Its been a remarkable year so far for Jeremy Pope.
But there was no time for Pope to take in the life-changing energy and rave reviews.
It premiered last month and is currently playing at the iconic Imperial Theatre.
Credit: Micaiah Carter
Its at once a full-circle moment and a thrilling breakthrough for Pope.
And hes grown with the character and the story into adulthood and into success.
(Hes eligible to be nominated for both shows.)
Matthew Murphy, 2018
EW caught up with Pope by phone to discuss just that.
Because of the hustle and the bustle of it all, Ive just been going-going.
But it feels amazing.
‘Ain’t Too Proud’.Matthew Murphy
Having black theater out there just feels really cool.
Im super grateful for it all.
Choir Boyhas been a part of your life for so long now.
Im so grateful that it came back around.
There are a lot of conversations that were afraid to have because the answers, sometimes, are messy.
I knew how important it was for us to tell this story.
Did you feel that shift, that significance?For sure.
The coolest thing is having tourists, people who have no idea whatChoir Boyis, come in.
Were rocking their world.
Its painful, its beautiful, its powerful.
Theres a music element to it the a cappella gospel spirituals, which have an essence.
Its not a musical, but its a play with this incredible music that furthers the plot.
It was cool to see what it could do to a bigger audience.
More specifically, had did your relationship to the role of Pharus change?
You were much younger when you started playing him.Pharus has helped me grow as an individual.
You know, youre asking a lot of an actor especially when I was first doing it.
You have to be so vulnerable to step in the skin of Pharus.
You dont want to be no punk.
That hypermasculine tension that you feel.
Theres no more self that I can show to the City of New York.
But Im so grateful that I did.
It taught me to risk it all.
We were watching that.
I dont know the last time Ive seen that.
Me neither.Pharus has healed a lot of us.
Hes opened the eyes of many of us.
There was someone whether it be one or 1,000 people in the audience that needed to hear this story.
And so now youre doing something in a very different key a musical, inAint Too Proud.
In making that transition so quickly, what does your routine look like right now?
Whats important to you in finding that balance?Personally, Ive grown a lot during this season.
I believe Im the key in of artist that will go out there every night.
Right now my days consist of resting and recharging.
Were all aware of how busy this is.
And it can be over soon how fast it can go by.
Like I cant believeChoir Boycame and went.
It is going by fast.
So what are you looking to do next?
What do you hope the next chapter looks like?I would absolutely love to work with Tarell again.
Were always texting and calling each other and cutting up.
I feel like the universe is going to find a crazy way of us working together again.
They were being very precious and stingy with the script so I wasnt able to read it.
I cant imagine my life without doing this musical.
Im still growing and learning from everything thats coming my way.
