COMING MARCH 16
Getting to tell a story of love, celebration,
acceptance and diversity every night is
the most wonderful message to tell.
DHK: All my teachers who came
into my life inspired me. They
always stressed to be a good person.
That sounds so simple but it is so
important. Being a desirable person
to work with will help you go so far
in life. They not only celebrated my
talent but they applauded and repri-
manded me for being or not being a
good person.
JN: What was the rehearsal process
for Rent?
DHK: We rehearsed for three to four
weeks before we started the tour. It
felt fast because I was in shock — it
still hasn’t hit me but especially then
it was extremely overwhelming in
the best of ways. We spent two and a
half weeks in New York then opened
Sept. 15.
JN: Did you feel any pressure play-
ing such a well-known role?
DHK: Totally. The show has a cult fol-
lowing. It’s the Hamilton of the ’90s.
Lin-Manuel Miranda even incorpo-
rated bits of Rent into Hamilton. You
can see the parallels, which is unbe-
lievable. With all the hype comes a lot
of expectation from the audience. The
show that people saw on Broadway
in 1996 is still the same now for the
20th anniversary. You’re gonna see the
same lighting, costumes and music.
The cast is just different. We did our
research to see what life was like back
then, but we bring in our own spin
and relate the characters to ourselves
and where we are in life.
The show means a lot to a lot of
people — and me — so I am excited
to be a part of it. The job of an actor is
to tell and share stories of the world.
Sharing Rent during this political cli-
mate and getting to tell a story of love,
celebration, acceptance and diversity
every night is the most wonderful
message to tell. The power to change
people’s lives has driven me to do this
as a career.
JN: How did opening night feel?
DHK: It was a whirlwind. Rent audi-
ences are the best. They are so loyal
and excited and know everything
about the show. Before a song starts,
they cheer because they know their
favorite song is coming. They are
genuinely excited when Angel makes
her debut. It’s nice seeing people
support such a positive story.
JN: How does it feel to come home
to perform at the Fisher Theatre
[owned by the same company that
owns the Nederlander Theatre in
New York where Rent originated]?
DHK: It’s crazy. I grew up seeing
shows at the Fisher! It is a dream
come true! If you told me when I
was nine years old that I would get
to perform on that stage, I would
have peed myself. So many people
have reached out to me saying they
are coming, and it’s overwhelming
to see the Metro Detroit communi-
ty’s support. The school district, the
synagogue, my family and friends
are all so supportive, and it is so cool
to see all the camaraderie.
JN: What advice would you give to
actors pursuing a career in theater?
DHK: I think this transcends to any
career path: If you are passionate
and remain passionate, you will have
success, because you will allow your-
self to be. If you truly set out to do
something, there is no way you won’t
be able to do it. Find what keeps you
inspired and passionate. Find a bal-
ance fueling that while living and sur-
viving. When those things can merge
well, that, to me, is success. Identify
what is unique about you and be true
to yourself. It will help you when you
are trying to tell other people’s stories
truthfully.
JN: What do you want people to
understand before they take their
seats?
DHK: They will see a story about love
featuring the best score of music, with
such great musical cast members and
dancing. It’s so emotional; I think we
take you on a journey through love,
life, celebration, friendship and loss.
Getting to feel all those things in two
hours and 45 minutes is what theater
should do for you. •
details
Rent will tour at the Fisher Theatre in
Detroit March 22- 26. Tickets start at
$35. Broadwayindetroit.com.
BEAUTY
AND
THE BEAST
For Showtimes and Tickets, please visit
themapletheater.com
HOST YOUR NEXT EVENT AT THE MAPLE!
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(off of 9 mile, just West of Middlebelt)
Have a FREE*
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jn
March 9 • 2017
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