Todrick Hall made his way from the internet to the stage with musicals like Straight Outta Oz and then to Broadway with the lead in Kinky Boots. There is nothing stopping this amazing talent. He is currently bringing his newest show Forbidden to Tacoma’s Broadway Center this evening. There might be a few seats left if you click here. Check out our interview below as well:
Earle Dutton: I saw that you Facebook Live in front of the house where Mrs. Doubtfire was filmed. What is your favorite part of the movie?
Todrick Hall: I think my favorite part is really the message of the movie and how much he was willing to fight for his kids. Coming from a family that was very broken and a community where a lot of people didn’t even have fathers, I loved that he would go to such great lengths to be in his children’s lives. He was even willing to dress as a woman to be part of their lives. As crazy and outlandish as it was, I love the fact that it perfect ending. They didn’t get back together. I remember that the kids were finally just allowed to have a relationship with their father and that was really cool. I love the part where the social worker comes over at night and he has to put the meringue pie on his face like he is doing a mask. That is probably my favorite scene. (laughter)
ED: Your last show, Straight Outta Oz was spectacular. It was mostly about growing up. Does that mean that Forbidden is all about the naughty bits of adulthood?
TH: (Laughter) I think Forbidden is all of the things that I really wanted to talk about before but I was maybe afraid to do so. When I wrote Straight Outta Oz, we were in a very different political time. Obama was still the President and it seemed that things were progressing. I felt, as an American citizen, that I was in a very safe place. When Trump took over the White House, it was not the greatest thing that could happen in my opinion. In a lot of ways it has been one of the best things to happen to our country. Because, I have never seen people in our generation really have to fight for things or stand up for rights that we should have had. We have been marching for LGBTQ equality but there has never been a time when I felt all of my rights could be taken away. I think that has really inspired artists and creators to create art that actually matters. I think before everybody was trying to figure out what version of a song about popping bottles in the club should I put out to make money. I think right now people are making art that really matters. It transcends just a great melody because the message it more important now. It reminds me of back in the day when people were writing songs about times and issues they are going through. I think it is so beautiful. I am so happy that I am alive in this time when my voice and my music matter so much.
ED: What is your favorite part of the new show, Forbidden so far?
TH: It depends on the day. Some days I just wanna go party and dance. On those days I just love the song “T.H.U.G.”, “Doll Hairs” and “Ka-Ching”. My favorite song to sing right now is “Painting in the Rain”. I think it is beautiful. It is really powerful.
ED: What was it like making your new video “Dem Beats” dressed as a space-age unicorn?
TH: It probably the most painful experience out of all of my 300 videos. Walking in those hooves was the most challenging thing ever but to dance in them was even harder. I asked the lady who made them if people can walk in them and she said ‘definitely, people have walked in them before for sure.’ She didn’t know if people could really dance in them though. I found a way to make them work for me and dance in them. It was really difficult and my toes were bleeding afterwards. I hope the video is really successful because it was not easy at all.
Todrick Hall in “Dem Beats” featuring RuPaul
ED: How long did you have to practice in the hooves?
TH: I didn’t have much time at all. I didn’t put the entire outfit together until the day of the shoot. Luckily, I just finished my run of Kinky Boots on Broadway with 166 performances. So, I had a lot of experience dancing in heels in general. I think without that experience the hooves would have been almost impossible for me.
ED: What was your favorite part of your Kinky Boots experience?
TH: I was in Kinky Boots when I found out that Trump was becoming President. It just seemed like people were really unsure about what the world was going to be. I have never seen New York like that. It always has this hustle and bustle that is so specific to that city. After they announced Trump as President there was just dead silence. To be in a show that just preached love no matter who you are was just so important. I feel like that show is my story. I feel like it was written for me.
ED: Is there another musical you would like to do?
TH: I would love to do Wicked. I would love to be Simba in The Lion King someday. I would love to take one of my own shows to Broadway someday. I would love to be in Hamilton as well or work with Lin-Manuel on anything he does.
ED: You collaborated with some amazing people on the new show and album. Is there anyone you still yearn to work with?
TH: There isn’t an artist in the world who wouldn’t love to collaborate with Beyoncé. She is at the top of the list. I also love Jazmine Sullivan.
There might be a few seats left if you click here.
