VIDEO: Marisha Wallace Describes Her Experience Being Black On Broadway

Broadway earned its nickname "The Great White Way" in the 1890s when the street was one of Manhattan's first to be illuminated by electric lights, but, as pointed out by The Root, the moniker tales on an edgier meaning when applied to traditional hiring practices in Broadway theatres.

The highly diverse 2015-16 season, which includEd Hamilton, AMAZING GRACE, ECLIPSED, ALLEGIANCE, THE COLOR PURPLE, ON YOUR FEET!, SHUFFLE ALONG and a non-traditionally cast THE GIN GAME, provided far more opportunities to diversify the pool of actors seen on Broadway.

In the video, Marisha Wallace describes how, as a young black performer, she didn't really think a theatre career was possible and how up until recently "we were all chasing after one, two or three roles. The whole crop of us."

Wallace's latest Broadway gig was in the original cast of SOMETHING ROTTEN!, where she was featured in the ensemble and understudiEd White actor Heidi Blickenstaff as Bea.

When given the opportunity to play the role, she realized she was a black actor playing the wife of a white actor and thought, "Oh my God, I'm in this kitchen cooking for him and I'm not his maid. I'm his wife."

Watch the full video by clicking the screen shot below.

More recently, Wallace starred as Effie in the Dallas Theater Center's production of DREAMGIRLS. Enjoy her performance of "One Night Only" and visit marishawallace.com.