Jennifer Holliday Talks About Her Upcoming Concert and More on Backstage LIVE With Richard Ridge

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge is keeping up with all of their latest projects on Backstage Live, bringing you in-depth interviews twice weekly. On October 16, he chatted with Broadway's original Dreamgirl, Jennifer Holliday, who celebrates her 60th birthday in concert on Monday, October 19 (8pm)!

Holliday talked about the concert during the interview!

"I'm so excited just to have an opportunity to perform," she said. "Unfortunately my last singing was for Congressman John Lewis' funeral a few months ago. Prior to that I had not sung a couple of months, and since then I have not sung. So I'm so excited."

Holliday also said that, in addition to the charities that the concert already benefits, for those who purchased tickets yesterday, she donated a portion of the proceeds to the furloughed staff at Feinstein's/54 Below.

"It's one of my favorite places to perform, and the staff there is amazing," she said. "They are precious to me."

She then went on to talk about some of the songs that fans can expect if they tune into the concert.

"Of course they can expect my songs from Dreamgirls," she said. "I have been very fortunate and blessed to have such a great repertoire from Dreamgirls."

"I'll also be doing a tribute to our queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, because I idolized her as a young girl growing up," she said. "I've got a tribute to Etta James, tribute to Streisand..." There will also be some special birthday shoutouts from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Kristin Chenoweth, Phylicia Rashad, Norm Lewis, and more.

Watch the full interview below:

Tony- and two-time Grammy Award-winner, Jennifer Holliday -- Broadway's original Dreamgirl -- celebrates her 60th birthday with you, direct to your living room! Joined by a six-piece band, Jennifer will share hit songs from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, soul-stirring tributes to her childhood idol Aretha Franklin, and original works from her own albums. The event will also feature special moments with Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Mariah Carey and many more. Since she opened in Dreamgirls on Broadway, Holliday is still telling the world that she's staying and you're gonna love her!

The concert celebration presented by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC), will benefit the Healthy Housing Foundation, providing affordable housing to those in need and moving families from homelessness to housing!