RAGE: How do you like being on tour? me to try out for all five and I was accepted to the you can conquer the world. If you are having a rough
Jeannette Bayardelle: It can be Performing Arts one, which is what I really wanted. time it will lift you up. If life is great for you, it will help
lonely at times, being separate you stay excited about life. I promise, you will not be
from family. That aspect is hard, RAGE: How do you prepare yourself each night for the show? sitting for two hours and forty-five minutes in vain.
but it is easier to focus on your JB: I have a routine, but it doesn’t start before the Everyone can pick up something, learn something
work. On Broadway, I went home show. It starts when I wake-up in the morning. from the show, find something they relate to.
at the end of the day, meaning Physically and vocally, I have to prepare all day long. I
when I got to work it took a little have to get proper rest, a lot of rest. I have to prepare RAGE: Any time you have been touched by the audience?
more. Here on the tour, I am in it, mentally by clearing my mind and going in with the JB: Every night. It is amazing to see the tears and
no distractions. This takes dedica- attitude of getting the job done. the gratitude. The final line of the play is “Amen.” I look
tion, a great amount of dedica- out and two women in the front row hug each other,
tion. Not just your gifts of singing RAGE: Do you have a favorite moment or song from the show, saying thank you for friendship and for bringing
and acting, but something else, one you find yourself whistling in your off-time? them such a great production.
character and integrity. Being JB: I get asked this question all the time and I can’t
wise about the decisions you really answer it. When I first joined the show on RAGE: What’s next for you? A new album? Have you consid-
make and how they affect the Broadway, I understudied eleven parts so I love the ered other genres besides Gospel?
show and the cast. show as a whole, every part, every song. That’s how I JB: I would like to do more film and television, but
learned it and that’s how I love it. I can’t pick one song I will certainly continue doing music, my first love.
RAGE: Celie is really a demanding role. without picking another. I sing Gospel or Gospel Pop. I won’t go out of that
How do you deal with the age changes? genre. I hope to play many other roles in my lifetime
She goes from age fourteen to a woman RAGE: What would you tell someone considering buying and I love being able to display a plethora of talents.
in her fifties with graying hair? tickets for this show? To sing, act and do a little dancing. If it is possible to
JB: I love the change and trans- JB: This is a show that changes your life. It is an get something as awesome as this, that would be
formation. I love how a young girl amazing, talented cast. You will come out feeling like wonderful.
with low self esteem grows into a
woman who knows she is beauti-
Family Reunion featuring Jeannette Bayardelle (Celie) & LaToya London (Nettie) photo by Paul Kolnik
ful, an entrepreneur and strong. I
love that it is all physical changes
I make. My voice changes octaves.
My posture changes. The way I
use my face, walk and talk. But
my make-up doesn’t change. The
only thing is my wigs change. It re-
quires real consistency and subtle
change. There are things she does
as a child that she also does as an
adult, but a little differently.
RAGE: You are so passionate about Celie’s story. When did
your love affair with The Color Purple start?
JB: I knew it as a film first. It is my favorite film of all
time, but I can’t watch it now because I am in it. You
know what I mean?
RAGE: You first started singing in church at the age of 3.
When did you seriously begin to take up singing, acting,
show business?
JB: I was always singing and always part of produc-
tions. Then I went to a Performing Arts High School.
In New York, every student is presented with op-
portunity to apply to five specialized schools. It was
a tradition in my family; my two older sisters went
to specialized high school. My parents encouraged
DECEMBER 2008 | RAGE monthly 17
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