Meet Brittney Johnson, Broadway’s first Black Glinda

In Act 1 one of many Broadway musical “Depraved,” the character Glinda makes a dramatic entrance, floating onstage in a magic bubble. Carrying a sky-blue ball robe and a glittery tiara, she smiles and remarks: “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?”

For Brittney Johnson, the newest Good Witch on the Nice White Manner, it’s good to be seen. Again in 2019, the actress made historical past as the primary lady of shade to play Glinda within the hit manufacturing, happening because the understudy. Now, she’s poised to interrupt boundaries once more, taking on full-time because the present’s first Black main girl starting Feb. 14.

“I’m actually excited for individuals to have the ability to see somebody who seems like them onstage, sporting the crown,” mentioned Johnson, who has used her platform to deal with illustration and fairness points on Broadway. “As quickly as I put that crown on — and there’s one thing about sporting a crown — it’s very particular. It’s enjoyable.”

“Depraved” has been a blockbuster since its 2003 opening on the Gershwin Theatre. It’s based mostly on the novel by Gregory Maguire, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a ebook by Winnie Holzman. It attracts inspiration from “The Great Wizard of Oz,” the basic novel authored by L. Frank Baum greater than a century in the past.

The present doesn’t observe Baum’s major character, Dorothy, however as a substitute focuses on the unlikely friendship between the fiery, misunderstood witch Elphaba and her bubbly, standard classmate Glinda. All is effectively, till the world decides to dub one pretty much as good, and the opposite as depraved.

“Depraved” is amongst Broadway’s longest-running exhibits, with upward of $5 billion in box-office gross sales. It’s been seen by home and world audiences, and translated into not less than six languages. Alongside the best way, there’ve been a slew of accolades, amongst them, a number of Tony awards and a Grammy.

Johnson, a millennial, brings her personal abilities and achieved résumé to the acclaimed manufacturing. Rising up in Maryland, she initially “didn’t actually know Broadway was a factor,” though her household acknowledged her budding expertise early on.

“My mother says I used to be singing earlier than I used to be speaking,” she mentioned. “I began taking non-public voice classes at age8.”

In highschool, her classical vocal coaching got here in helpful when she carried out in musical theater, though she quips, “I wished to be the following Mariah Carey.”

After heading to the Massive Apple for school, Johnson graduated with a bachelor of high quality arts from New York College’s Tisch Faculty of the Arts in 2012. 

“I keep in mind through the pre-college program at NYU, I noticed about 30 Broadway exhibits,” she mentioned. Seeing the ornate units, costumes and thespians was life-changing, and foreshadowed her future. “It makes you wish to consider in desires to your personal life.”

Earlier than breaking the typecasting mildew in “Depraved,” her Broadway debut got here in 2014 with “Motown: The Musical,” wherein she performed numerous roles, together with the understudy to Diana Ross’ character. 

The bodily demanding present ready her to each be a clean crooner and a exact hoofer. “That present actually required it. After doing the present, I actually felt like ‘I’m a dancer.’ I can execute the choreography and maintain my very own. It instilled loads of confidence in me.”

Johnson’s star continued to rise when she joined “Les Misérables” in 2015. “I began auditioning for a few full yr earlier than I ever booked ‘Les Miz,’” she mentioned, describing a “full circle second,” as a result of she’d appeared within the musical again in highschool. 

Furthermore, she made historical past within the musical saga of revenge and redemption, set in nineteenth century France. In a tweet, Johnson famous how she grew to become the primary Black actor to play two of the present’s characters — Eponine and Fantine — on the identical day.

“I’ve been very blessed to work very constantly,” she mentioned. “Typically working two exhibits at a time.”

Johnson has additional graced the stage with credit in “Lovely: The Carole King Musical” and “Sundown Boulevard.” Showing on a previous episode of the “Drama” podcast, she fangirled to co-hosts Connor and Dylan MacDowell about icons comparable to Audra McDonald, and Sundown star, Glenn Shut. Being in proximity to the latter onstage, she gushed, supplied a veritable “masterclass.”

Talking of her skilled idols, she joined the unique Glinda in “Kristin Chenoweth: For The Women,” a cabaret-style live performance present in 2019. (The Tony winner gifted Johnson with a necklace and encouragement to have a good time her first “Depraved” efficiency.) That was earlier than Covid-19 modified the world.

Within the first months after Broadway shut down in March 2020, “it was simple to keep up my observe schedule,” Johnson mentioned. “I used to be singing, doing my classes and warmup. Then, it was unhappy. I didn’t wish to sing.”

Broadway resumed operations final fall, with theaters imposing strict well being protocols, together with masks and vaccine necessities.

Based on Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League, Broadway contributes an estimated $14.7 billion to New York Metropolis’s financial system, and helps 96,900 native jobs on and off the stage. That impression extends to accommodations, eating places and small companies all through the town.

“New York Metropolis and Broadway are synonymous,” mentioned Chris Heywood, a spokesperson for NYC & Firm, the official tourism group for the town’s 5 boroughs. “The unmatched theater scene is just not solely the spine of New York Metropolis’s cultural choices, however a catalyst in attracting guests from across the globe and showcasing our creativity, expertise and innovation.”

Johnson mentioned she is thrilled to be a part of that inventive neighborhood, in addition to a Broadway trailblazer. The triple risk — additionally a songwriter and screenwriter — desires of originating a starring function that might showcase her vocal abilities and different strengths. And he or she hasn’t dominated out growing initiatives herself.

To paraphrase Glinda’s opening line, it’s good to be seen.

“We do that, as a result of we like it,” she mentioned. “It’s a extremely privileged place. I’m grateful.”

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