BWW Interview - Debut of the Month: THE COLOR PURPLE's Danielle Brooks

Danielle Brooks is best known for her role as Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson in Netflix's Emmy-nominated series, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. This month, the talented actress makes her debut in the role of Sofia in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple.

Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel and the Warner Bros. / Amblin Entertainment motion picture, The Color Purple tells the unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity and follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.

Today, Brooks speaks exclusively with BWW and explains why making her Broadway debut in this musical revival is truly a "full-circle moment."

[NOTE: BroadwayWorld's fabulous photographer Walter McBride captures images of the Broadway stars profiled in our monthly column in a special photo shoot. Check out the pics of Ms. Brooks throughout the feature!]

You are filming your TV show ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK at the same time as starring in The Color Purple. How on earth are you managing both?

By prayer? [laughing] Really, every second that I can grab some sleep I try to grab some sleep. Normally when I shoot the show I am on set maybe once or twice out of the week. But it just so happens that this season of 'Orange', they needed me almost every day for the last few episodes, which is actually the most intense time for COLOR PURPLE. So they've been squeezing me in in the morning so that I can get out in time for rehearsal and for the show. So that means I've been getting up at like four or five am, wrapping the shoot around one or two pm, and then going straight to COLOR PURPLE rehearsals, which go until five. And then after that, I try to grab something to eat, and go do a show.

Wow, how do you maintain the energy for all that?

Well what makes it easy honestly is the fact that I love both so much. Both projects are so great, they are both so fulfilling as an actor and they are stories that are worth telling. I get excited to get to tell these stories, one of which means so much to me, The Color Purple, and the other, which has really catapulted my career in a great way. So it's the material that I get to do everyday that really keeps me going.

The majority of people probably know you best for ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, but you really have a strong theater background.

Well yes, I went to Julliard for theater, but I've actually only done one musical and that was RENT in college in Ithaca, New York. I played the "Seasons of Love" soloist in that, so I was part of the ensemble. So that was the only time that I've done a musical, which makes this only my second musical. I've always been a singer, I've been singing since I was a young girl, like three or four years old, but this is really a new experience for me. So I'm learning still how this thing works and how to take care of my voice when it comes to singing. But my Julliard training has really helped me with that in a lot of ways. And for me, I'm someone who doesn't stop learning. So before even getting this role, I was taking voice lessons and singing lessons and dance lessons on the side just to make sure that when the opportunity did present itself, I would be ready.

Can you talk about your role as the strong-minded Sofia? Can you relate to the character?

Yes I can, Sofia is a force. She is dynamite. I absolutely love playing this character because she's made me see the strength within myself in a lot of ways. I think sometimes people expect actors to just exude confidence, especially when you get to a certain level. But for me, I actually can be quite hard on myself when it comes to my work. So with this role, Sofia has really taught me to let go of my fears and let go of self-doubt and let go of any negative energy that tells me that I cannot do this, or that I do not deserve to be here, that I'm not enough.

When I sing the song "Hell No", that is all about saying 'hell no' to a man who has been beating my character, but when I apply it to my life, it's me saying 'hell no' to all of those negative thoughts that cross my mind. So it's really helped me as an actor to remind myself that I'm talented, I already got the job, I'm worth being here.

And what I also love about Sofia is how sexual she is. I think a lot of people forget that about her. I like to describe her as a grenade too, it's like you have just seven seconds to get out of her way before she explodes on you! And the thing is, if you're kind to her, she will be that way towards you and give that to you one hundred percent, but if you're not, she's going to give you whatever you're giving her one hundred percent as well.

Is it true that the original production of The Color Purple was the very first Broadway show you ever saw?

That is true, yes it was. So this is definitely a full circle moment for me.

What do you remember about that experience?

Oh I remember it so well. I remember my father saying to me, "Danielle, I want to take you to your first Broadway show.". We sat up in the mezzanine, right in the middle. And I remember watching LaChanze sing "I'm Here" and that being the moment that I really felt that I had found my purpose in life and what I wanted to do. I'm trying not to get emotional, but that was the moment that I was like, "I can do this." Because I saw people who looked like me on such a higher level, a higher level than I would ever be able to reach in Greenville, SC where I lived. And I remember them just giving me so much hope. And watching Felicia P. Fields play Sofia and her being so strong, and so funny and she just brought so many colors to the character. I just remember that moment so very clearly, being a changing moment in my life and that's what launched me into auditioning for Julliard three months later, and I got in at 17-years-old and moved to New York and started to really study acting seriously and professionally.

That's an amazing story. I'm guessing you were thinking about that first Broadway experience at the first preview of The Color Purple?

Oh my gosh yes, and it was magical! And there is no word created in the dictionary that can describe how it felt. It just took over my body. I remember finishing the night, taking the final bow, coming into my dressing room and I just started crying, and my body was shaking uncontrollably from the adrenaline that was running through it. And I was just saying, "Thank You God", because my dream was fulfilled. I really do wish that everyone can feel what it's like to fulfill your dream, there is no other feeling in the world than to do that. It was an amazing experience.

But then a few days later, a lot of the original cast came to see the show and that was another amazing experience for me because these were the people that inspired me to follow this dream and now they were watching me do it, so that was a real moment. Talk about full circle!

Congratulations to Danielle Brooks on making her first appearance on Broadway. The American Musical Theatre Academy is also making its debut in New York! Our school has been grooming young performers in London for five years and we are proud and excited to be opening a school in Manhattan. We're happy to support BroadwayWorld's Debut of the Month, since bringing fresh new talent to the stage is what we're all about. Check out our website www.tamta.com - training takes place in New York AND at our school in London for part of the winter term. All our tutors are working professionals."

About Danielle Brooks:

Danielle Brooks is best known for her role as Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson in Netflix's Emmy-nominated series, "Orange is the New Black" which is currently in production on its fourth season. Brooks and her cast received a SAG Award in 2014 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and Danielle was the recipient of the Young Hollywood Award for Breakthrough Actress. Brooks has also appeared in HBO's "Girls", and will be seen in AZIZ ANSARI's upcoming Netflix comedy series, "Master of None". On the big screen, Brooks voiced a character for Sony's Angry Birds set to be released May 2016, and has previously starred in Oren Moverman's Time Out of Mind and the independent feature, I Dream Too Much, which premiered at SXSW. Brooks grew up in South Carolina and is a graduate of The Juilliard School. "

The Color Purple began preview performances November 10, at theBernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th street). Grammy, Academy Award, and Golden Globe award winner Jennifer Hudson making her Broadway debut opposite Cynthia Erivo, the breakout star of John Doyle's acclaimedMenier Chocolate Factoryproduction, and Orange is the New Black's Danielle Brooks, in this fall's highly anticipated production. All three women will be making their Broadway debuts.

They are joined by Isaiah Johnson (The Merchant of Venice, Peter and the Starcatcher) in the role of 'Mister;' Joaquina Kalukango (Encores! Wild Party, Holler If Ya Hear Me) as 'Nettie;' and Kyle Scatliffe (LES MISERABLES) will be taking on the role of 'Harpo.'

The company also includes Phoenix Best,DWayne Clark, Lawrence Clayton, Carrie Compere, Patrice Covington,Adrianna Hicks, Bre Jackson,Grasan Kingsberry, Kevyn Morrow, Ken Robinson, Antoine L. Smith, Carla R. Stewart,Akron Watson, and Rema Webb.

THE COLOR PURPLE will officially open on Thursday, December 10 at the Bernard B. JacobsTheatre (242 West 45th street).

THE COLOR PURPLE has scenic design by John Doyle, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting design by Jane Cox, sound design by Gregory Clarke, and hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe. The Color Purple will feature music supervision by Catherine Jayes and Music Direction by Jason Michael Webb. Casting by Telsey + Company/Justin Huff, CSA.

Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel and the Warner Bros. / Amblin Entertainment motion picture, The Color Purple is adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winner MarSha Norman, with music and lyrics by Grammy award winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

THE COLOR PURPLE is an unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity. With a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.

John Doyle's critically acclaimed production opened in summer 2013 in London at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

THE COLOR PURPLE is produced by Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Oprah Winfrey, David Babani, Tom Siracusa, Caiola Productions, James Fantaci, Ted Liebowitz, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Nederlander, Darren Bagert, Candy Spelling, Adam Zotovich, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, Just For Laughs Theatricals/Tanya Link Productions, Adam S. Gordon, JAM Theatricals, Independent Presenters Network.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos