Interview: Lisa Reneé Pitts of A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL at Starlight Theatre

Veteran actress Lisa Reneé Pitts has spent decades bringing unforgettable stories to life across Broadway, television, film, and audiobooks. From portraying Verna Griffin, the mother of Dr. Dre, in the blockbuster STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, to her acclaimed Broadway debut in SWEAT, Pitts has built a career defined by powerful storytelling and authentic performances.

Now, she’s captivating audiences across the country as The Doctor in the First National Tour of A Beautiful Noise: THE Neil Diamond MUSICAL —a role she says combines the spectacle of a hit musical with an intimate story about mental health, resilience, and humanity.

Andrew Burrill of BroadwayWorld recently spoke with Pitts about her journey from Brooklyn to Broadway, the magic of live theater, and why she believes this production is exactly what audiences need today!

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Tell us a little about yourself. Where did your journey into theater begin?

I’m originally from Flatbush, Brooklyn—just like Neil Diamond! I knew I wanted to be an actress ever since I was a little girl, and I was fortunate to have parents who supported me from day one. I attended performing arts junior high and high school, then earned my BFA in Theater from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts.

I started performing in New York in regional theater and Off-Broadway before moving to Los Angeles around 2000 to focus more on television and film. But I’ve always loved theater, so being part of this national tour—and getting to tell Neil Diamond’s incredible story—is really special.

Why is A Beautiful Noise such an important show for audiences right now?

Because we all need a sing-along right about now. We all need those happy feelings again. Whether you’re already a Neil Diamond fan or not, you’re going to hear songs and think, “Wait… Neil Diamond wrote that?” or “I didn’t know he sang that!” It’s a show that brings people together. Everyone is singing, smiling, remembering different moments in their lives. That’s something we all need.

What was your reaction when you found out you were cast in the national tour?

I’ll keep it 100, as the young kids say! When my team first sent me the audition, I thought, “You want me to go where? For how long? To do what? About who?” I knew who Neil Diamond was, but I honestly didn’t know his catalog very well. Then I read the script. I realized this wasn’t just a concert musical—it’s actually a beautiful play inside a huge musical. There’s an intimate story about mental health, depression, and anxiety wrapped inside these iconic songs. Then I realized I’d get to travel the country telling the story of one of the most beloved artists in the world. It became a no-brainer. This is actually my very first national tour, and I’m so grateful to be part of it.

Younger audiences may not immediately recognize Neil Diamond’s name. What would you say to encourage them to see the show?

First, our cast is incredibly diverse. Every age, every background—you’ll see yourself represented on stage. Second, younger audiences know more Neil Diamond songs than they realize. My nephew recently called me and said, “Aunt Lisa, we’re playing ‘Sweet Caroline’ in band.” The music continues to live on. When I arrive at the theater before every performance, I see grandparents bringing grandchildren, parents bringing their kids. They’re sharing memories while creating new ones. It’s a beautiful thing.

You spoke beautifully about live theater during our conversation. What makes it so powerful?

I recently learned something fascinating. During certain moments in live theater, audience members’ heartbeats actually begin syncing together. Everyone is breathing together. Everyone is feeling together. That’s something you can’t recreate anywhere else. Film is wonderful—but once it’s finished, it’s finished. Theater changes every single night. I’m different. My acting partners are different. The audience is different. Anything can happen. That’s the beauty of live performance. It reminds us to simply be present. There’s nothing else quite like it.

What advice would you give to young people considering a career in theater?

Study. Whether that’s college, conservatory, private classes, workshops, or learning through experience—you have to study your craft. There are millions of talented performers. What separates you is preparation.

A lawyer studies.

A doctor studies.

A plumber studies.

Actors should study.

I’m a Meisner-trained actor, and that training allows me to work in theater, television, film, and audiobooks. Talent alone isn’t enough. You have to learn how to use your instrument.

Looking back on your remarkable career, what project has impacted you the most?

I’ve been blessed to tell so many meaningful stories. One that immediately comes to mind is TWIGHLIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992, Anna Deavere Smith’s remarkable work about the Los Angeles uprising following the Rodney King incident. Originally, it was a one-person show where Anna portrayed dozens of real people using their exact words from interviews she conducted. I later had the opportunity to perform it with an ensemble, portraying multiple characters from different communities.

Those are the kinds of stories I love telling—stories that educate while they entertain.

Even in A Beautiful Noise, I portray a psychiatrist helping one of the most iconic entertainers in history navigate depression and anxiety.

People need conversations like that today.

Whether it’s August Wilson, SWEAT, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, audiobooks about social justice, or this musical—I’ve always wanted to tell stories that matter.

Is there still a dream role you hope to play?

Absolutely. I would love to play in August Wilson’s FENCES. And for film…I want to tell the story of Eartha Kitt. People often tell me I resemble a younger Eartha Kitt. So I’m putting it out into the universe. I’d love to bring her story to the big screen.

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Speaking with Lisa Reneé Pitts, one thing becomes immediately clear: while audiences may know her from productions like STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, SWEAT, THE STAND, or dozens of television appearances, what truly drives her is storytelling.

Whether she’s portraying a psychiatrist, a civil rights witness, a grieving mother, or narrating one of more than 150 audiobooks, Pitts believes every role carries the opportunity to educate, heal, and connect people.

That philosophy shines brightly in A BEUTIFUL NOISE. While audiences come for beloved classics like “Sweet Caroline” and “America,” they leave having witnessed something far deeper—a story about vulnerability, resilience, and the healing power of music.

As Pitts beautifully summarized during our conversation:

“Theater reminds us to be in the moment… and there’s nothing else that brings us together like that.”

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About Lisa Reneé Pitts

Lisa Reneé Pitts is an award-winning stage, film, television, and audiobook actress whose career spans more than three decades. A graduate of Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, Pitts began her career performing in New York before relocating to Los Angeles, where she built an extensive résumé in television and film.

Audiences may recognize her as Verna Griffin, Dr. Dre’s mother, in the record-breaking music biopic STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, as well as from appearances in HER, THE STAND, LINCOLN HEIGHTS, THE SHIELD, THE PRACTICE, and the TRUE TO THE GAME film series.

On stage, Pitts made her Broadway debut in Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning SWEAT and has earned numerous Critics Circle Awards and NAACP Theatre Award nominations throughout her distinguished career. Away from the stage and screen, she is also an award-winning audiobook narrator and producer, having voiced more than 150 titles for major publishers including Audible, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster.

She is currently touring North America as The Doctor in the First National Equity Tour of A BEAUTIUFL NOISE: THE Neil Diamond MUSICAL, bringing warmth, compassion, and emotional depth to one of the production’s most pivotal roles.
 

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