Interview: 'Just Keep Singing': Cedric Neal on PERSONALITY: THE LLOYD PRICE MUSICAL IN CONCERT

Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical in Concert, starring Cedric Neal as Lloyd Price, arrived at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on 11 October. We had the chance to chat with Neal about what it is like to be taking on the role of the innovative artist, whose work was recorded by legends like Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Paul McCartney. We discussed how he “stumbled into” musical theatre, how concert productions of shows have evolved and even his personal connections to Lloyd Price and his music.

So how did you first get started in the world of theatre?

I've been a part of the entertainment industry in some form or another my entire life. I was born in Dallas, Texas, in Oak Cliff, and was born into a singing family. My mother was a gospel singer. My father is a preacher and a gospel singer, and funnily enough, is first cousins with Sam Cooke, who's featured in Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical! So I've been singing my entire life.

Then I went to a performing arts high school in Dallas, Texas called the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. So that's how I stumbled into musical theatre in high school. But then when I returned to Dallas, around 2001, my high school musical theatre teacher was doing a local production of the musical Once On This Island, and the guy playing the lead unfortunately had to be admitted to the hospital four days before they opened. So she called me, and she said, “Cedric, we need somebody who can read music, who can sing the score, who can act it, and we open in four days.” That was 2001 and I've been working professionally ever since then, knock on wood! So I stumbled into musical theatre, but it's my home, my happy place. It's the only thing that I'm good at that's legal! [Laughs] 

And what made you want to be a part of Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical?

2024 was a very trying year for me, professionally, personally, spiritually, mentally. Coming off of an Olivier nomination for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre, my world of theatre was dead silent after that. I thought it would be the opposite. So it was the summer of 2024 - I was in a rough place, mentally. And artists have that thing, ‘Will I ever work again? Was that my last gig, my last gig?” I was going through that at the time, and got a call from my agent saying that Sheldon Epps [Director] and Jeff Madoff [Book], to talk to me about this project. We had a Zoom call, and Sheldon explained the piece to me and told me that he thought I would be perfect for it. Three weeks later, we were in a room, workshopping the piece!

I'm glad that it came about when it did, because my story is so similar to Lloyd Price's story. Every time he wants to give up in life, one of his mentors just keeps saying, “Just keep singing,” and that's an ongoing theme in my life. My mom, before she passed away in 2001, one of her mantras in life was “Son, just keep living.” So every time I say, “Just keep singing,” in Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical, I hear my mom saying, “Just keep living.”

It's a wonderful piece about an unsung hero who stumbles into the world of recording music - very much like I stumbled into the world of musical theatre! His impact cannot be denied, but he’s so unknown, so that's why I'm glad this story is coming about. People need to know that Lloyd Price was the first musical artist to own his own label and have a distribution deal with ABC-Paramount. That was gargantuan at the time! So I'm excited about telling this story. I get to sing my music and tell my story through Lloyd Price.

Had you known about Lloyd Price before being involved in the production?

I didn't know his name, but I knew about Lloyd Price because back in 2014, I was a part of the resident acting company at the Dallas Theater Centre, my home theatre. Will Power wrote this musical called Stagger Lee, based on the legend of “Stagger Lee,” which is one of Lloyd Price's most popular songs. 

What was the rehearsal process been like for Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical?

A year ago, we did the first workshop for this. And in this industry, it's rare to to work on a piece - especially in a workshop setting - where the entire cast and creative team just gelled. We gelled like a family, and the same is happening this go around.

They've been very patient with me, because I'm doing double duty. I'm currently playing Hermes in the West End production of Hadestown, so I'm rehearsing this during the day, and then going to do Hadestown at night. So they've been very, very patient with me. The ensemble, the principal cast, the creatives, all have my back, and we carry each other. So the rehearsal process has been heavenly. The younger ensemble members, who are mostly black British performers, had no idea of the Lloyd Price story and the impact that he had on the recording industry and the music industry as a whole. So to see it click in their eyes, in their storytelling, brings a smile to my face. The rehearsal rooms have been totally comfortable and safe. We can take risks. We all feel supported in telling this man's story. 

And what is it like performing in a concert version of a show like this?

Back in 2018, I did what was one of the first concert versions of a show at Hackney Empire called King. It was telling the story of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, and we literally stood at microphones and sang the score. That was a concert. This is a staged concert version. There's blocking, there's costumes, there's lights, there's a sound designer. And that's a testament to how committed everybody in this process is to making sure that this piece comes to fruition. It deserves the staged concert that is being given. And I feel privileged, honoured and humbled to be a part of this staged presentation. Because, like I said, the world knows Lloyd Price’s music, but they don't know the impact that he had. And this story, his story, is universal - I can't wait for multitudes of people to experience it. So I feel blessed to be a part of this.

Do you have a favourite Lloyd Price song, and has it changed since working on the show?

Yes, it has changed since working on the show! I thought my favourite Lloyd Price song was “Stagger Lee” because of the experience that I had with Stagger Lee the musical. And you would think most people's favourite Lloyd Price’s song is “Personality,” because that's his most well-known song. But there's a song in the show called “Never Let Me Go.” It's a ballad, and it comes in the show when things are falling apart for Lloyd Price on a personal and professional level. And the emotions conveyed through that song have now become my favourite song, because I can relate to it on so many levels in my own life, and it's just a banger of a song. It's called “Never Let Me Go.” 

What do you hope audiences take away from the Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical?

I hope audiences take away from Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical that there's so many unsung heroes that have affected our lives, our culture, our arts scene, that we don't even know about. Like I said, the ongoing theme through this show is, for Lloyd Price, “just keep singing.” And I hope audiences walk away going with whatever their singing situation is in their life - whether it's politics, religion, relationships, addiction, religion - just keep singing. There's always somebody there to support you. There's always a mentor that you can lean back on. There's always a generation to come that you can encourage if you just keep singing.

And finally, how would you describe Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical in one word?

Necessary.

Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical in Concert ran on 11 October at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.