Audra McDonald

Sondheim another one that I miss terribly he's always been an incredible teacher and supporter very supportive my career has always sort of like offered suggestions and ideas and he would come to all my shows and just be supportive and whenever I was in any sort of performance involving his music, he was there and had his thoughts. And I just felt very supported by him.

And so when it was brought up to him, he thought it was a great idea. And he said, I think that's terrific. And actually there was another show of his too that, you know, he kind of wanted me to be a part of as well. And I was like, well, is it okay if we do this one first? He's like, whichever one you want to do first, that's fine with me. What's the other one? A little night music.

And so when it was brought up to him, he thought it was a great idea. And he said, I think that's terrific. And actually there was another show of his too that, you know, he kind of wanted me to be a part of as well. And I was like, well, is it okay if we do this one first? He's like, whichever one you want to do first, that's fine with me. What's the other one? A little night music.

And so when it was brought up to him, he thought it was a great idea. And he said, I think that's terrific. And actually there was another show of his too that, you know, he kind of wanted me to be a part of as well. And I was like, well, is it okay if we do this one first? He's like, whichever one you want to do first, that's fine with me. What's the other one? A little night music.

Maybe some of that.

Maybe some of that.

Maybe some of that.

Let me get this one out of the way.

Let me get this one out of the way.

Let me get this one out of the way.

Oh, no, no, no. You have to, you know, I mean, the great thing about Gypsy is, is while it's based on, you know, the real life story of Gypsy Rose Lee, it is very specifically about

Oh, no, no, no. You have to, you know, I mean, the great thing about Gypsy is, is while it's based on, you know, the real life story of Gypsy Rose Lee, it is very specifically about

Oh, no, no, no. You have to, you know, I mean, the great thing about Gypsy is, is while it's based on, you know, the real life story of Gypsy Rose Lee, it is very specifically about

On the libretto, the only way they were able to legally actually do it, because June Havoc almost tried to stop Arthur Lawrence and Jerome Robbins and Stephen Sondheim because she wasn't happy with the way she was being depicted in the show. And so the way that they were able to legally get beyond that was to call this a musical fable. And so it's suggested by, you know, her history.

On the libretto, the only way they were able to legally actually do it, because June Havoc almost tried to stop Arthur Lawrence and Jerome Robbins and Stephen Sondheim because she wasn't happy with the way she was being depicted in the show. And so the way that they were able to legally get beyond that was to call this a musical fable. And so it's suggested by, you know, her history.

On the libretto, the only way they were able to legally actually do it, because June Havoc almost tried to stop Arthur Lawrence and Jerome Robbins and Stephen Sondheim because she wasn't happy with the way she was being depicted in the show. And so the way that they were able to legally get beyond that was to call this a musical fable. And so it's suggested by, you know, her history.

So obviously I start with that as source material. You know, you have to. And then I sort of build in, okay, she can still be from Seattle, of course. There were black people in Seattle then. There's enough actual history that I can then use based on Rose's life and what I know about life for black people at that time as well and bring that into the story too.

So obviously I start with that as source material. You know, you have to. And then I sort of build in, okay, she can still be from Seattle, of course. There were black people in Seattle then. There's enough actual history that I can then use based on Rose's life and what I know about life for black people at that time as well and bring that into the story too.

So obviously I start with that as source material. You know, you have to. And then I sort of build in, okay, she can still be from Seattle, of course. There were black people in Seattle then. There's enough actual history that I can then use based on Rose's life and what I know about life for black people at that time as well and bring that into the story too.

It's not saying, oh, we have to kind of make believe that there were black people performing in vaudeville at this time. We have to kind of make believe that there were black people in Seattle. There were black people who ended up becoming strippers or any of that. We don't have to make believe. It actually happened. It actually existed. And so it's embodied.