Opening Night Thoughts…

Someone recently asked me how I could play MAMA MORTON IN CHICAGO – she’s always portrayed as a large black woman.

I thought about it for a second before I replied:

Cinderella isn’t always blonde – nor does she need to be.  She’d still be CINDERELLA no matter her hair color.

I’m not Queen Latifah.  And I don’t NEED to be.  I don’t even need to be BIG.

Turns out the real MAMA WAS A LITTLE WHITE LADY. And supposedly SOHPIE TUCKER WAS CITED AS THE MAIN INFLUENCE FOR THE CHARACTER OF MAMA.

You don’t gots to be big or tall or white or black to be in charge.

But you do gots to have the pipes.