got my schedule.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I think we could do Saturday and twenty first. As
we talk about this, I suspect you're drained after every performance.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh my goodness, I'm again transparency.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I'm drained right now, like I am exhausted, like literally
even all day today. Although I do have producers on
the show, I am still a producer of my show
and I will make sure that my show is successful
in the name of Jesus. And so I'm still behind
the scenes, very much so, going all over Los Angeles
networking with people, passing out flyers, doing all the things,
(10:57):
booking my own press things, you know, like doing whatever
I can to make sure that you know, by God's grace,
that we get people in the seats and whoever is
meant to be there will be there.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
You and I were having a very candid conversation off
air talking about the realities of entertainment. Let me put
it that way, where with each success, there is someone saying.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You're a failure.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, absolutely, each step.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Of the way, someone is saying you can't do this,
or you're not good enough, or they don't recognize the
path that you're on.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
How do you deal with it? I know how I
deal with it.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Yeah, well, the way that I look at it.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You know how sometimes people have been saying, well, like
if you don't got no haters, then that means you're
not doing you know kind of thing and not trying
to say that these people are haters. But when people
are trying to speak okay, but like when people do
try to feed me with all that negativity. Again, everything
is perspective, and I have to do the work constantly
to be like, No, I know who I am, I
know who God is, and I know what God.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Said and what he has ordained for my life.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So regardless of what you're saying, I can listen to
what you say, but I don't have to receive it,
and I'll have the positive in my spirit.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
I rebuke it.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Take me inside a rose called Candice. How is it
broken up? Is it broken up? Let's say in the
thirds where you're a child for a portion, maybe an
adolescent than an adult.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
How does it proceed?
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yes, So it's sixty minutes exactly, no intermission, and basically
the show is done like in three acts. However, it's
literally like as people have described it in emotional rollercoaster ride,
like I literally take you through a lot.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
In sixty minutes.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
And so yeah, So like Act one, we're really digging
into me in my childhood. Act two is kind of
like high school, more of the growth high school college.
And then Act three is here being in Los Angeles
and what that experience has been like.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So do you find that Well, I'm pretty sure audiences
react differently on different nights of different parts. Do you
find people responding more to when you're an adolescent or
maybe in college or I'm quite sure it hits people differently.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yes, because it hits people differently, and the different responses
that I've gotten from people.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
This is also how I know that this is purpose.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Because when I'm just a black girl from the hood
of Sacramento that's.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Out here trying to achieve her dream, okay.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And the fact that me, someone like me, my story
can reach someone of different faith backgrounds, of different ethnic groups,
of different age demographics. How that's nothing but God that
my story can reach all these different people. And I
really have to say, that's kind of kudos to my pastor,
doctor Hoaiah Collins, because it was him Back in twenty fourteen.
(13:28):
I was homeless living in my car when I started
writing this story.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Run too fast past that, slow down so people can
hear it and understand not only where you're going but
where you've come from. Yeah, thank you almost living in
your car.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yeah, you know, it's so interesting you said that, because
that's one of my notes that my co directors. She's like,
you know, you don't have to speak like hand is
let us be there with.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
You, Yes, let us twell in the moment.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
So yes. It was twenty fourteen.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I was living in my car, homeless, and I remember
having a counseling session with my pastor and I remember
kind of just talking to him like about my life
little bit. And he's the one who say He was like,
baby girl, you have a powerful story, he said, and
I'm gonna tell you something.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Your story is not unique.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
But it's because it's not unique is the reason why
you need to share it. And that shifted everything for
me where I was like, oh again, our testimony is
not just for us.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
It is meant to be for other people.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
And so with that, I just was like okay, God,
And I just was writing, writing and writing, and then
I debuted it in twenty eighteen and then just kept
on with it from there. But the response I got
in twenty that really SOLIDI for that confirm where I
was like, oh, wow, okay, so cause I'm terrified. It
is terrifying. I am literally sharing things that people put
(14:40):
in their journals.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Do you understand, like this is.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Things that I'm sharing out But again, because it is
bigger than me, I have to remove myself and understand
that Kennis is bigger than you. You have more of
a calling, you.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Know, Kenn's.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I always wonder, yes, women are going to get something
out of this. Women made more readily identify with the
different parts of your story.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
But I'm sure men get something.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Absolutely absolutely if you go back. And I'm so grateful
for those who leave reviews and stuff. Thank y'all so
so much, because not only, of course, is it letting
other people know what your experience was to see in
the show, but it also reminds me too on days
that I may have where I'm doubting myself or feeling
low or hearing all that negativity.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And I'm like, why am I doing this?
Speaker 5 (15:24):
God?
Speaker 1 (15:24):
You know? And then I go back and I look
at I'm like, Okay, God, I'm making a difference. God
is having impact the men. If y'all go read the
reviews the men their reviews, Wow.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
It's interesting because we do different things, but we respond similarly.
What I mean by that is when you're performing, and
this is kind of a performance art at radio, we
may not get the immediate response and reaction from people,
but when we do hear from someone, it renews us
because we sometimes forget we're touching people in ways that
(15:57):
we don't.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Know in the moment.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, there was a rehearsal that Bernadette and I had
and it was on a really hard part of my
story that I was sharing, and I just broke down
in the middle of rehearsal and I literally yelled out
to her, why am.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I doing this again?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Because yes, because I'm like, why am I putting myself
out here again for people?
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Why am I doing this?
Speaker 4 (16:21):
God?
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Like, what is the purpose of Like, So, even within
the process and me still being very clear of.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
My assignment, I'm still human.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Like, this is not easy, and y'all will see when
you come see the show.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It's not easy what I'm doing at all.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Candace Nicholas Slippman, I'm out of time with you at
this point, but i want to make sure that you
know that we support you and make.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Sure that people know how to get there.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yes, tell people the when, the where, the how, all
the specifics.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Please Yes, So again, y'all, my name is Candace Nicholas Flipman.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
That's Candace c. A. N. D Ace. Oh wait, I
forgot we online Now y'all can see my name right here.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
Break.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
It's a YouTube show.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
What's up you too?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
So yeah, if you go you typed in my name
Candace Nicholas Lippman, you can find me on all the platforms.
I don't have a stage name. That is my name, amen.
And then for tickets, you can go to a rose
called Candace dot com, which is spelled the same way
as my name there, or you can also go to
the Robitheater coompany dot.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Org and that's r O b e y Theater t
h e A t r e dot org. Because some
of y'all can't spell the way you eat.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
You a theater. It's not like boovie theater. It's like
play right the r E.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yes, you guys, come, come come. It is more than entertainment.
This show is ministry. I promise you, based on what
all throughout the years that other people have said, you
will not leave the theater the same way you came in.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I'm very grateful to the Roby.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I'm so grateful to mister Julius and miss Viola for
giving me this opportunity to share my story again and again.
This is probably the final run in Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So if you've never seen my show.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Come, and even if you have seen it, you have
not seen it this way before.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
So come, come, Come.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
All I got to say is I appreciate when someone
like the statue of Viola Davis sees potential and talent
in you and then takes it upon themselves to help
you reach another level.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
We should do more than just helping an assisting one
or another.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Amen. And then also, y'all, when you you know how
they say like manifesting or speaking things too. So it
is one thing about like how we kind of met.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
But also if you go.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Back through my Twitter feeds, if my friends can attest
to this, I have been manifesting or professing like one
day I'm gonna work with miss Viola one day. One
now in my mind, I'm thinking, like on the movie set,
please Jesus still one day. But the fact that this
is why you tell God your plans he laughs, Because
the fact that it's happening this way with something that
I created is amazing, and so I'm just so grateful.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Let me just say this, see you soon, Aye, It's
later with Mokelli. If I am six forty, we live everybody.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
I heeartradio up you're listening to Later with Moe Kelly
on demand from KFI a M six forty
Well this lame.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Kelly six Live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app and YouTube.
Let me tell you about Candace Nicholas Lippman. She's an actress,
spoken word artist, and arts educator with a passion for
using her god given talents to uplift others. You may
know her from her time as Jasmine on the show
(00:25):
Blind Spotting. Candas Nicholas Lipman's solo play, A Rose called Candace,
is an epic, moving, inspiring, cinematic ode to survival, grace,
and exhilarating ambition. Candas is a shiny exemplar of how
living as an artist, in spite of what the universe
throws at you, or perhaps because of it, is truly
a road to freedom. As the review goes, a Rose
(00:45):
called Candace is a templess for any one of us
to use in our own lives. She has created an
ethos for artists to follow, and she joins us now
back here on later with mo Kelly. And there's a
there is a wrinkle to this because when you came
in i'll say last year or so and told us
about this one woman's show, you were doing everything. When
(01:06):
I say it's a one woman show, I mean you
were hanging the lights here, you were doing everything. Part
of the reason why we brought you back is the
show has grown. It's going to be running from June
twenty first to the twenty ninth at the Los Angeles
Theater Center. Have that right, yes, which is five fourteen
Spring Street. But one of your producers is Academy Award
(01:27):
winner Viola Davis. Yes, that's not bad news. You have
to tell me the story of and it wasn't it
by chance? You just happened to run into Viola Davis. Now,
let me tell you this. I happened to run into
Viola Davis at the Whole Foods across the street from
the studio. It didn't go as well for me. How
(01:48):
is it when you ran into Viola Davis you ended
up working with her?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Okay, guys, this is a little bit of a long story,
so I'll just give the cliff notes version. A couple
of years ago, we were both in text for South
by Southwest, promoting our individual projects. Long, long story short,
we just happened to be staying at the same hotel.
We just happened to be in the Jacuzie at the
same time. Meet her and her husband, and we just
started talking about everything from like faith to what's going
(02:14):
on in the world, to art and all the things,
and we just kind of connected organically. And as you know,
mister Kelly, I'm very transparent about, you know, things in.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
My life and what's going on.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And then it was just you know, it's been really
really hard and seven so we were just talking about
all the things, and then that's how we kind of connected.
Mister Julius and Miss Biola were like, Hey, when we're
back in La, connect with us. Here's our assistance information.
And then from there, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
You say that, you know, we all have our story, yes,
and sometimes people only know us by our glory. You've
worked in Hollywood for quite some time, you have had success,
been on grades of Dat Toy, of course blind spotty.
But people think, oh, it's easy after that, and that
couldn't be further from the truth.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Is it so far from the truth?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
And I think that is the thing that's really really
powerful in terms of what I believe my purpose and
assignment is. I believe my vulnerability is my superpower. And
I just recently did an interview with KKW News and
something that I quoted on there was. You know, we
do live in a world right now, specifically with social
media and everyone trying to put on this sort of facade.
I guess if you will, yeah, you know, but people,
(03:24):
I feel really really described to this whole mantra of like, oh,
you know, you fake it till you make it, fake
it till you make it. And I don't really subscribe
to that. I really believe in faith it till you
make it, because if you're faking anything and then you're
not being authentic, how can you really be used by God?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
How can you really touch somebody?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
How can you really make a difference if you're not
authentically being yourself? And so I am on this journey
of freedom, which is a big theme in my show.
It's because I want to release all of the things
of like what my childhood has instilled in me, in
terms of the people pleasing, the lack of boundaries, the
caring what other people think about you, you know, like
I am me, I am Joe, you know, and I'm
(04:00):
in this season of where I'm really like, I want
to release all of that other stuff, including feeling shame
or guilt about things that I may experience, I e.
Like a strike happening, like what happens when you're in
your dream and then the strike happens and those shows
get canceled. Now what happens? What does that really look like?
Do you just give up? Or is it like, oh no,
I got to put one pants leg back on at
(04:21):
a time, get back up by faith and just keep going.
And that's what I'm showing you this in my show.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
We have talked to you about this show, probably in
a different iteration before, yes, and then you have a
different producer, different eyes on a different viewing of it.
They they see it slightly different. How has this show changed,
improved or grown with the addition of not only Viola
Davis but her husband, Well, it has grown.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
For one, of course, having their support is a big deal, right,
so I'm very very grateful for that in the sense
of how it has changed or how it has grown.
I really have to say that is my choice in
deciding to bring in a co director. I haven't had
a director since like twenty nineteen. I've just kind of
been doing it just me and got you know, from
all the listen Jesus so from all the friends in
(05:11):
Los Angeles to me taking it to off Broadway, Like
all of that was just by myself, by faith, right,
and so now having someone coming on and producing it
where that kind of part of it is a little
bit oliviate, you know, taken away in terms of the
stress of that, I decided.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
To bring in a co director.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
And after weeks and weeks of researching various directors, because
I'm really really big on who I bring with me
along this journey, because it is a journey and I
know all that it takes to put up my show,
I decided to bring.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
On the amazing Bernadette Speaks.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes, you may know her from Love Jones, from All
American And I just think I could not have been
more grateful for God to have partnered us together, because
she is stretching me in ways that I did not
know that I still needed to be stretched. She is
challenging me in ways because the thing is, I did
my show all the way back in twenty eighteen. But
I'm not the same person I was in twenty eighteen.
I'm not even the same person I was last year
(06:06):
when I did this show, hopefully or not right, And
so my as my story is evolving, so am I
And so when I am constantly evolving, as we all are.
Hopefully as artists, our art should reflect that evolution.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
I always wonder, though, and I asked you some form
of this question the last time we spoke, and maybe
the answer is the same or it's somewhat different now.
I wonder how you manage to tell some of these
same stories, relive some of the same pain, and not
either become numb or find yourself falling back into that
pit of pain.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, This is also another reason why I'm so grateful
that I have a co director, because a lot of
the trauma or whatever it is that I'm sharing on
stage from part of my life story is either trauma
that I am still currently actively working through, like in
therapy or whatever, or it may be something that I
am reliving currently right now in my present day. So again,
(07:00):
my vulnerability is my superpower, and I think within that
transparency that's the thing that really touches people's souls, because
it's like, here I am bearing my soul on this
stage unapologetically in hopes and hopes that I can impact,
inspire and courage one person in the audience that my
bravery and my courage and my understanding that our stories
(07:21):
are our trials or tribulations of what we go through
is not just for us. It is literally meant to
help to save to someone else. And so because I
talked about this too in another interview that because within
the African American community specifically, we are always brought up
to be like, hey, what happens in this house days?
And it's not you bet not going against the grain.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
You bet not. I promise you.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
We cannot break generational curses that way, we cannot heal
that way.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And because I.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Am so much joy right, I literally am an illustration
of not looking like what I've been through, and I
think that.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Is powerful too.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And so if I can show people that resilience and
how no matter what, I still can continue to get up,
then you could get up too.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
We're talking about a rosecalled Candace with idi am. I
am amazed Candace Nicholas Lipmann because each time we talk,
you have a renewed sense of self and energy which
confounds me. And then I hear your person of faith like,
oh yeah, that expats that, you know.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Yeah very quickly?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
How can people find the show and get their tickets
right now?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Yes, right now?
Speaker 1 (08:26):
You can go to the Robitheatercompany dot org. Robitheatrecompany dot org.
They are also a producer on this show.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
That's r O b e Y Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
R O b e Y Theater Company dot org.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
You can also head to my website a rosecall Candace
dot com for more information and it will be We
have our first preview this Friday, hold June twentieth, and
then the official opening is June twenty first, and we
run through the twenty ninth.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Just got to let people know it's the Robytheatercompany dot org.
That's r O b e y t e e A
t r E Company dot org. We're gonna make sure
that you get there. Will help more with boy I
tell you Candace Nicholas Flipman because I tried not to
get too caught up in the conversation, you know, but
when the spirit starts moving, as they say, you know
(09:15):
more in just a moment. It's Lady with mo Kelly
k if I AM six forty. We live everywhere in
the iHeartRadio app and YouTube.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty k if.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
I am six forty, Yes Later with Mo Kelly We're
live on YouTube and the iHeartRadio app, and you're just
tuning in. My guest in studio is Candace Nicholas Lipman.
You know her as an actress, probably from Blind Spotting
as Jasmine and her solo play Now I'm sorry to now,
I'm sorry. I hate when I get things wrong with that.
I am so sorry.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
But we're here for your solo one woman play, a
rose called Candace, and it is debuting on the twenty first,
and it's running through the twenty ninth at the Roby
Theater excuse me, at the Los Angeles Theater, which is
five to one four Spring Street in LA. And from
what I hear, you got two people in the studio
(10:08):
who will be there as well.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
You see, it.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Should be foult mister Kelly, look fair enough, fair enough toala.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
You got my schedule.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I think we could do Saturday and twenty first. As
we talk about this, I suspect you're drained after every performance.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh my goodness, I'm again transparency.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I'm drained right now, like I am exhausted, like literally
even all day today. Although I do have producers on
the show, I am still a producer of my show
and I will make sure that my show is successful
in the name of Jesus. And so I'm still behind
the scenes, very much so, going all over Los Angeles
networking with people, passing out flyers, doing all the things,
(10:57):
booking my own press things, you know, like doing whatever
I can to make sure that you know, by God's grace,
that we get people in the seats and whoever is
meant to be there will be there.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
You and I were having a very candid conversation off
air talking about the realities of entertainment. Let me put
it that way, where with each success, there is someone saying.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You're a failure.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, absolutely, each step.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Of the way, someone is saying you can't do this,
or you're not good enough, or they don't recognize the
path that you're on.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
How do you deal with it? I know how I
deal with it.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Yeah, well, the way that I look at it.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You know how sometimes people have been saying, well, like
if you don't got no haters, then that means you're
not doing you know kind of thing and not trying
to say that these people are haters. But when people
are trying to speak okay, but like when people do
try to feed me with all that negativity. Again, everything
is perspective, and I have to do the work constantly
to be like, No, I know who I am, I
know who God is, and I know what God.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Said and what he has ordained for my life.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So regardless of what you're saying, I can listen to
what you say, but I don't have to receive it,
and I'll have the positive in my spirit.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
I rebuke it.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Take me inside a rose called Candice. How is it
broken up? Is it broken up? Let's say in the
thirds where you're a child for a portion, maybe an
adolescent than an adult.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
How does it proceed?
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yes, So it's sixty minutes exactly, no intermission, and basically
the show is done like in three acts. However, it's
literally like as people have described it in emotional rollercoaster ride,
like I literally take you through a lot.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
In sixty minutes.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
And so yeah, So like Act one, we're really digging
into me in my childhood. Act two is kind of
like high school, more of the growth high school college.
And then Act three is here being in Los Angeles
and what that experience has been like.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So do you find that Well, I'm pretty sure audiences
react differently on different nights of different parts. Do you
find people responding more to when you're an adolescent or
maybe in college or I'm quite sure it hits people differently.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yes, because it hits people differently, and the different responses
that I've gotten from people.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
This is also how I know that this is purpose.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Because when I'm just a black girl from the hood
of Sacramento that's.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Out here trying to achieve her dream, okay.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And the fact that me, someone like me, my story
can reach someone of different faith backgrounds, of different ethnic groups,
of different age demographics. How that's nothing but God that
my story can reach all these different people. And I
really have to say, that's kind of kudos to my pastor,
doctor Hoaiah Collins, because it was him Back in twenty fourteen.
(13:28):
I was homeless living in my car when I started
writing this story.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Run too fast past that, slow down so people can
hear it and understand not only where you're going but
where you've come from. Yeah, thank you almost living in
your car.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yeah, you know, it's so interesting you said that, because
that's one of my notes that my co directors. She's like,
you know, you don't have to speak like hand is
let us be there with.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
You, Yes, let us twell in the moment.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
So yes. It was twenty fourteen.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I was living in my car, homeless, and I remember
having a counseling session with my pastor and I remember
kind of just talking to him like about my life
little bit. And he's the one who say He was like,
baby girl, you have a powerful story, he said, and
I'm gonna tell you something.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Your story is not unique.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
But it's because it's not unique is the reason why
you need to share it. And that shifted everything for
me where I was like, oh again, our testimony is
not just for us.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
It is meant to be for other people.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
And so with that, I just was like okay, God,
And I just was writing, writing and writing, and then
I debuted it in twenty eighteen and then just kept
on with it from there. But the response I got
in twenty that really SOLIDI for that confirm where I
was like, oh, wow, okay, so cause I'm terrified. It
is terrifying. I am literally sharing things that people put
(14:40):
in their journals.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Do you understand, like this is.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Things that I'm sharing out But again, because it is
bigger than me, I have to remove myself and understand
that Kennis is bigger than you. You have more of
a calling, you.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Know, Kenn's.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I always wonder, yes, women are going to get something
out of this. Women made more readily identify with the
different parts of your story.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
But I'm sure men get something.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Absolutely absolutely if you go back. And I'm so grateful
for those who leave reviews and stuff. Thank y'all so
so much, because not only, of course, is it letting
other people know what your experience was to see in
the show, but it also reminds me too on days
that I may have where I'm doubting myself or feeling
low or hearing all that negativity.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And I'm like, why am I doing this?
Speaker 5 (15:24):
God?
Speaker 1 (15:24):
You know? And then I go back and I look
at I'm like, Okay, God, I'm making a difference. God
is having impact the men. If y'all go read the
reviews the men their reviews, Wow.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
It's interesting because we do different things, but we respond similarly.
What I mean by that is when you're performing, and
this is kind of a performance art at radio, we
may not get the immediate response and reaction from people,
but when we do hear from someone, it renews us
because we sometimes forget we're touching people in ways that
(15:57):
we don't.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Know in the moment.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, there was a rehearsal that Bernadette and I had
and it was on a really hard part of my
story that I was sharing, and I just broke down
in the middle of rehearsal and I literally yelled out
to her, why am.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I doing this again?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Because yes, because I'm like, why am I putting myself
out here again for people?
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Why am I doing this?
Speaker 4 (16:21):
God?
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Like, what is the purpose of Like, So, even within
the process and me still being very clear of.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
My assignment, I'm still human.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Like, this is not easy, and y'all will see when
you come see the show.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It's not easy what I'm doing at all.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Candace Nicholas Slippman, I'm out of time with you at
this point, but i want to make sure that you
know that we support you and make.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Sure that people know how to get there.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yes, tell people the when, the where, the how, all
the specifics.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Please Yes, So again, y'all, my name is Candace Nicholas Flipman.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
That's Candace c. A. N. D Ace. Oh wait, I
forgot we online Now y'all can see my name right here.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
Break.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
It's a YouTube show.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
What's up you too?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
So yeah, if you go you typed in my name
Candace Nicholas Lippman, you can find me on all the platforms.
I don't have a stage name. That is my name, amen.
And then for tickets, you can go to a rose
called Candace dot com, which is spelled the same way
as my name there, or you can also go to
the Robitheater coompany dot.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Org and that's r O b e y Theater t
h e A t r e dot org. Because some
of y'all can't spell the way you eat.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
You a theater. It's not like boovie theater. It's like
play right the r E.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yes, you guys, come, come come. It is more than entertainment.
This show is ministry. I promise you, based on what
all throughout the years that other people have said, you
will not leave the theater the same way you came in.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I'm very grateful to the Roby.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I'm so grateful to mister Julius and miss Viola for
giving me this opportunity to share my story again and again.
This is probably the final run in Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So if you've never seen my show.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Come, and even if you have seen it, you have
not seen it this way before.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
So come, come, Come.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
All I got to say is I appreciate when someone
like the statue of Viola Davis sees potential and talent
in you and then takes it upon themselves to help
you reach another level.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
We should do more than just helping an assisting one
or another.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Amen. And then also, y'all, when you you know how
they say like manifesting or speaking things too. So it
is one thing about like how we kind of met.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
But also if you go.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Back through my Twitter feeds, if my friends can attest
to this, I have been manifesting or professing like one
day I'm gonna work with miss Viola one day. One
now in my mind, I'm thinking, like on the movie set,
please Jesus still one day. But the fact that this
is why you tell God your plans he laughs, Because
the fact that it's happening this way with something that
I created is amazing, and so I'm just so grateful.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Let me just say this, see you soon, Aye, It's
later with Mokelli. If I am six forty, we live everybody.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
I heeartradio up you're listening to Later with Moe Kelly
on demand from KFI a M six forty
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