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Standing before her community at a Christmas Nativity celebration singing the holiday standard “Silent Night,” 5-year-old Cynthia Erivo first realized her passion for performing.
“I just remember how much I enjoyed it and how much I felt like people were happy,” Ms. Erivo said. “It was something I wanted to continue doing because I realized, reciprocally, if people were happy, I was happy.”
Twenty-five years later, Ms. Erivo continues to light up hearts with her soulful voice. Most notably she has made a name for herself in a star turn as Celie Harris in the 2015 Broadway revival of “The Color Purple”—which earned her a Tony, a Daytime Emmy and a Grammy.
And this Sunday, August 20, at 8 p.m. the actress and songwriter will bring her talents to the stage at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center for a night of music and storytelling.
Speaking with The Press this month, Ms. Erivo said she has carefully crafted her set list to include a variety of songs she’s always loved, a few selections she’s written herself and some modern R&B. But most important, she noted, all the songs come together to tell a story.
“My [musical director] and I love storytelling so what we’re going to try and do is make sure that the set list tells a story, a cohesive story,” she explained. “They may be different songs written by different people, or even written by myself, but they make one story. That’s what I’m trying to do with it.”
Westhampton Beach will be the first stop on what Ms. Erivo anticipates as the beginnings of a touring show. She hopes to have the time to bring her selections to audiences all over the country, she said.
However, that all depends on what her very busy schedule will allow. Ms. Erivo is currently finishing up the final weeks on the Steve McQueen feature film “Widows,” an action-drama she stars in alongside heavyweights such as Viola Davis and Colin Farrell. And from there she will take on the gargantuan task of portraying one of the most famous historical African-American figures of all time: Harriet Tubman.
Titled “Harriet,” the screenplay is penned by “Remember the Titans” and “Ali” writer Gregory Allen Howard and is slated to be directed by Seith Mann, known for his many television directing credits.
“I’m really excited,” Ms. Erivo said, “But there’s a part of me that’s really daunted about it because it’s a huge responsibility and I want to make sure it’s done well and I do it correctly and I don’t disappoint people who will be seeing something that’s very close to their hearts.”
She explained, “More than anything I’m ready to challenge myself to see if I’m up to do something of this magnitude.”
Ms. Erivo is also looking forward to informing the world about parts of Tubman’s life that typically aren’t depicted—especially in Hollywood.
“There’s more of her story to tell, stuff we don’t know about her as a person,” she said. “I think this movie will allow us to see into that person, to see how much she had to do, what she had to go through.”
The opportunity to play such a monumental figure is just one of the avenues that opened up for Ms. Erivo after her breakthrough performance in “The Color Purple.” Since the show closed in 2016 she’s performed for Barack and Michelle Obama, teamed up with John Legend to write and record an original song and is just an Oscar away from reaching the mythic EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status.
“I’m doing things I never thought I would be able to,” she said. “There’s always going to be some ups and downs and some adjustments to make, but overall it’s been an incredibly positive and wonderful experience and chance to have. It’s definitely going to be one of those stories I’m always going to be able to tell my grandkids.”
Cynthia Erivo performs Sunday, August 20, at 8 p.m. at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, 76 Main Street, Westhampton Beach. Tickets are $125, $175 and $195. Visit whbpac.org or call 631-288-1500.
on Aug 15, 2017