First it was a book by William Steig. Then it was a sensationally successful series of animated films, featuring the voice talents of Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy. Then it was a blockbuster Broadway smash hit musical starring Sutton Foster, Daniel Breaker, and Brian d’Arcy James as the ogre. And now the musical is available on DVD, bringing the Broadway experience into the living room. I am a huge fan of Daniel Breaker’s work in “Passing Strange,” so it was a thrill to get to talk to him about playing Donkey on stage in Shrek the Musical.
What’s the first thing you did when you found out that you were going to be playing Donkey?
I guess I wondered if this is really happening or not. You know the part really came out of nowhere for me. I was actually on vacation with my wife and my newborn so I guess you wouldn’t call it vacation. My new born, he was only two weeks old when I got the call for that part. There was actually a lot going on at that point right when I got the call. My wife is a director. She was about to start rehearsals for a play called “Ruined” which takes place in Congo and which later won a Pulitzer and so we were on that path. And then “Shrek” came in and now we have this newborn so that was a very, exciting, and exhausting, and stressful for the first couple of months. But that’s just a part you can’t really say no to. I mean when somebody calls and asks me to play the donkey, that’s not really something you pass on.
It’s kind of a challenge because you’ve got people coming who have a strong idea of who the Donkey is. You want to make it your own but you also want to make them happy. How do you walk that tightrope?
Well, you know, what’s interesting about the version that we did is that the animated movies are very specific, right? And what was great was that when we translated that idea onto the stage, no one was pressuring anybody to make a direct steal from the movie to the stage. I think what we were doing was we’re taking some the benefits that come with live theater and applying that to the iconic story. So there was no pressure to impersonate Eddie Murphy or impersonate Cameron Diaz’s voice. If anything, we were celebrating the story even further by taking it unto a live medium. And then we’re almost coming full circle here by bringing it back to the screen with this DVD which, I think, captures all of the living, breathing excitement of the live stage performance and bringing you just a little closer so you can see certain elements and nuances from the acting that you might not see when you’re watching it on stage. So I think it sort of ups the pleasure of watching the story even further.
Donkey’s got a lot of the best lines in the show.
I think Donkey is such a great part because I think there’s a little Donkey in all of us. I think he is a little bit of a weirdo. He wants a friend. He wears his heart on his sleeve. I think that’s something that we all strive to be like. So, you know, I find him utterly thrilling. And just from sort of like the theater nerd in me, I feel like he is one of these ancient Commedia characters. I think he is completely honest in every single moment of his life. He does not know how to lie. That doesn’t live in his blood. I find it actually so thrilling to be that open and vulnerable on stage. Every night was so much fun. And also, the cast is just extraordinary. I had such a magnificent time playing opposite Brian d’Arcy James. I think even on those exhausted days when I was sick or I was tired, it was just seeing him up there and his very honest eyes and thinking, “Alright. I’m going to do this anyway. We’re going to have a great time.” So it was a thrill every step of the way. And Sutton Foster — that girl was a machine. I don’t know how she got through that thing of like throwing the green costume, and taking it off doing a tap number, and then just walking around right after a big tap number as if she was not even winded like she just crossed the street. I mean she is extraordinary. And she also makes everything look so easy. And then Christopher Sieber who played Farquaad, the fact that he is the tallest guy in the cast and he was the one on his knees. I thought that was some form of cruelty. He was wearing that 50 pound rig on his costume and he was still a trooper the whole way.
I love to see families go to the theater and teach kids about this role of the theater. What’s it like to perform in front of so many kids with their families?
It’s a thrill because you know that if a family is willing to drop the Broadway money to bring their kids to a show that they really actually want to be there. That’s quite an enjoyable experience to have and to watch, you know because sometimes I feel like a little like “Okay, the dad doesn’t really want to be here. It’s football season. He’s going there because his kids wanted to go,” and then five minutes later, he can’t help but crack a smile at how extraordinary this show is. So it’s a lot of fun to entertain in that respect. Also I was a dad by the time I started the show so it’s just nice to raise this child while also doing this show that is designed for children.
Can’t make it to the theater to see “Shrek the Musical?” On October 15, you will be able to get front-row tickets to a spectacular Broadway musical based on the beloved movie from DreamWorks Animation, which is itself based on the book by William Steig. The BluRay includes the Blu-Ray and DVD versions of the musical, plus:
From Swamp To Stage: The Making of Shrek the Musical—Follow the cast and crew of Shrek the Musical as they take you behind the scenes and show you what it really takes to make
a Broadway show come to life!
Shrek The Musical Songbook with Sing-Along—Kids and adults alike can pick their favorite song and sing along, as seven songs from the musical will have their lyrics appear on
the bottom of the screen as you watch the actual musical performance on screen. You can play all of the tunes uninterrupted or choose to randomize the musical experience with the “shuffle
I love the NPR news quiz show “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me,” and listen every week. On May 2, fans will be able to watch the show live in theaters across the country. Tickets are available from Fathom Events. Peter Sagal and official judge and scorekeeper Carl Kasell will be joined by panelists Paula Poundstone, Mo Rocca and Tom Bodett to play the quiz in front of a live audience. And Steve Martin will be joining the cast to answer questions and play the popular segment “Not My Job!”
Jay Sullivan‘s new book, Raising Gentle Men: Lives at the Orphanage Edge, is the story of his experience as the only man living in a Kingston, Jamaica convent, helping to care for 250 orphan boys. It is a beautifully written and inspiring story. Sullivan generously took time to answer my questions about his experiences.
How did you first come to the orphanage in Jamaica?
I got there one step at a time. My first year in Kingston, I walked by the orphanage grounds each day on my way to St. George’s College, the Jesuit high school where I taught English. When I was asked to help run the school’s ministry program, I needed a place to take my students where they could work with less-privileged people. What better than the orphanage around the corner? From that initial interaction, my involvement with the place grew, and I eventually moved in.
What kind of training did you have in religion or education before your arrival?
I majored in English at Boston College, but hadn’t had any formal training as a teacher. In fact, only one of the dozen BC teachers sent to Kingston in 1984 came from the School of Education. The week before we landed in Kingston we went on a retreat to talk about our faith and our role at our schools. Two nuns, veteran teachers themselves, spent a day giving us pointers on lesson plans and maintaining discipline. The only line that stuck with me was, “Don’t smile until Christmas.” It’s a classic line for teachers. It means if you are strict for the first few months, you can loosen up after that. But if the kids think you are a pushover at the start, they will walk all over you. I wish I had heeded the nuns’ advice. My first year I was a disaster when it came to discipline. But I learned my lesson by the second year.
What was the biggest surprise of your time there?
Like everyone my age, I had just finished 16 years in a classroom, but had experienced that room from only one perspective. Becoming a teacher, looking at the class from the front instead of the back of the room, changed my perspective on what had been going on for the last 16 years. That alone was a huge learning curve.
How were the nuns different from what outsiders might expect?
I think most people assume nuns are serious and austere. My Aunt Dolores was a Sister of Charity. I grew up knowing her and some of her nun friends, who were the friendliest, happiest, most jovial people, always laughing and teasing each other. The nuns at Alpha were of the same ilk. There were certainly one or two that wore a dour face, and clearly, they all knew how to keep order, but their cheerfulness might have surprised people.
What did the boys want to know about you?
The boys were used to people coming and going at the orphanage, so their questions were simple. My freckles and red hair piqued their interest more than anything else.
Were the boys supportive of each other?
I was always amazed at their generosity with each other. If one of them got a special treat of some sort, he always wound up sharing it among whatever boy put out a hand. I don’t know if that’s because they each knew hunger all too well, or because they were relatively well fed at Alpha and didn’t need to worry about their next meal. They also supported each other emotionally. When one scored a goal on the field, won at a game of cards, or was praised by a staff member for a good deed, the others would cheer him on. Of course, they also teased each other, just like any other group of boys.
Do you have a favorite Bible passage or prayer?
I love the Prayer of St. Francis. Its call to action is a theme throughout the book.
What was the best advice you got while you were in Jamaica?
Sister Magdalen talked a lot, but she wasn’t into dispensing advice. Everything I learned from her and the other sisters was from watching their actions. The way Magdalen took each day as it came, controlled only what she could, and let God handle the rest was the biggest lesson I learned.
What made you decide it was time to write the book?
I thought that 20 years was enough time to “think about” writing a book. My wife and kids also let me know it was time to either write it or stop talking about it. I’m sure many men accomplish their goals in life simply because their wives tell them, “Enough talk already. Get it done.”
How does the understanding you gained in Jamaica influence your life today?
In Jamaica, I talked with the boys each evening about their lives. I gained an appreciation for how diverse the human experience can be, and yet how similar we all are in seeking the essential human needs of camaraderie, companionship and knowing that we are part of something larger than ourselves. That experience has helped me challenge my assumptions about others, and stay focused on the basics about human nature when I deal with people. Both have helped me a great deal in my role as a communication skills coach. I still have a lot more to learn in this area.
What advice would you give someone who is about to begin the kind of work you describe in the book?
Stay open to the ideas you see and hear in others with more experience. Approach the work knowing you can accomplish a great deal, but step carefully, and with great humility.
Interview: BerNadette Stanis of “Good Times” and Gospel Musical Behind the Pulpit
Posted on February 18, 2013 at 3:59 pm
It was very exciting, as a long-time fan of “Good Times,” to get a chance to interview BerNadette Stanis, who played Thelma. She was a teenager herself when she was given the role. She made me feel like an old friend and it was a lot of fun to talk to her about going from living in the projects to starring in a hit television series about a family living in the projects, about meeting classic movie stars Mae West and Loretta Young, what she learned from her TV mom, Esther Rolle, being a caretaker for her own mother with Alzheimers, and her current role in the gospel musical “Behind the Pulpit.” To see the tour schedule and buy tickets, check here. To bring them to your church, contact them here.
Tell me about the play.
I play Deborah, the first lady of the church. And my husband the pastor is so involved in this church that he’s forgetting about his family. And his son. And so we have those issues in the church and all the little stuff that’s going on. It’s a real fun play. It’s a very good play. Lots of singing. You know the gospel thing. Those gospel people can sing, baby. I can do the acting and they can do the singing.
And what do you hear from the fans of the play? How do people respond to it?
They really like it. They are intrigued and they are astonished by what it says. Because my son in the play is gay. And I love him. He’s my only child. I love him to death. He can do no wrong. And his father is not having it. So you have that going on. And being a pastor. And how does he tell his church members my son is gay. So he doesn’t go along with it. And gives the boy a hard time.
That’s very difficult. What do you hope people will take away from the play?
Well what I would hope that they take away from the play is that sometimes our children are not what we want them to be or they don’t turn out the way we think they should turn out because it reflects badly on us because were pastors or were doctors or were whatever. But it doesn’t happen for them and we have to learn to embrace them as human beings and love them as their parents. Even though they are going through things they still need our love. And if they feel they don’t have the love and they are going through stuff sometimes it becomes overwhelming. And they can’t handle it. Pastors do have a lot on their shoulders because they are obligated by God to lead in the right way according to bible. Then you have these things that may come up, you have a child that’s wayward, you may have a child that’s gay, what are you going to do with that? I think Jesus would love them anyway.
We all deal with that work/life balance. You have to deal with that work/life balance. You’re a mom.
My mom passed in 2011 from Alzheimer’s. I had been a caregiver for 8 years. So I was caregiving and promoting a book at the same time. I had written a book in ’06. She came to live with me in ’06. And I had a ten year old daughter at the time. She’s 18 now. But I’m just saying that was living the sandwich life. It was like balancing mom and balancing my little 10 year old and balancing trying to get out to promote my book. Thank God my husband was there to help me but still. It was difficult.
And it’s hard for kids to understand because they want 100% of your time.
That’s right. That’s it. So my mom came, it was like “I don’t understand that. You’re taking all my mom’s attention.” So we had to deal with that. Yeah, there was a lot of dynamics going on with that disease.
It’s wonderful that you were able to care for her.
To the end.
I’m sure that was a great comfort to her.
Yes. And she always wanted to live with me anyway. And I’m writing a book on the last night. The last night we spend together and that’s going to be for the Alzheimer’s community. I’m going to be doing a lot for them to educate the African American community on this disease. And I have an organization I put together for my mother, Remembering the Good Times. Nonprofit. Yes, remembering the good times. That’s what I’m doing for her.
What do you think families can do to be more supportive of care givers?
A lot of times when this particular disease hits a family a lot of people don’t understand the disease so they think if you forget a few things that you are no good. You’re not mommy anymore. And they hurt them so they walk away. And I would say that with something like this just understand why they want to hold on instead of putting them in a home. Let them live a quality life even though they are going through this disease. Know they are loved. And support your family members that are trying to hold on.
Tell me about your books.
I have a book called Situations 101. Its about the good, the bad and the ugly in relationships. 101 different situations and my responses to them. It’s a funny book. Everything in there is real. I have heard those stories from someone. And then I have another book called Situations 101: Finances. The good, the bad and the ugly and the basics. In everyday terms. Because a lot of times people don’t really quite understand it. You read the financial books and I mean for me I was reading the financial books and really, really trying and I would go to sleep. My brain would just shut down. I have a book called For Men Only and another Secrets from the Soul of a Woman in Love. And I’m writing one with my daughter. She’s 18 now and it’s Situations 101: Teenagers. You wouldn’t believe what teenagers go through. She tells me everything in school. There’s enough stories right there. And it’s different stories with different children. And some children have multiple stories. And how do they handle it. So a lot of her friends come to me and ask me things. And I help them as much as I can.
You got famous very young.
That wasn’t a problem. My mother was there. My parents were very supportive. It was beauty pageant that actually got me that opportunity. That was very interesting because it was like coming out of the projects going into the projects. I’m glad they picked me. That was a wonderful time in my life.
What was the audition process?
Well I think they auditioned every black young actress in America. I remember when I went up to CBS. I was in a beauty pageant and the manager came over to my mother and said were looking for a teenage daughter for a television show. That’s how we got in there. So we went up to CBS and the room was packed — you’re talking about a cattle call. I thought I was the only one. I thought, “Oh my God, look at all these people,” and then I saw some famous people there. And I’m like “Oh no, I’m not going to get this. Get out of here.” I was just so excited to be there. And then they called me into the room with Norman Lear and Jimmy Walker because Jimmy was already picked. And Norman was the producer of “Maude” and “All in the Family.” And he’s a very interesting man. He loves comedy. He knows comedy. So were sitting there and I get the script. The script was a little stiff to me. To me. The expert. So I’m like, “Can I improvise and do like I do at home with my brothers?” He’s like, “Go ahead. Just do something.” So I auditioned and I went up to Jimmy and I said something to him and he was like ignoring me and I just gave him a push. You know how you push your brothers and he went “What!” And we went back and forth and Norman loved that. So I think that won me over.
What kind of reaction did you get from the fans?
It was nothing like it is today because you see back then they had to write letters. We got lots of letters but now you get email and Facebook and all of that has changed. I couldn’t communicate with them like I can today. But they loved me and I really felt the love when I went out for my book promotions in ’06. 30 something years later.
That show seems to have really connected to people. I think because it was such a strong family.
And it was written with real issues. It wasn’t necessarily written like we were just black people. We were people going through issues. Now there were some situations that pertained to blacks like hypertension, high blood pressure, that we were going through and we addressed that. And I loved the way they wrote that. The show went into a lot of different dynamics and when I was thinking about it as an adult. They had the mother and father at one point. There’s a family with the mother and father and then the father was gone and then you had the mother supporting the children and you had a step father come in. then the mother went away and it was just the children and an aunt. Willona. So we adopted a kid.
Janet Jackson! You had a chance to work with some really fine older actors. What were some of the things they taught you?
They taught me about being professional. And taking your craft seriously. And learning your lines and being real with your character and I learned about discipline in the work place and because I didn’t have that. I was late all the time. And Esther fixed me real good.
Did she? What’d she say?
She fixed me real good. She would pick me up around where I lived and we would go to work together and so I was always late. And she said, “BerNadette, I don’t like being late and if you’re late, I’m late.” I was supposed to be on the corner waiting for her at 9 o’clock. “And if you’re late tomorrow I’m going to leave you.” I started laughing. “Mom, you know you’re not going to leave me, stop it.” So she said “Hmmm.” And so this day I was late. I was trying to really get there on time I still was late. And I got downstairs and there was no car. So I said, “Maybe she’s late.” I stood there for about 10 minutes and I realized she left me. She really left me. Oh, my God. And you can’t get a cab in California. So it took me like two hours to get the cab and it cost me about 30 bucks. It was like a mess. When I got there I had a little attitude. I got up there and she said, “Hmmmm,” and I couldn’t even get mad because she was right. But you know I got mad anyway and she said, “Don’t be late.” It was a hard lesson but I learned it.
What do you get from live performance that is different being on television?
Live performance is you’re right there. You don’t know what’s going to happen. You know your lines but each night it’s different. And that’s what I like about it because when I do my scenes with Terrell, the one who plays the pastor, he’s so good and he flows with me well and when I come out and he’ll say something it’s so real. And that’s what I enjoy, having an actor that has good chemistry. So you can enjoy your work. So that’s what I love about that. But as far as television is concerned it gets way out there and everybody sees it in one little spot. So if you want your popularity to be there, television is it. But if you want to hone in on your craft, the stage is it.
And what books do you like to read?
You know I like to read autobiographies in fact I’m reading Mae West’s. She was way ahead of her time and you know I was reading about her is that her mom raised her basically to think like a man. Not to be a man, just to think like one because her mother wanted to be a star and was married and back in those days, she was born in 1997 or something. So you can imagine. Her mother was stuck with three kids and a husband and she couldn’t make it. But she saw this pretty little girl she had and she adored her and just let her just blossom and she put everything into her. And didn’t teach her the way you would teach a girl. Don’t do this. You can’t do that. It wouldn’t be lady like. Her mother just let her go. And she did the opposite. And she didn’t let anybody stop her from being who she was.
And I had an opportunity to meet her. Because Herb Kenwith was our first director on Good Times. And he was one of her best friends and he’s in the book. So Herb came to me when we first started the show. Like the second season and he said were going to the CBS dinner and “Ms. Mae West would like to meet you.”
So I met her at the escalator and we walked in and we sat at the dinner table and everything but she wouldn’t speak but now that I’m reading the book I realize she didn’t speak much, she was studying people. And so I sat with her and everything for a while. But she didn’t speak much and I didn’t know what to say. So I just drifted off into my friends.
And I got to meet Loretta Young. You want to know what she said to me. She asked me to pray for her.
When did you decide that you wanted to act?
When I was a very young teen. I had a class and I improvised something and the teacher thought I was very good. I was a dancer so I would interpret dancing in an acting way. You know what I mean I would put music on and I would act it out in dancing. So I was always acting and that’s what I did. Interpretive dance, modern jazz, and I was always doing things like that so acting came kind of natural.
And your parents were supportive of that?
Oh yeah. I can remember this is so interesting now that I have teenagers you know we were living in a two bedroom apartment in the projects and you have the living room and you have the little bedroom and I would get up on Saturday or whatever day and I would play my music, no one ever stopped me. And I would play it loud. My mother never said turns it down. And I would play the song over and over. And she just let me do that. Now that I think about it that’s pretty incredible.
, is the story of his experience as the only man living in a Kingston, Jamaica convent, helping to care for 250 orphan boys. It is a beautifully written and inspiring story. Sullivan generously took time to answer my questions about his experiences.
. Its about the good, the bad and the ugly in relationships. 101 different situations and my responses to them. It’s a funny book. Everything in there is real. I have heard those stories from someone. And then I have another book called Situations 101: Finances. The good, the bad and the ugly and the basics. In everyday terms. Because a lot of times people don’t really quite understand it. You read the financial books and I mean for me I was reading the financial books and really, really trying and I would go to sleep. My brain would just shut down. I have a book called For Men Only and another Secrets from the Soul of a Woman in Love. And I’m writing one with my daughter. She’s 18 now and it’s Situations 101: Teenagers. You wouldn’t believe what teenagers go through. She tells me everything in school. There’s enough stories right there. And it’s different stories with different children. And some children have multiple stories. And how do they handle it. So a lot of her friends come to me and ask me things. And I help them as much as I can.