Words From the Wings: Destini Hendricks From THE WIZ

BroadwayWorld is bringing you Words From the Wings, a new series of interviews that take fans behind the scenes of some of their favorite Broadway stars' backstage routines!

Today we're chatting with Destini Hendricks, who is currently appearing in The Wiz. Destini told us all about her backstage routines, must-haves, and more!

Check out her answers, along with photos taken by BroadwayWorld's Jennifer Broski, below!

What’s the first thing you do when you arrive to the theatre?

First thing I do when I arrive to the theatre is sign in so I don’t forget and take a mint from my girl Verne who stays by the stage door.

What’s the last thing you do before you go on stage?

Last thing I do before I hit the stage are my quick high jumps to get my legs ready for the first sequence we do. I also tell everyone have a great show who’s in the wing behind me!

What’s your must-have backstage snack?

Currently my two must have snacks are tempura seaweed chips and sour gummies! Love the combo of salty and sweet!

Pre-show ritual that others may think is weird?

I feel my ritual is pretty basic but three things I have to do no matter what before I go on stage is eat something sour or sweet which usually is candy of some sort, stare at myself in the mirror and rate how well I think I did my makeup in the time I had in my head, and then do my little high jumps right before I hit the stage. If I don’t do that I just end up feeling incomplete :)

What are five must-haves in your dressing room?

My 5 must haves in my dressing room has to be my slippers because my feet always hurt, my snack box, my vanilla coconut spray, my jacket or robe (it’s always freezing), and my body roller!

What’s your favorite moment from the show to watch from the wings?

My favorite moment to watch from the wings is my cast mate Judith Franklin during Crows. She has a moment where she is upstage on the ladder living her life dancing and it just cracks me up watching her. She is such a joy to watch. I also love watching when our understudies go on for the principal roles, just to see the choices they make and them having a good time on stage.

What has been your favorite backstage moment in your time with this show so far?

I have lots of favorite moments backstage. This cast is truly the best and we all genuinely just have a great time. There’s a lot that goes on and off the stage but moments in our dressing room just has me laughing all the time. We have wardrobe village backstage since our dressing rooms are technically on the third floor. While we’re changing or just waiting for the next number, we always end up making jokes, rapping, just being silly and fun. Not only with the cast but our dressers as well! There’s truly never a dull moment during the show.

About Destini Hendricks

Destini Hendricks (Ensemble) is an Orlando native. Theatre: Tootsie the Musical (Ogunquit Playhouse), Into the Woods. Performances: Cher’s Here We Go Again Tour (Nile Rodgers & CHIC), New York Fashion Week, The Chocolate Nutcracker. Thankful to God and supporters as she joins The Wiz for her Broadway debut! @destini.hendricks