JUST JULIET: A few minutes with Courtney Harris

When a show that was really special to you closes you go into what seasoned professionals call “post show depression”. This was definitely a reality when my dream show, In The Heights, had its final performance on June 9th and suddenly I was practically familia-less and purposeless.

Knowing that this was the only possible antidote for my feelings of incompleteness, and also knowing I was going to be out of town for the Romeo and Juliet auditions, I essentially begged Adam Adolfo, ADLR's Artistic Director, to let me come in and audition early.

 

I was completely completely terrified. Every audition I had ever done before has been a musical theatre audition, so where normally I would just prepare 16 bars of my usual stuff and be set, I instead had to prepare an entire Shakespearean monologue. 

Even though I’ve done Shakespeare monologue competitions at my school and even a vignette style one act, I have never been in a real full length play (let alone in iambic pentameter). But after some frantic searching online for an age appropriate monologue I settled on the Jailer’s Daughter from Two Noble Kinsmen and just hoped for the best.

 

I know some actors shy away from Shakespeare, but for someone who is used to expressing herself musically, I love it and it makes sense to me. So to be cast in Romeo & Juliet was a dream come true, but to be cast as Juliet is still unfathomable. 

 

Within the realm of musical theatre I usually fall into what I call the “the brat, the rat, and the weirdo” type where I usually play the brat or rat, most recently - the witch (in Into The Woods), or the weirdo (roles admittedly very Kristin-Wiig-esque). Thus the classic romantic ingénue (because really, what’s more classic and romantic than Romeo and Juliet?) is very much uncharted territory for me- a challenge I am not going to take lightly or passively. 

 

But I identify with Juliet, as most teenage girls do, in a sense that she is in that critical time of her life where she is no longer a child but not yet has the freedoms of an adult. Juliet is not frail and passive, but resilient and passionate and true to her convictions. The courage she has to risk and leave behind everything for what she believes in (love) is why I’m beyond excited about this opportunity to try my hand at playing her.

 

And that's the beauty of being a performing artist: apart from having the ability to share a story or character with an audience, you are capable of unlocking an element of your identity. You get to use your imagination to find yourself in someone you maybe thought wasn't like you. Even offstage, that is an experience that broadens your mind and opens up your perspective of other people as human beings. 

 

And on top of all that, I’m exceedingly lucky that in my first play I get to share the stage with this immensely talented cast and my first stage kiss ever with the amazing Kevin Acosta, all under the direction of the brilliant Adam Adolfo at Artes de la Rosa - which is a theatre that will always hold a very special place in my heart.

White Boy Can Rap: Looking at Benny in a New Way with one of the show's stars, Joshua Sherman

Let me start off by saying that YES! White boy CAN rap… I think… I hope… And that’s the mantra that has been playing in my head ever since I was officially offered the role of “Benny” in In the Heights.

Let me give you a perspective on how me and rap evolved through the ages! At one time this was my answer when people asked me if I liked rap: “No! Rap is an abomination of sound! One does not perform rap, one commits it! Like any other crime.” And I’m dead serious. I would tell people that all the time. Now don’t bite my head off! This was years ago and I had a reason as to why I didn’t like that type of music. The main reason being because my big brother loved it and he would torture me with rap every day!

You see, we used to share a bedroom when we were growing up and SOMEONE had to go to Football practice every morning at six. “How did he wake up?” You ask? Well, not like a normal human being with a simple alarm clock, oh no! He had a radio. A big one. With subwoofers and all. And every morning around 5:15am it would kick on and rapidly go up in volume until his lazy A$$ got out of bed to turn it off. And what was the obnoxious distortion of sound blaring from the depths of the speakers from hell? Why rap of course.  Eventually my brother went off to college and that raucousness every morning died down. Thus began the cleaning of my musical pallet, if you will.

And then one day I was flipping through the channels and I see an image of a grungy stage setting, interesting lighting, and a man with a microphone. I instantly halted to check it out. And there it was! A patter song! On television! I was like “I’ve gotta see what this musical is! I’ve never heard of it before.” So, I’m watching this musical and in strolls my brother and asks “Isn’t this 8 Mile?” I, of course, had no idea. So I just shrugged it off thinking he’d pass through, but no. He sits down and watches it with me! Which, my brother watching a musical is like seeing Hilary Clinton in anything but a pant suit; just strange. So I asked him “Do you know this musical?” He looked at me as though I had verbally smacked our grandma. “That’s Eminem.” He said. “Wait… the white rapper?” I asked a bit puzzled. He just nodded and continued to watch the movie as my mind went into a maelstrom! What was I doing!? I had betrayed my convictions! My paradigm was crumbling down before my eyes as I continued to watch and enjoy this… dare I say it… rapper. Ever since then I got more and more lenient on my loathing for the style of music. And actually learned to enjoy some of it! Particularly Eminem, Beastie Boys and now Macklemore! After I was cast I watched and researched everything I could on or about rap: it’s origin. It’s evolution. The meaning behind it. The power behind it. And I’ve come to respect it a lot more than I ever thought possible!

So fast forward to March when I got ahold of the soundtrack to In The Heights.  A musical I had heard nothing about but supposedly had a lot of hype behind it. I loved the music. Rap and all! I sat on it for a while wondering if I should even audition… I mean, I didn’t exactly fit the skin tone of the show but, I was urged to audition and me, being THAT theatre kid who NEEDS to be working on a project at all times, decided to audition thinking that I’d maybe get put in the ensemble… but to my surprise I got called back for Benny. I was like “Alright! That’s pretty awesome.” I was handed a packet that had two snippets of songs in it. The next morning (my first free moment to look at the packet) I discovered that I would be rapping 18 bars. “I got this!” I thought as I listened to the music and rapped along. I wish I would have recorded that first time through. It was probably the WHITEST thing in the world. It was completely out of rhythm, no beats were followed, it was a train wreck and panic set it as time drew nearer to the callback time. I worked my butt off getting that 18 bars of rap down. I went over it more than 30 times or more. To the point where the next door neighbor of my apartment knocked on my door to ask me if I could do something else… But I had it! I got to the point where I was on beat, in rhythm, and had actually done it from memory quite excellently for a white boy. I was READY for this callback.

And then I got there. And everything went downhill. I instantly felt out of place. I was the only white boy there. THE ONLY ONE. And worse, we had to audition in front of each other. The first potential Benny went up and he blew it out of the water. It was great. And I was done for. My name was called and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as I, The White Boy, took the long death march to center stage. They asked me if I was ready and I thought “as ready as I will ever be”. I started the song and before I could even get a third of the way through I screwed it up. Like an idiot I fumbled over my tongue and like an amateur I apologized for my stupidity and asked to restart. I could hear whispers in the corner. Judgment. The lights seemed to get brighter and hotter as each second passed and I just wanted it all to be over. I said maybe one line and just crumpled and shook my head as the music played in the background until it got to the singing portion. “At least I have this!” I thought… well, I thought wrong. I forgot the words! I kinda just hummed/laughed my way through until I remembered something. Which, I did. By god I sang that last word of the callback cut like my life depended on it.



Ensemble Member and "diva" Aigner Mathis
on break with Joshua

I walked back to my seat defeated, angry at myself, and hating my lack of natural ability to rap. Unlike every single guy who went after me displayed. It was a terrible feeling, listening to them all rap. Like a smack in the face with each syllable! They asked us all to stick around for the dance call but due to a really rude woman, an extremely difficult first eight count for a non-dancer, and the stress of my personal life; when a fellow auditionee smirked at me and said “You probably should just go”, that’s exactly what I did. I gathered my things and made a bee-line to my car.  As soon as I got into my car, what else would be playing but In The Heights? It was “Sunrise” one of my favorite songs in the show. One of Benny’s songs. And I knew that I had blown it. I would never have an opportunity to play Benny now. I would never be able to sing that song unless it’s for some showcase or some lame concert that I would have to put together. The deeper I got into the song the more regret I felt. The more hatred I had for myself. The more disappointed I became. The more passionate I became about playing that role! I could do it. I KNEW I COULD DO IT! I rapped before the callback and I could do it now! I switched it to the song that had the callback cut in it and rapped alongside the Benny on the soundtrack. I did it just fine. “INSERT MANY EXPLETIVES HERE”. I was so upset with myself. Then I got the e-mail: “We’re sorry, we cannot use your talent at this time-“ blah, blah, blah! I didn’t even read all of it. Just straight to the trash. “What talent?” I thought as I sulked to a pick-up rehearsal for a different show.

 



As I entered the building for my rehearsal I could hear music playing. Familiar music. Music that haunted my subconscious since the callbacks. They were auditioning more Bennys. I sat on the couch and was forced to listen to the boy sing and rap as I mimicked him under my breath. “I could do this.” I thought. “I could do this so much better than him.” I lay there as I was forced to listen to this boy audition for the part that I suddenly had a burning passion to play. A chance that I had thrown away because of nerves and stupid stress! Then Lorens, the phenomenal young woman playing Nina, came into the room after the audition was over to get me for our rehearsal. “You guys still haven’t found a Benny?” I asked, already knowing the answer. “No” She snipped, obviously annoyed “Even the ones who could maybe do it just don’t look the part! It looks like I would break them!” I laughed as I muttered under my breath. “I could do it.” She gave me “the look” (she heard me during my callback) “oh yeah?” she chided. I nodded and she asked me to prove it. So I did. I rapped the callback cut as I got up to go to the rehearsal. She stood there, mouth agape, and shook her head. “What?” is all I remember her saying as we left for the rehearsal. She told me that I should ask for a second chance; something that I was taught to be a taboo in the industry. But I thought about it all through rehearsal. The night before I watched an episode of Smash, in which one of the characters asked to read for a role that she wasn’t called for. She got the part and she excelled in it. I kept thinking about that episode and my new found passion for Benny.



Joshua with Lorens Portalatin (Nina) and
Music Director Kristin Spires working on
"When You're Home"

After the rehearsal our director (who was also directing In The Heights) and the musical director (who was also in the show we just finished rehearsal for) where talking about their grief about not being able to find a Benny. They were packing up to go as I stood awkwardly by the stage debating on if I should anything. “If I ask for a second audition, would I be able to do it? Would I choke again?” But I just focused on that urge, that pull for Benny… and I raised my hand. Just waiting for one of them to see me and call on me. But they were packing up. “I can’t let them leave” I thought.

“I can do it.”  I said meekly from behind them. They both looked at me eyebrows cocked; no doubt remembering my abortion of a callback. “I was wondering if I could have another go at it.” They looked at me in disbelief but agreed; desperate for something, no doubt. I knew the words. I had done it time after time after the callback. So I did it. I rapped. No music, no beats. Just rapped. After that there was a lot of hustle and hubbub. Speakers were being plugged in. Laptops were being booted up. “Here’s the lyrics, do you need to listen to the track before you do it to the beat?” “Can we get the lights up so he can see?” Librettos were being opened and pushed into my hands. “Ready?” I nodded. The music played and I did my thing. “He was a little bit off beat. A bit too fast” Mark said (the A.M.D.). “No, no. He was fine” Adam (the director) said. “Do you know the other song?”  Kristin (M.D.) asked. “Not really, but I can give it a go.” She walked me through it and then started the music.

The song “When You’re Home” started playing and I sang. After the first line I could hear Adam gasping behind me. Kristin signaled to Lorens to get on stage, readying her for when the duet portion began. We sang the final note and the room was silent. I looked around. Fearful I wasn’t good enough. That I had just wasted everyone’s time. Lorens was giddy, almost doing the pee dance. Kristin was beaming. Mark was expressionless. And Adam was silent (which is a scary thing.) Without a word he stands up and walks over to me and gives me a giant hug! Afterwards he says: “we have been looking for you for all of thi- wait… Will you be my Benny?” I laughed as I nodded my head. “I would love to.” I said almost out of breath. He wrapped his arms around me once more and welcomed me to the cast… It was a surreal moment.



Salon Starlett, Natalie Coca who play's Carla says,
"When he sings, I melt."

The members of the production team apparently were struggling to find the right Benny for a while and there I was. But the struggle wasn’t over for me. Nor would it be. I told my brother that night (who I haven’t spoken to in a long while) that I was cast in a show that I rap in. He was a little dumbfounded but said he couldn’t wait to see it. My mom, when I told her I rap in my next show, said “You mean presents, right?” And that’s the response I get from everyone that knows me…

I am not a rapper. I am not Latino. I am not African-American like the role was originated to be. I am a white ballad singer! Not to mention, EVERYONE who was at that callback was going to see that I, the white boy who messed up his callbacks royally, was going to be playing Benny. One of the principle roles. Cast against type. Cast after a callback like THAT! How on Earth was I going to prove my worth? To prove my place? To find my place… They were all welcoming at the first cast meet and greet. But I could feel it: the wondering of “why him?” Every day since then, in and out of rehearsal, I strive to prove myself to each and every one of them. I work hard every day on my raps with the upmost appreciation for Kristin and Mark for helping me out with them. I try my best to emulate Matt’s (Usnavi’s) “swag” and to learn how to make my raps come to life a third of way that he can. I praise the Persian Prince (Jordan) on him taking the time to teach me some of his dance moves to better fall into my character; I practice them to point where I am sore the next day. I hit the book so hard to bring the role of Benny to life.

I have a lot of pressure in this role. A professional regional premiere! And the people who know the show are going to be expecting an African-American Benny. They’ll be judging me all through the show: “A white Benny? Let’s pick apart his every move! Let’s make him out to be the weakest part of the show because it’s not how it’s supposed to be!” Often, I feel like an outcast within the cast. The odd ball. The token white boy… The mistake.

And it’s THAT feeling; that drive to prove myself, to work harder than anyone to be the best that I can be. THAT is why I know I can do this role because, in a nutshell, THAT is who Benny is; the odd-man out. Like me. The one who is constantly trying to prove his place to everyone around him. Like me! The one struggling to find a home in his community! Like. Me. A home within himself. Like! Me! He has so much love and so much passion. JUST! LIKE! ME!

"The (Fat) Fantastic Four"

He just so happens to speak his heart through song and his soul through rap. And if we have everything else in common, then by god, we will have that in common too! I will sing my heart and I will rap my soul and when this show opens I will leave people saying “Wow. White boy CAN rap!” and I will have, finally, found my home in this production… I know I’ve found my famillia. Each and every one of them, from our “Lavallee” choreographer, Elise, to our youngest member, Addie, have influenced and supported me. I could not have done it without them. The (Fat) Fantastic Four have been a pillar for me.  They’ve been my brother and sisters since I was brought into this cast and I could not have been more blessed to work alongside them…

So there’s your “New (but pretty much the same) way of looking at Benny”. This white boy can rap and you best watch out DFW, because “I’m taking over the Barrio!”

Michael Anthony Sylvester & Rashaun Sibley on finding their home In the Heights!

Cast members Michael Anthony Sylvester and Rashaun Sibley play best friends Graffiti Pete and Sonny, the young hip hop generation of In the Heights. In today's blog the pair discuss their casting reactions in their Dream Show!

MICHAEL ANTHONY SYLVESTER - "REP OUR PEOPLE!"

In the Heights has been my dream show since it first came out. It was simply one of those shows I knew I was born to be in! The show had hip hop in it, I was a hip hop dancer, the show was about Hispanic people, I was Puerto Rican, and the show had Hispanic male leads... I WAS A MALE AND HISPANIC... I was HOOKED! Then one day I start hearing whispers that Adam Adolfo down at Artes De La Rosa has the rights to the show and is planning on producing it down at the Rose Marine Theatre! I LOST MY MIND for a second because I didn’t think DFW would produce it any time soon! It's such a beautiful story but not many theatres in this area could pull it off, but knowing that it was going to be produce at Artes (a theatre that celebrates Latino Culture) and having worked with most of the Production team on various other projects I knew without a shadow a doubt that it would be a Ferocious production! Auditioning for the show was such a blast! I encouraged a couple of my best friends to the audition because I didn't want them to miss out on this opportunity. I just had a great feeling prior to going in.... Kind of like that feeling where you know you are exactly where you are supposed to be in life?? The callbacks were filled with so many talented friends from the DFW scene; it was like being at a family reunion rather than being at an audition! Everyone was so professional and supportive of each other, I knew that day that this was a journey I wanted to be a part of now more than ever! I left everything on that stage at callbacks! I knew that whatever happened I tried my best and it was now up to the production team and the ambivalence game of casting!

So after all was said and done I later received an offer to be a part of the In the Heights family! I was beyond thrilled, and even more exited once the cast list was announced on Broadway World. Graffiti Pete is such a great role and I’m ready to tackle it one dance step at a time! I feel so blessed to be working with so many talented friends, and living out a dream by being a part of this show! It’s not every day you get to do a Musical that lets you "REP OUR PEOPLE!" #BORIQUA #YATUSABESLORENS!!! Huge Thanks and Love to Elise Lavalle for never giving up on me you advice and mentorship means A LOT to me. Kristin I’m so pumped to work with you again!! Thank you Adam for taking a chance on me! 7 years of preparing and training for this moment...and the work doesn’t stop here! Its' just begun but I've finally found my island, and I’m going to enjoy every moment of this trip!

(Check out Michael’s Fan- page at www.facebook.com/machaelsylvester7

RASHAUN SIBLEY - I'm Home

Before I start, I really just need to get something off my chest. I promise it won’t take long. Just give me a moment.

ARE YOU KIDDING? I’M IN THE HEIGHTS! IT’S THE FIRST PROFESSION PRODUCTION REGIONALLY! I GET TO SING, ACT, DANCE, AND RAP! THIS SHOW IS INCREDIBLE. IS THIS REAL LIFE?! IT’S GONNA BE SO GOOD! WAIT TILL I TELL MOM! MY LITTLE BROTHER HAS TO LIKE THIS ONE! ARE MY GRANDPARENTS READY FOR THIS? I DON’T CARE, I’M SO EXCITED!

Almost done. I promise.

YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YEEAAAAA BOOIIIIIII. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. I GET TO BE SONNY! JUST WHAT I WANTED! THANK YOU JESUS!

Okay I feel so much better now. I knew I would be excited if I got this show but I did not know I would be THIS excited. I cannot wait to get this puppy on its feet and show the community what this show is about and how much we love it.

My initial audition for this show happened so fast it seems like a blur. I do remember perfectly though getting a prime parking spot right in front of the theatre’s doors (which does NOT happen often!) and that was already a victory for me in the day. Even if things didn’t work out and I didn’t get the callback, at least my little walk of shame to my car would be literally 6 seconds long. Then I could play some cheesy, sad song to let out my feelings to and then move right on to the next audition. Fortunately, I got that parking spot and the callback!... I’d say I had a pretty good day.

At the callback, I could not understand where they found all these talented people. Were they trying to make me nervous? Well…………it worked. But I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. This show was too good and I wanted it. I basically just tried to act like I already got the part and all of the actors were there to see the show. To quote my cast mate Aigner Mathis, "Since I had shown up, I might as well show out!" Give 110% and leave the rest to God.

The next afternoon, Artes De La Rosa is calling my phone……yes. yes. yes. yes. I answer and try to sound professional and collected but I’m pretty sure I stuttered at least 4 different times. Adam Adolfo asks me about my schedule……and that’s it. End of phone conversation………poop. I thought that was it. And I watched my phone for the rest of the day just waiting for a phone call to come and say "Oh. Wait. Did we mention that YOU’RE CAST!" That didn’t happen. I checked my Facebook right before I went to bed and saw a message from Adam telling me to check my e-mail….I didn’t get any notifications about e-mails though. What does this mean?... I check my e-mail and see nothing. What is happening?!! Then I just happen to check my spam folder and lo and behold there’s the e-mail offering me the part of SONNY……..YUSSSSSSSSSSSS! Definitely NOT spam...

It only got better when I arrived at the first cast meet and greet. First, I noticed food and that alone made me realize this is going to be good. Then, I’m greeted with so much excitement, love, and "How are you, boo boo?" hugs that I can’t help but feel at home. This family is already soaked in everything In the Heights is about: ("home, family, finding where you belong") on the FIRST day. This journey is going to be nothing short of amazing and I couldn’t be more blessed to be a part of it.

 

Tickets for In the Heights are now on sale!

http://youtu.be/O10UOhy_qiY

Getting Cast! Members of the Ensemble reflect on being cast in IN THE HEIGHTS

Today we spend time with three different cast members as they share with us what it was like for them to not only audition, but be cast in what is the biggest show to hit Fort Worth in some time!

AIGNER MATHIS - Now I'm Artes de la Rosa Too!

My heart thumped so loudly in my chest when I first walked into the dance call backs for the Artes de la Rosa production of In The Heights, I was sure everyone else could hear it. Looking around I saw so many young, handsome, beautiful (and extremely flexible) talented performers, so I did what any other person would do: sat down, stretched along with them & decided that since I had shown up,

I might as well show out! It came to no surprise that everyone else had the exact same thought!

 

A week later, I walked into the theatre for the first cast meeting and was stunned! Instantly, Adam's arms were crushing me in an enormous hug while other hands and arms quickly replaced his. I have never been received with such warmth in my life. If it had not been for the name tags everyone wore, there would have been no way to distinguish who was a lead and who was in the ensemble. Faces blended together so easily, and laughter rang from every where in the room.

It was clear during introductions that the cast was filled with enough personality to fill the stage every night for the next year and still have more left over for another six months. Each and every person chosen was cast perfectly! Almost everyone already embodied the essence of their characters, no script needed. I knew then that the show would be easy (not to be confused: nothing would be easy about rehearsals; "Go home, get on a treadmill & sing your butts off" Adam told us) but easy in a sense of community, friendships, and the family spirit.

 

Later, while watching the PBS documentary on the history of the Rose Marine Theatre, I was incredibly educated and inspired. Suddenly being apart of In the Heights was about much more than having fun at rehearsals and being able to add something to my resume. I realized the importance of the show and how it would effect the community. I wasn't just an actress anymore…I was Artes de la Rosa, and much like everyone else I was one step closer to finding home.

 Theatrically Yours,
Aigner Mathis

KEVIN ACOSTA - It's Just Starting to Sink In

So I want to be completely open and honest. Before I had been cast or even heard about the auditions, let alone really know how big of a deal this show was in general, I had never even heard a song from the show.

     

I literally remember YEARS before in 2008 when the show opened and exploded into the phenomenal show that it is, I had every person in choir who even remotely liked good music and theatre bumping these CDs and knowing every word about some new musical called “In The Heights”. I’m pretty sure I had three different people: 1) ask me if I had heard about the show, (2 be shocked that I hadn’t, and (3 proceeded to burn me a copy of the original Broadway soundtrack within the following days. Unfortunately, for me, I would never get around to listening to the soundtrack.
     

So when I heard about the auditions for the show I was more than a little disappointed in myself for never taking the time to listen to them. I went into auditions knowing the very basics: It was a show pretty much for Hispanic people AND the leads RAPPED. I was sold. Callbacks were ridiculous! With more than 50 of the most talented people around and most of them knowing the show like the back of their hand, I was more than a little intimidated. Not to mention being at a new theatre that I had never been to. It was, if you’ll go there with me, a Leap of Faith.
     

But as fate would have it, none of that would matter cause I would be cast in the show despite all of that. I was beyond ecstatic to hear that I would be a part of this amazing show with an amazing (and also really, really, really ridiculously good looking) cast!
     

So after we found out we were cast we had be secretive about it and not tell a soul. And while we waited to be able to tell everybody our amazing news, I watched videos from the show and kept tabs on Director Adam Adolfo and what he would next reveal to us let alone to the world. I kept discovering a little more about the show here and there through clips and people just letting me know what they know.

Then all of a sudden one day I woke up and we’re on the Broadwayworld.com.

 That’s when it really started sinking in.

But what really got me was our Cast Greet & Meet. I, of course, was still working when it started and would arrive, fashionably, 45 minutes late. I was greeted with the most, legit, warm welcome from the cast and we started our meeting. In 4 hours, Adam Adolfo would help change my outlook on not only the show, but on topics IN MY LIFE that I can genuinely say that he has helped changed for the better. I would learn about the history of Artes De La Rosa; where it came from, what it stands for, and how as a young Hispanic what it means to the community and myself. It would give you a sense of pride for the journey that we would begin to embark on whether you were Hispanic or not.
      

I would get to watch a documentary about the original cast’s journey up to opening night. A journey that will be, without a doubt, just as intimate and special to everyone involved in this production. And last but not least, we come to this night. The night that I would actually sit down at my computer and listen to the soundtrack all the way through while I followed along in my libretto. All I can say is wow. It’s cheesy and they say it ain’t easy being cheesy but I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job so far. I was in tears by the end of the Finale.
    

Everything just makes sense when you know more about it, you know? After getting know the little I, MYSELF, know about the show and what it means to this theater and what it meant to Lin-Manuel Miranda, I can proudly say that I have never been more excited about a show than I am now about this show.

Thank you Adam. Thank you for giving us this chance to be apart of something so special and so much bigger than ourselves!

BENICKA JANAEE GRANT - "Dreams Do Come True!"

Getting cast in In The Heights was such a shock. I had no idea what In The Heights even was when I was told about the audition. A friend of mine, Michael Sylvester who is playing Graffiti Pete, told me that the play was Urban and that they needed some dancers. I said “Oh what the heck, Ill go for it. What I didn’t know was that I would have to sing. I am NOT a singer…..AT ALL! I was mortified. “What the hell had I gotten myself in to??” The day of the singing audition I was terrified. I was shaking and sweating like I never had before. Thank God that once I got on stage to sing, I just had to sing for the pianist and just do a few scales. The next day, I went in to the dance audition and gave it 110 percent. I had to show the production team that I may not be a great singer but I can dance my butt off. I wanted to leave the audition knowing that even if I didn’t get cast, I did something I’ve never done before; I sang at an audition and gave my absolute best in both the dance and singing portion.

The next day, March 12, 2013 at 12:58 pm, I received the email, letting me know that I had been cast in In the Heights. “Are you kidding me right now?” was the first thought to come to my head. I read the email a couple of times to make sure it said what I thought it did. YEP, it did! I wanted to get on Facebook and let the world know the great news, but I couldn’t.  In the mean time, I researched all I could about In the Heights so I knew what kind of musical I had gotten myself in to.  Finally, on March 21, it had been announced on Facebook that the Ft. Worth production of In the Heights was revealed on Broadwayworld.com. NO FREAKING WAY!! That’s when it really hit me. The feeling you get when you see your name on a website like Broadwayworld.com, is indescribable.  I began to cry. For me, this was huge. I had never been in a real Broadway show.  “Would I be able to do this?” “Did I make the right decision by accepting the offer?” “Is this right for me?” “Am I ready for this challenge?’……………….YES!

In 23 years of my life, I would have never thought that I would be doing a musical and actually singing in it. I had always been just a dancer. Everyday, I thank Michael Sylvester for telling me about the audition. He has motivated me and become a mentor and an amazing friend throughout this process. I look forward to working with a truly gifted cast of people. I am so blessed, honored and humbled. I know the road to this production will not be easy. There will be many tears and lots of days when I tell myself I can’t do and want to give up, but I will keep going and become a better performer and a better person after it is over with. DFW better get ready for us! The cast of In the Heights is coming with a vengeance. #dreamsdocometrue

 

 

 

 

The Article referenced on Broadway.com can be found by CLICKING HERE.