2006 Tony Awards Q&A: LaChanze

LaChanze's Broadway credits include Once on This Island (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Ragtime, Company, Uptown...It's Hot! Off-Broadway credits include Dessa Rose (Obie Award and Drama Desk Award nomination), The Vagina Monologues, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Drama Desk nomination).

 

How did you get your nomination news?

I was washing my hair, and my press agent called to say "let's go shopping." I told her I was not looking until I got a nomination, so that was her way of letting me know that I got one.

So have you started shopping yet?

Not yet! She's started shopping already, and I'll be joining in shortly.

What was your Tony nomination day like?

It's so exciting, my phone has not stopped ringing, and couldn't be more thrilled for my fellow actors, the designers, the creators – everyone!

 

The number of the nominations that the show received is sure to be making everyone happy in the 'Purple' family…
Definitely… Everyone involved has worked so hard for the project, and it's great to see the Tony Awards recognize the effort, the talent and the work it took to bring it to Broadway. I also think that it's recognition of the influence that a show has made on Broadway and what it can do for longevity and the future of Broadway as a whole. I think that it's definitely making an impact.

What sort of an impact?

It's bringing in a whole new audience, an audience that wouldn't normally come to the theatre. It's a hugely diverse audience, and I've been doing theatre for 15 years and I'm seeing the most diverse audiences I've ever seen. It didn't happen during Once on This Island. People are coming out, spending the money and are enjoying the show and appreciating what they're seeing. It's not a cheap ticket, so they're not just coming to see a show, they're making an 'investment' in it and that's so important. They're not far removed, they're responding back to what they're seeing and they're reacting very well, and that's the biggest thrill for me. Every night there's tears, joy, laughing, and even a couple of 'whoop, whoops.'

 

When did you first get involved with the show?

My first reading was in January of 2004. I've gone away and have done other projects in between, but this has been sort of my project on the back burner. I did 3 workshops, 2 readings, the out of town tryouts and now the Broadway run. So, I've been involved with the project for a while, and being able to see it come to pass, and get up, and just how audiences are embracing it has been amazing.

So it's been everything that you hoped it would be?

It's been more than what I hoped it would be. Oprah came on halfway through the rehearsal process, so we had all this confidence even before she came on board, and now it's a nationally recognized Broadway musical. The attention has been insane and of course it's helped the show, but at the point of the process that it came on, we were already very far into things. 

Have you heard from her yet?

We haven't heard from her yet, but have heard from all of our producers, and everyone in the production. I'm so excited for the company.

In the Best Actress category you're in some great company this year, how do you feel about your fellow nominees?

I did get a message to Sutton Foster earlier, because I'm such a fan, and it's such a thrill to be nominated along side her. It's an amazing group of women, and there's no better than or less than. It's such an honor to be in the group, so I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.

Everyone's bringing their best, and it's a diverse group just like the world of theatre. I'm hoping to talk to everyone at the press day to tell them how much I love them, and how thrilled I am to be with them up there. 

Any last thoughts for your fans and the theatre community?

Just that I'm so thrilled to be a part of this years Tony award nominees, and thank goodness for the Tonys!