BACK ON BROADWAY! OBC- CHECK!

 GUESSS WHAAAAAT?

Ya girl is BACK ON BROADWAY! And she got HER OBC_- Original Broadway Cast  in a PRINCIPLE ROLE! Life, truly, is magical. I am blessed. Where do I begin?

January 2023, right when I was OVER NYC...right when I planned on leaving it all to head back home to Chicago and "figure it out", LION KING RAFIKI TOUR books me and I end up GOING HOME to CHICAGO ANYWAY for rehearsal!I got the role of Sarabi, Simba's Momma, Mufasa's Queen, and understudy NALA! I first auditioned for Lion King in 2016 and 7 years later I got it with ease almost! Because I was doing the Aida Workshop with Clem who is the musical supervisory of Lion King and he asked me why I never went in for NALA! A recommendation from the musical supervisor and my well connected agent DID THAT! (and me of course)

Anyway, long story short, I started the tour with the famed Lion King  as Queen Sarabi and didn't realize that I would be also be Hyena #15 and giant flower #29 in the background. Of course, as a "sunflower" (affectionately called by our dance captain) and spotlight lover, my face hungrily searched the "sky" for the light and told a multi chapter story with my eyes, while being hidden in the back, because as soon as I step on stage, the STORY is being told (thank you Dr. Ollie Watts Davis- Art Song recital training) and just in case some small child's eager eyes happen to fall on me! The Hyena and the spotlight? not so much. This was more like dancing in the shadows of the graveyard (which is fun in its own way?)  I DESPISED that costume with every fiber of my being- however, certain days, I used my anger and channeled it to excitement and zest. Anyway, there was a point where I felt like we were all pledging something together...but ironically the collective struggle that I felt was something I only felt and my experience ended up being one of the most lonely and challenging experiences of my career. The actor who played Mufusa was one of the coldest people I have ever met in my life, blatantly ignoring me and avoiding my eyes since day 1. When I fell down on the rock, offstage, he didn't budge as I struggled to my feet. To begin such a beautiful show in love singing about the power of the connection of life, I've never felt so disconnected and heart broken. BUT I am SO grateful because something inside me activated...ignited!! I REFUSE to let 1 or 2 or 15 people steal the light, gratitude and joy I have for being in this show. This little light of mine? I'm going to let it shine DAMNIT!! I will not be consumed in darkness!! I will shine, even though I am covered in drapes of fabric and energetic heaviness. I felt like I was at war with an energetic darkness and my weapon was light, joy, mindfulness, and FOCUS. I will focus on things that feel good, light, or NEUTRAL. The whole experience honestly was one of the most glorious productions I've ever been in  (THE STORY THE MUSIC inspired me DAILY) and the challenges made a LIGHT WARRIOR out of me. Now that I made it to the other side, I feel unstoppable!  

It was a moment on tour when I felt like my soul was starting to break and a dresser in DC told me to talk to my ancestors and tell them ask them for help. I called out to everyone! Jesus, Holy Spirit, Gramps, Nana, Grandma, Granddad, Woody, and whoever was on my angelic team to DELIVER ME out of my current place to a stage... a story where joy is present and easily accessible, where I feel like I actually add value and my soul can be replenished. I prayed that I GET MY OBC before I turned 40. I prayed and asked for BOLD SPECIFIC things and They HEARD MY CRY- Hallelujah. A week later, I got an audition for Harmony and within 2 weeks I was in NYC recording the cast album!!! Life CAN BE a MAGICAL MAGNETIC experience!

So now, here I am. Writing in my room in Williamsburg, the door to the terrace is open and I'm getting ready to do some Pilates Yoga before stepping out to rehearsal to learn my big dance number as Josephine Baker in Warren Carlyle and Barry Manilow's new Broadway SHOW! I've been floating through NYC...

Nothing is perfect, I am STILL OH SO LONELY, still don't have a place of my own, and don't feel super solid....but when I look back over my life, and see how God has opened doors and been with me through the valleys and mountains, TRULY I can say that God is REAL and GREAT. My family is still healthy happy and I have a roof over my head and money coming in the bank . and I'm OPENING a NEW BROADWAY SHOW called HARMONY - out of all the things....My favorite thing in the world. I couldn't make this up. The Universe is the Author of my life and I am the Co-Author. I intend to continue co-creating goodness and variety.