Broadway stars rarely hit the road for touring shows. Norm Lewis explains why it’s special
Broadway stars rarely hit the road in touring productions, but that’s exactly what brings Norm Lewis to Charlotte soon.
He’s starring in a revival of the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning production of “A Soldier’s Play” by Charles Fuller. It opens at Blumenthal’s Knight Theater on Tuesday, Jan. 10, for a two-week run.
The show is set in the 1940s, where a sergeant in an all-Black unit on a Louisiana Army base has been murdered. Lewis plays Capt. Richard Davenport, who is assigned to investigate the case in a tale about sacrifice, service, racism and identity.
Lewis is well known to theater audiences during his three-decade career, including for a Tony-nominated turn as Porgy opposite Audra McDonald in “The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess.” He also appeared in “Les Misérables” as Javert, in “Chicago” as Billy Flynn and was the first Black actor in the title role on Broadway in “The Phantom of the Opera,” among many other gigs. Lewis also has popped up on TV and in the movies, including Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods.”
Charlotte is the second stop on the nine-city tour for “A Soldier’s Play,” following a well-received launch in Washington, D.C. It’s the only stop in the Carolinas.
Lewis spoke to The Charlotte Observer this week about personal connections to the show, why the themes of a play written in the 1980s still resonate and some surprising advice for aspiring actors. The conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
What attracted you to this show and this role of Capt. Davenport?
Well, the fact that it’s a play, that was one reason. I’m known for musicals, so I wanted to branch out. I did my first professional play ever last year with “Chicken & Biscuits” on Broadway. The opportunity came about (for “A Soldier’s Play”). I’ve always admired this story and always loved the movie (the 1984 film starring Denzel Washington). And also, candidly, I got a chance to work with (director) Kenny Leon.
I saw in another interview that you talked about how this show is a reflection of your own ancestors, and how we still need to make space for for Black voices to be heard. I was hoping you could elaborate on that.
I’ve been able and lucky enough to do a few soldier projects. I did “Miss Saigon” on Broadway, I did “Da 5 Bloods” movie. And in all of the research that I’ve done, especially with Black soldiers, is that there was this wanting and longing to be accepted. Fighting for your country could possibly make you someone who was revered. And there was some sort of honor to that, then finding out that it’s just the opposite. A lot of people came back and couldn’t get GI Bills. Even though they did all of that work and were protecting the country, they still were treated a certain way when they got back home.
My dad was in the Army for the Korean War. I have cousins who have been in the military, who fought in Vietnam. My brother was also a vet with the Army. So this definitely has some significance for me in that regard, to honor what they did for us and for the country. But there’s a lot of history there that a lot of people don’t know about. And I think that this story will open a lot of people’s eyes to some of that history.
Did you talk to some of your family members about their experiences in the military to help inform your role as part of your research?
Yeah, they definitely gave me some some insight. And making sure that, you know, you’re polished and spit-shined and everything has to be in place. You had to actually go the extra, extra length to make sure that everything was in place. So that way you wouldn’t be in trouble or wouldn’t stand out in a certain way.
And for a show written in the ‘80s and set in the 1940s touching on themes of racism and segregation, it still resonates today.
In Ecclesiastes, in the Bible, it says there’s “nothing new under the sun.” And if we don’t know our history, we’re gonna end up repeating it. And that’s why I think this tour is so important. Because we get to go around the country to share this story.
(COVID shut down Broadway and the rest of the country in 2020 just as the current revival of “A Soldier’s Play” was gaining popularity.) So this is a chance for audiences to see the show. We’re excited about people coming to this show, and then leaving with something special.
It has many layers. It’s a whodunit. it also has a message of culture, and racism is definitely a part of that. The significance of seeing racism within our society, racism within the military, but also the self-hatred that goes along with that, as well.
I know you’re a founding member of Black Theatre United (which promotes DEI both on and off the stage), and on the leadership team now. What’s your take on the resources for communities of color and the arts, and what still needs to be done?
Black Theatre United started out of the George Floyd situation. And we decided instead of pointing a finger and getting in someone’s face, what we wanted to do was have a conversation and say, “Let’s talk, let’s have a seat at the table.” And that’s basically what we did. We had a summit within six months, and it’s an ongoing summit.
We wanted to write what we call the New Deal (for Broadway) and have those conversations about how can we make each other accountable for not only having diversity onstage, but offstage, and in casting and all aspects of the industry. And so we came up with a New Deal. It’s definitely the beginning of a conversation that will continue.
Let me get back to your theater work again. I’m curious, for a show like this, do you have any pre-show rituals you go through before you go on stage?
That’s a great question. Normally, with a musical, I get there and warm up and I make sure my voice is right, and all that kind of stuff. With a play, it’s a little different, you know. Your voice is not as precious as when you have to sing. You just want to make sure that your voice is in good shape.
But also, I just kind of go scene by scene. I still look at my script. Or I’ll go over the lines in my head, especially for long monologues that I have. And I just try to make sure that I stay in the moment for each scene that I’m in. All of the training, all of that other stuff, what they tell you is get all that into you. But then forget it when you get on stage. Just forget it. And just go. So I just tried to prepare myself that way.
Have you ever performed in Charlotte before?
I’ve never performed a play or a musical. I may have done a concert there, though. I feel like I have.
Finally, tell me something about Norm Lewis that would surprise people who know you.
Well, I would say that I love entrepreneurial ventures and I love researching and finding out more about those kinds of opportunities. I do some master classes sometimes with students at these prestigious schools. And yes, I can teach you how to present a song or even be able to show you how to manipulate it and your voice. But I would love to give you something that’s a little bit more tangible, where you would actually make some money.
You know, this business is so ephemeral. I’ve been lucky enough to be in this industry for 30 years, but there was some downtime sometimes and, and you don’t necessarily want to have to go and work at a restaurant to supplement your income. And with the opportunity of the internet, I would like to kind of be an advocate for that and to show people those opportunities. Not teach them, but at least open the door so that they can go and find out more about it.
You can sell things online, you can be an affiliate for products online, you can literally sell houses online. And I would like to show people that — especially young people, because they’re out there on the internet all the time. You can make some money to supplement what you’re trying to do with your career in the arts. And you can make money while you’re still pursuing your dream.
“A Soldier’s Play”
When: Jan. 10-22
Where: Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts, 430 S. Tryon St., Charlotte.
Tickets: Blumenthalarts.org
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This story was originally published January 5, 2023 at 5:53 AM with the headline "Broadway stars rarely hit the road for touring shows. Norm Lewis explains why it’s special."
