- 2 days ago
Broadway actresses Bonita Hamilton and Adrienne Walker talk about their experiences playing Shenzi and Nala in The Lion King and their advice for aspiring theater stars.
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00:00It's the circle of life
00:27Hello, thank you all so much for chatting with me.
00:39My mom's name is Benita and I'm in Atlanta, Georgia.
00:42So I was like, I feel a connection.
00:44There's a connection already.
00:45There's a connection, yes.
00:48How does she spell it?
00:49B-O-N-I-T-A?
00:51That's the same way.
00:52Oh, your mother is beautiful.
00:57Well, I want to start, you know, The Lion King is the first Broadway performance I've ever even seen.
01:05And now has been the first that I've seen, you know, since Broadway has come back.
01:10So I'm curious for both of you, how does it feel to be back, you know, performing now?
01:14Broadway's only been back a few months, you know, since COVID.
01:17How does it feel to be back on stage?
01:19It feels refreshing, right?
01:21It's like, I've never been away from the stage that long since I started, since I started working.
01:29And so it was refreshing to come back, but I feel like we all came back different as different people.
01:37Just I'm sure you're experiencing that too, Brandy, just living in the world, you know, taking a seat back and your values maybe have changed or shifted.
01:45For me personally, I found that that change has really served me really well on stage.
01:51And I feel like I take more risks.
01:53I am more excited about what I do for a living.
01:57You know, the people listening and watching may think, hey, why can't you be excited about what you do all the time?
02:02But sometimes you do feel burned out.
02:04You know, you work from Tuesday to Sunday and it becomes your whole life.
02:09And somehow stepping away and coming back to it, I just have a completely different approach.
02:13Yeah, likewise, I felt like, I think everyone changed a little bit during the pandemic.
02:23Some changed for the better, some not.
02:27I think it served me well because it grounded me a little bit.
02:33The pandemic grounded me and made me reevaluate the important things in life, such as, you know, my spirituality, my family, you know, my work, my craft, my art.
02:49And I felt we came back at the right moment.
02:55I needed to be back at that moment to feed my soul because the world needs live art.
03:04We, the world needs theater.
03:06I'm going to say that one more time for the people in the cheap seats.
03:10The world needs live theater and Broadway is back.
03:15And you can tell by our audiences, people have been wanting to fill the void.
03:22The houses have been full.
03:23Talk about how much notice did you have between, you know, kind of, you know, the down time and then, okay, we're coming back.
03:31Because I'm just thinking of preparation of how rigorous, you know, it is.
03:37Even for me now, like going to junkets and stuff.
03:39I'm like, I've been used to sitting at home.
03:41It's a lot.
03:43What's it been like for you?
03:45It's like, it's, we, I think we had about what?
03:49Four weeks of rehearsal.
03:51Yeah, we had four weeks of rehearsal.
03:52So they let us know whenever, like, just before everyone else found out.
03:57Did we know like in April that we were coming back or May?
04:00May?
04:01Maybe around then.
04:02We had, I think we had a good three months to like get it together.
04:07Like put away the donuts.
04:09You know, stop buying Cheez-Its.
04:12Cheez-Its, you know, start cooking meals, working out, cardio Pilates.
04:17Like we had some time to get it together.
04:19Because like you said, Brandy, it is a rigorous show for everyone.
04:23You know, everyone has a huge responsibility on their shoulders.
04:27So it is not something you can go in from the couch.
04:31You know, you, you, you gotta start training.
04:33Yeah.
04:33Not at all.
04:34And if you go in from the couch, when the curtain comes up, you will know that you've gone in
04:41from the couch.
04:41Yeah.
04:42You're going to feel it.
04:46Yeah.
04:46So we did train.
04:47We, we trained a few, I know quite a few people in the show that hired trainers.
04:52Other people got back in the dance studio.
04:55I hired a trainer.
04:56Me and my husband were working out together, trying to figure this out and dieting and everything.
05:01And you know, there's nothing like doing the show.
05:04There's a conditioning that happens when you do it regularly that you can only really get
05:07by doing the show.
05:08But we all, we all put in our best efforts, I think.
05:12So tell me about each of you.
05:13Um, I would love to go back to landing your roles.
05:17Um, Adrian, I think you started playing Nala in 2016.
05:20Is that right?
05:20Yes.
05:20Yes.
05:21Can you talk about just like that process?
05:23And when you found out I am Nala.
05:25Oh my gosh.
05:26That, you know, okay.
05:27So I was on tour with another show, uh, and it was my first tour ever.
05:32And when you're a struggling actor, which I hate that, but it is true.
05:37It's, you know, it's a real life thing.
05:38Uh, to book a tour is huge.
05:40So I kind of had a mindset of, I'm good.
05:43I don't have to work these survival jobs.
05:45I'm good.
05:46And I think that was the best mindset to be in, in auditioning for a life-changing opportunity.
05:51So I got a call, uh, from my agent.
05:54Hey, they're looking for a Nala replacement.
05:56And, uh, can you fly in?
05:58Well, I only, I couldn't fly in.
06:00I only had a couple of personal days on this tour.
06:02So I said, Hey, will they take a tape?
06:04They took a tape, sent in a tape.
06:06I was like, they're never going to watch this tape.
06:07They watched the tape.
06:08And so then I got some notes and they called me back.
06:10And so I flew in for the callback and, uh, took an overnight trip, walked in right off
06:17the plane to my audition.
06:19And I think I just had this mindset of, I have nothing to lose.
06:21I have nothing to lose.
06:23And I was like, I can sing this music.
06:26I think I understand from the notes they gave me what they want from the character.
06:29And I just went in and I did it.
06:31And the team gave me feedback and I did it again.
06:33Then I came back a couple of hours later and the producers were there and I did it for
06:36them.
06:36And they said, okay, we want you to come back tomorrow for the movement call.
06:39And I was like, Oh, this is when they're going to let me go.
06:41They asked me to move.
06:42They're going to let me go.
06:43They're going to let me go.
06:44Uh, so I came back for the movement call and, uh, didn't start on the right foot because
06:49I took the train in the wrong direction.
06:51So I was 10 minutes late and you know, that is not, that is not how we want to start things.
06:55Uh, but I walked in and I learned the movement, which is really athletic.
07:00It's, it's, it's the Nala track.
07:02Isn't a very dance forward.
07:04It's more like you need to, you need to sprint and jump and run and, and all of that.
07:08So did the movement call.
07:09And then they let through, there were five of us at the movement call.
07:12They let three go and they kept two of us.
07:15And I was like, I was shook by that point, you know, I'm like, Oh my gosh, you know,
07:19and, uh, then they brought out the Nala head.
07:21And so I'm putting, I'm trying to put my hair together and I put, I just couldn't believe
07:25I'm putting, Oh my gosh, I'm putting on a Nala head.
07:27Like this is wild.
07:29And so then we did some Javanese movement and, uh, did that for about an hour.
07:34And then they said, okay, thank you ladies.
07:36And they let us go.
07:37And I got on the, the air train, which takes you to JFK to take my flight back to my tour.
07:42And by the time I got to JFK, I had a voicemail from my agent saying, Adrian, give us a call
07:48back.
07:49And I gave him a call back and they were like, you're, you're going to be the next Nala on
07:52Broadway.
07:53Oh my goodness.
07:54Yeah.
07:55Yeah.
07:56I just started crying in the airport.
08:00Now that typical time I've asked, um, some film actors, like their stories and they'll
08:05talk about like months going by, you know, before they find out if they've got a part.
08:09Is that typical?
08:11It really depends on the process.
08:13I think, and how much time they have, how many more auditions they have set up before
08:19they make that decision.
08:20So it isn't typical.
08:21There's been times where I've waited a couple of months.
08:23There's been times where I found out in the room there, well, one time, this only happened
08:27once.
08:28Let me not, let me not, it's only happened once.
08:30But yeah, uh, it depends on the process really.
08:32I don't think there's any standard.
08:34It's, um, now, Benita, for you, you've been playing Shinzi 16 years, is that correct?
08:39Um, it'll be 18 years in September.
08:43Oh my goodness.
08:45Right, honestly.
08:46You said about you, Lennie, like, do you remember that moment?
08:54Oh, that is a moment that I will never forget.
08:57Um, so I went into the audition.
09:02I had two major auditions that day.
09:04One was for the color purple and one was for the Lion King.
09:07And I went in because I was very color purple centric.
09:12It was the hottest new thing on Broadway.
09:15And all of the African-American actors wanted to be in that show, um, in New York at that
09:21time.
09:21And so I went in cause I wanted to be Suge Avery.
09:24So I had on a halter dress and some heels and I walked in and our beloved casting director,
09:31Mark Brandon said, honey, Shinzi ain't pretty.
09:37Kick those heels off.
09:38I said, oh, okay.
09:40So I went in, I did the audition.
09:43Um, and he said, he looked at me, he said, you know what?
09:46I'm going to call you back.
09:48And I said, oh, okay.
09:50I ran from the Lion King audition to the color purple audition.
09:56And, uh, oh, when he said, he said, you need to just change your clothes.
10:00Uh, don't wear a skirt back.
10:02Just, you know, and I said, okay, sure.
10:04I got you.
10:05I ran there, did that audition, ran back to Brooklyn, changed into some khakis, a white
10:12t-shirt and some Chuck Taylors.
10:14I got back to that callback.
10:16I sang.
10:18I'll never forget, uh, the creative, uh, department, the, the creatives behind the table said, well,
10:25she's not shy, is she?
10:26And I said, no, I am not.
10:28And they said, well, you know what?
10:30We're going to call you back.
10:31And I'm giving you a very condensed, uh, version of this story.
10:34They said, we're going to call you back.
10:36Come back at six o'clock.
10:38I said, okay.
10:41So I went across the street to my mother-in-law's job.
10:44And I said, um, mommy, I said, they are, I got another call back.
10:49And she said, did you?
10:50She said, okay, honey.
10:51She gave me a piece of peppermint.
10:52She folded it in my hand.
10:53She did the sign of the cross on me.
10:55She said, you go on and do what you need to do.
10:57I went in there.
10:58That was the puppet audition.
11:01Now, let me just give you some reference.
11:03My costume is 30 pounds.
11:07I put that puppet on and I was so terrible in that puppet that he said, okay, I need you
11:16to just take the puppet off and crawl.
11:18I said, gladly, I took the puppet off.
11:22I crawled and he said, thank you very much.
11:26I walked out of the room and I say, whew, that is a job.
11:31I do not have to get that puppet is something.
11:34I got in my car because I was doing a show at the Capitol rep in Albany.
11:41I was doing Ain't Misbehavin'.
11:42I got on the FDR and I got a call and they said, Benita, they want you for the color purple.
11:51And I said, oh my God, oh my God, that's great.
11:54I was speeding up the thruway to Albany to get back to a seven o'clock curtain.
12:00I got pulled over by a cop and I said, a state trooper.
12:03And I said, well, I'm just so nervous.
12:05And I cried my way out of the ticket.
12:07I said, I just auditioned for the Lion King on Broadway.
12:12And he said, you know what?
12:14I'm going to give you a warning.
12:15And one day I hope to see you in the Lion King on Broadway.
12:18By the time I pulled into the Capitol rep in Albany, my agent called me and she said,
12:25Benita, you just booked the Lion King.
12:29And I said, oh, I didn't know if it was for Broadway.
12:32I didn't know if it was for the tour.
12:34I just started screaming.
12:35And she said, it's for Broadway.
12:38That was one of my dreams.
12:40I wanted to be on Broadway.
12:42So I just lost it.
12:44And I wept the whole show, singing A Handful of Keys.
12:52Yes.
12:53Yes.
12:54What's that?
12:55That's a beautiful story.
12:58What has it been like playing, you know, that character all those years?
13:01You know, people don't stay in the same jobs all those years.
13:03You know what?
13:04How do you, I guess, bring new life and, you know, stay enthusiastic?
13:09Listen, Shinzy brings me so much joy.
13:13Doesn't she, Adrienne?
13:15Yeah, she loves Shinzy.
13:18I love, she is in my DNA.
13:22I approach my character with the knowledge that this is, and the show, actually, that
13:31this is someone's first time experiencing theater and someone's last time experiencing theater.
13:39And I always want to bring integrity to the show and integrity to my character.
13:45She is a wise, wise woman.
13:48She is, you know, the conflict in the show and the comedic relief in the show.
13:54But she is wise and she is full of integrity.
13:58She is smart and she is a hustler.
14:00And Adrienne, I want to ask you, because I had read your website when you were like,
14:06I'm a spelling grad, I'm a living and working actress.
14:09Come on, come on.
14:13You know, you said Nala was a life-changing role.
14:16And you said that again, you know, just now.
14:18What about this role has been so life-changing for you?
14:22You know, it's the practical things make it life-changing too.
14:25I always wanted to move to New York.
14:26I always wanted to live in New York and pursue acting in this, you know, the town, you know.
14:32But I was terrified.
14:34I was terrified.
14:35I heard of horror stories of friends moving to New York and not having enough money to pay their bills.
14:40And so I thought when I was living in Chicago at the time, after I graduated from Spelman, I moved to Chicago.
14:45I'm from Atlanta too.
14:46I'm in Atlanta right now.
14:48But I said, okay, when I get my union card, I'm going to move to New York.
14:54Well, I got my union card and I still didn't move to New York.
14:56I said, okay, when I book a job, I'm going to move to New York.
14:59And I didn't know that that job would be on this level.
15:02And so that was a dream come true.
15:04So I got a chance to move to New York.
15:06But the thing that made it life-changing is that it challenged me in so many ways.
15:10When you play a role like Nala or like, I mean, honestly, it could be any role you cross in your life.
15:18But you have to step up to the plate.
15:24And, you know, Nala is a role model.
15:27I can't speak.
15:28It's early.
15:29Nala is a role model for so many young children, grown adults across the world, not just in New York, not just in the U.S., but around the world.
15:40It is a widely recognized role.
15:43And those are huge shoulders to carry.
15:46And so I wanted to make sure that I showed up and I presented her correctly.
15:51And that takes diligence.
15:53That takes effort.
15:55That takes, like Benita was saying, just staying in the role for so long, you have to really commit to it and shake things up and not fall asleep on it.
16:03You know, there's someone in the audience that it's been their dream to see this show.
16:07And so it's on you to make sure that that dream is fulfilled.
16:12And so it's changed me in many ways.
16:14Just being in a Broadway show has set me up to get into a lot of audition rooms for different projects.
16:21And it's helped me to feel more confident about who I am as a person, as a Black woman.
16:27I did go to Spelman, but I also went to graduate school after Spelman.
16:32And that was a negative experience for me.
16:35And it brought my confidence down.
16:37And I was still working on rebuilding that.
16:39And I truly believe that being in this role has helped me rebuild that.
16:43In the last two minutes I have, I want to ask each of you, you know, for your advice.
16:47I imagine, I mean, so many people probably have a similar story.
16:50They want to perform.
16:52You know, they fear they can't make it in New York or won't make it there to do it.
16:56You know, is this the time to pursue a career in the arts, you know, with everything going on?
16:59What is your advice, you know, for other people who want to follow on a similar path?
17:03Okay, well, Brandy, let me start by saying I am also an HBCU grad.
17:09I am from Montgomery, Alabama.
17:10Okay.
17:11I graduated from the Alabama State University.
17:15Oh, yes.
17:15The home of the Marching Hornets.
17:18And I would say, and I often go back to the university to mentor young theater students.
17:26Dr. Tommy Tania Stewart was the dean of the theater arts program when I was there.
17:34And she's a lifelong mentor.
17:37And what she would always tell me is, no, doesn't mean never.
17:42It means not right now.
17:44A dream deferred does not mean that dream has been denied.
17:50Show up as your best self and understand that you are enough.
17:59And keep going.
18:01Never give up on your dream.
18:03Your dreams are smarter than you are.
18:05That would be my advice.
18:08I love that.
18:10Oh, one more thing.
18:11Yes.
18:12There's already a Taraji P. Henson.
18:16There's already an Adrian Walker.
18:20There's already a Bonita Hamilton.
18:23Show up as Brandy Victorian.
18:27There's only one of you.
18:29And they're looking for you.
18:31I will say everything that Bonita said.
18:37And it's up to us to make our lives what we want them to be.
18:42It's not up to anyone else but us.
18:45And you are your driving force.
18:47And you propel that vision for yourself.
18:49So if you have this dream to become an actor or to become a lighting designer or a director or a costume designer or anything in the arts, it's up to you to make that happen.
18:59And there are going to be pitfalls along the way.
19:03Oh, my gosh.
19:04I've heard 100 no's just in 2021, you know?
19:09And here we are.
19:10Keep on trucking.
19:12And honestly, during the pandemic, because I didn't know what to do with myself, I started a platform called 32 Bar Cut where I talk about just that.
19:24About my entire experience with getting to where I am, audition tips, how to get in the room, how to make a good impression for casting directors.
19:32And I interview my colleagues like Bonita Hamilton.
19:36Bonita Hamilton is on the show.
19:37We do a podcast and interview series called 32 Bar Cut, the show where we've talked to Broadway stars.
19:43And so if anyone's watching and is interested in pursuing this career, you want to check that out.
19:48It will give you a really detailed insight and honest look at what it's like to live this career, because, you know, you can watch an interview like what we're doing now and we'll give you the best answers we have.
20:01But when you come on to 32 Bar Cut, you're going to get some real honesty as well.
20:06I love that.
20:07Well, I thank you both so much for your time.
20:10Lovely to meet you after seeing your performances.
20:12And thank you.
20:15Thank you, Brandy.
20:15This has been awesome.
20:17This is wonderful.
20:18Thank you so much, Brandy.
20:20Take care.
20:21Yeah.
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