RECAP: Devanand Janki and Ronald Dennis Talked About Their Struggles Getting to Broadway on STARS IN THE HOUSE

Stars in The House continued this afternoon (2pm) for VARIETY THURSDAY with Ronald Dennis, Orville Mendoza, and Devanand Janki. This episode was in support of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Devanand Janki talked about pursuing a career on Broadway. "I moved to New York and was pursuing a career on Broadway I really was the only brown person, person of South Asian descent and I literally got no wherever I went. I didn't have an agent. Agents told me I was uncastable...I persevered and went to every open call I could. It actually wasn't until MISS SAIGON when I was surrounded by fellow Asian artists who were of my generation who came from primarily immigrant families and they were first generation that I had brothers and sisters who had the same experiences as me."

He then talked about his organization, Live and in Color "We're a not for profit theatre company based both in New York and Connecticut. Our mission is to develop new plays and musicals that celebrate and promote diversity. We are going into our sixth year. We basically do nationwide submissions for new work and we workshop them and develop them in the hopes we're a pipeline for these productions and these artists to succeed."

Ronald Dennis Watson talked about his road to Broadway "I wanted to be a ballet dancer and I was told I was too short and too black basically. That broke my heart so musical theatre came calling and when started auditioning and getting shows for that but it was a hard row to hoe to get those jobs because being 5 foot 4 there was nobody around as dark as me and as short at the time. Over the years I've met several short black performers who have thanked me for opening that door but I did it for me. I just wanted to dance."

Click HERE to watch the full episode.

Click HERE to donate to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund

Click HERE to learn more about Live and in Color

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