Whitney White's 'Macbeth in Stride'

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – Whitney White's 'Macbeth in Stride'

Episode Information

• Title: Whitney White's 'Macbeth in Stride'
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Release Date: April 21, 2025
• Duration: Approximately 26 minutes

Introduction In this episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, the spotlight is on Whitney White, a multifaceted director, actor, and songwriter. Whitney discusses her innovative concert show, 'Macbeth in Stride', currently performing at BAM until April 27th, her previous works, creative processes, and future projects. This episode delves deep into how Whitney reimagines Shakespeare's classic 'Macbeth' through a modern, musical lens, blending contemporary beats with the Bard's timeless language.

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Meet Whitney White

Whitney White is introduced as a versatile artist known for her diverse talents in directing, acting, and songwriting. She has garnered acclaim for her Tony-nominated work on Yaya's African Hair Braiding, directed the off-Broadway show Liberation, and the Broadway production The Last Five Years.

Whitney White [02:24]: "The trouble Better get it, better get."

The Genesis of 'Macbeth in Stride'

Whitney recounts her first encounter with Lady Macbeth during her graduate studies at Brown University's Trinity Rep's MFA program. Assigned the challenging dagger scene, Whitney found a profound connection with Lady Macbeth's ambition and desire for more, resonating with her personal aspirations.

Whitney White [03:10]: "Her first beat... I want to try for something else, for something more, it resonated with me. I think it resonates with all of us."

Shakespeare's Influence and Personal Connection

Whitney’s deep-rooted connection to Shakespeare began in high school, where she participated in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' as a fairy. She highlights the physiological impact of Shakespearean language on her, emphasizing how performing in his plays compels her to be "radically present with your body and the audience."

Whitney White [03:52]: "There's something physiologically that happens to me when I'm speaking in the meter or off the meter. It challenges you."

Reimagining Lady Macbeth: The Woman Character

In 'Macbeth in Stride', Whitney transforms Lady Macbeth into 'the woman', a composite of her ancestors, loved ones, and broader feminine experiences. This character serves as a collage of feminine emotion and ambition, challenging traditional portrayals by offering a backstory that portrays Lady Macbeth as a relatable, multifaceted woman striving for more within the constraints of her time.

Whitney White [05:11]: "The character is really a collage of feminine experience. And so what better to call her than woman."

Musical Integration and Genre Fusion

Whitney meticulously blends various musical genres—R&B, gospel, pop, and rock—to complement the emotional landscapes of 'Macbeth'. She draws inspiration from Nine Inch Nails, The Doors, and Trent Reznor, infusing the play with a rock and roll ethos that parallels the intensity of Shakespeare’s text.

Whitney White [09:23]: "When I first read that raven speech, I was like, gosh, this makes me feel like I'm at a Nine Inch Nails concert."

Costume and Visual Aesthetics

Collaborating with costume designer Queen Jean, Whitney ensures that the visual elements mirror the show's musical vibrancy. The spangly jumpsuits and leather belts evoke iconic performances from legends like Tina Turner and Cher, enhancing the show's electrifying stage presence.

Whitney White [10:16]: "We just looked at those iconic photos of Tina Turner, of Cher... When I step on stage, I feel fabulous and dangerous."

Audience Interaction and Evolution

A unique feature of 'Macbeth in Stride' is the interactive element where audience members are invited on stage, creating unpredictable and engaging moments. Whitney reflects on how audience responses have evolved over time, becoming more nuanced and reflective of contemporary societal shifts.

Whitney White [17:55]: "Audience response has really changed."

Creative Collaborations and Directing Philosophy

Whitney acknowledges the importance of collaboration, working closely with directors Tabi Magar and Tyler Dabrowski. Their partnership fosters a dynamic environment of support and critical feedback, essential for refining the hybrid theatrical piece.

Whitney White [18:59]: "The best theater, you cannot make it alone. We've been in this wonderful dialogue over the question of this show."

Future Projects and Artistic Vision

Looking ahead, Whitney shares her excitement about directing 'Saturday Church' at the New York Theatre Workshop. This musical, based on the film of the same name and featuring music by Sia, promises to be a modern odyssey rich in spectacle and body.

Whitney White [25:18]: "It's opulent and full of body and spectacle... a modern odyssey."

Balancing Motherhood and Artistry

Whitney discusses how becoming a mother has deepened her understanding of ambition and sacrifice, enriching her portrayal of the woman in her show. This personal evolution has broadened her perspective on power dynamics and feminine agency.

Whitney White [21:00]: "Becoming a mother... opens you up to new depths and new horizons."

Convergence of Multiple Projects

Whitney reflects on the serendipitous convergence of her projects—'Liberation', 'The Last Five Years', and 'Macbeth in Stride'—coming to fruition simultaneously. She attributes this success to collaboration, timing, and the support of various theatrical institutions.

Whitney White [22:07]: "It was a convergence of things much bigger than me."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Whitney White [03:10]: "Her first beat... I want to try for something else, for something more, it resonated with me."
• Whitney White [09:23]: "I feel like I'm Trent Reznor on stage."
• Whitney White [14:55]: "It's such a radical proposition that is such a radical ask to be un-gendered."
• Whitney White [15:57]: "That character's unsatisfied, probably with the realities of power."
• Whitney White [25:18]: "It's opulent and full of body and spectacle... a modern odyssey."

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Conclusion This episode of All Of It offers an intimate glimpse into Whitney White's creative journey, her innovative fusion of Shakespearean drama with contemporary music, and her commitment to portraying complex female characters. Through 'Macbeth in Stride', Whitney not only honors the legacy of Shakespeare but also redefines it, making it resonate with modern audiences. Her discussions on gender, power, and personal growth provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of theater and the role of women within it.

For those interested in experiencing a fresh take on a classic tragedy enriched with diverse musical influences and powerful performances, 'Macbeth in Stride' at BAM is a must-see.

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Additional Resources

• Listen to the Episode: All Of It – Whitney White's 'Macbeth in Stride'
• Follow Whitney White: [Social Media Links]
• Learn More About BAM Performances: BAM Official Website
• Upcoming Project - 'Saturday Church': Performing at New York Theatre Workshop starting September 2025.

Transcript

[Progressive Insurance]

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[Whitney White]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

You could introduce my next guest as director Whitney White. We had her on our show for her Tony nominated Yaya's African hair braiding. Or you could introduce her as actor Whitney White or songwriter Whitney White. You can see all three of those Personas all over New York right now. She just directed the off Broadway show Liberation and the current Broadway show the Last five Years. And she stars in the musical Macbeth in Stride, currently playing at BAM until April 27th. It's a meditation on what Lady Macbeth called the woman in the show wants most in this world. It is a concert show that uses the Bard's language and some very funky beats. And no curses, please.

[Whitney White]

Better get it girl double, double toilet trouble Better get it, better get you better kill that mother I like the shoes I like this wine I like that throne it should be mine I've got my baby, I've got my mind I've got my good knife, good knife I said the night, the night is mine I said double, double join the trouble Better get it, better get it girl on the double, double, double join.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The trouble Better get it, better get.

[Whitney White]

You better kill that mother Huck, who's this man? Some old king telling me what's what hey, he's got to bleed. If one more man says what's up and down I'll cut him I'll turn that smile to a frown I said double, double join the trouble Better get.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

It better White writes in the program Macbeth in Stride is a love letter to music and. And Shakespeare. She joins me now in studio. It is nice to see you again.

[Whitney White]

Hi. How are you?

[Unnamed Interviewer]

I am doing well. When did you first encounter Lady Macbeth?

[Whitney White]

Second year of graduate school at Brown University, Trinity Rep's MFA program. You get assigned a Shakespearean scene and they usually assign you something that's supposed to be hard for you so you can work on skills and hit new goals. And I was assigned the dagger scene. Give me the daggers. You know, in Lady Macbeth, and that was my first time with the play.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

What part of Lady Macbeth made you realize that? This. This is a role that women could relate to if she was investigated in a different way.

[Whitney White]

I think it's her initial moment in the play. Her first Beat is essentially, she gets a letter telling her her husband might be able to be king, and she says, let's go for it. Let's try. And I think that first beat of, you know, I want to try for something else, for something more, it. It resonated with me. I think it resonates with all of us.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

When was the first time that you encountered Shakespeare?

[Whitney White]

Okay, I think I was in high school at the Shout out to the Latin School of Chicago. And, yeah, I was a fairy. I was but a wee fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream. And I remember being, like, covered from head to toe in purple glitter, and I was like, I think this is, for me.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

What was it about Shakespeare?

[Whitney White]

There's something the language does to my heartbeat, to my body. There's something physiologically that happens to me when I'm speaking in the meter or off the meter. It challenges you. It forces you to be, like, radically present with your body and the audience and nothing else besides music, I'd say, makes me feel like that you make.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The point in the show that, you know, ophelia dead, Juliet dead.

[Whitney White]

Rest in peace.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

A lot of women in Shakespeare's plays end up dead. I don't want to give anything away about your show, but what was it about Lady Macbeth's death that bothered you?

[Whitney White]

I think the idea of a woman meeting her untimely end, it's an unsettling thing. It's something I've dealt with in my family, with women I love that I wish were still here. And I think unpacking the why of it all is helping me deal with the fact that some of these people I love are not here and at large. If we're all used to the Romeo and Juliet syndrome, the Lady Macbeth syndrome, Cleopatra, Ophelia, Amelia, all these women, what is that doing to all of us if we're used to these stories that are hundreds of years old that tell us, you know, if you're too in love or you're too ambitious, you're not gonna make it to the end of your own story. I think that that is existing somewhere and swimming somewhere in society today.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

In the play, she's called the woman. Why'd you call her that?

[Whitney White]

Because I think I'm channeling a lot of ancestors and a lot of people I know and love. And I'm also referencing a lot of women in the Geist, in media, in history. And it's not a completely autobiograph. And so the character is really a collage of feminine experience. And so what better to call her than woman.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

So you've given the woman slash Lady Macbeth slash all women. Well, you've given Lady Macbeth a bit of a backstory. Yeah, we get a little bit about her. When you think about her, when you come out on stage as the woman and then you go into the soliloquies of Lady Macbeth, what do you think about her backstory?

[Whitney White]

I think she's a woman just like us, who wants to reach for more, and the only way she can do it is through her husband because of the setting of the time. So it varies. You know, sometimes I feel like she's a rock star who's trying to get back on top. Sometimes I feel like she's a mom who's trying to get more time for herself. I think every day I have a different woman I can channel because all women have wants, you know?

[Unnamed Interviewer]

I'm speaking with director and actor Whitney White. She is appearing in Shakespeare in concert piece called Macbeth in stride at BAM through April 27th.

[Progressive Insurance]

Okay.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

I keep calling it a Shakespeare's concert piece, sometimes a musical, sometimes the show.

[Whitney White]

How do you describe it exactly the way you do? I think it's live performance with a lot of theatricality and a lot of connection to audience. I grew up in a black church, and so the membrane between audience and stage or pulpit is very thin. So for me, the show, it is a musical, but it's also happening. It's also a concert.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

So when you come down off the stage, you don't know who you're gonna encounter.

[Whitney White]

Yes, true.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

I was interested. I saw it on Saturday night, and the guy who came up, I was like, is he a plant or is he real? Was that real?

[Whitney White]

They're always not to give anything away. There's a moment in the show where we call an audience member on stage, and it's whoever wants to come up, and it's always a range of people, and you never know what you're going to get.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

What have you gotten so far that really surprised you in terms of somebody's response?

[Whitney White]

One day we had an actor who was like, well, I know everything about Macbeth, and I'm really excited to be on stage. And at that point, I'm just like, okay, take the microphone. You know? But sometimes you'll get husbands up there who are on a date night with their wives, and they're kind of excited to be on stage and nervous. I think that's always the funniest is sometimes people choose to get up, and then once they get up there, they're quite nervous. And so the witches End up kind of helping them to ease into the moment.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Let's talk about writing this show.

[Whitney White]

Sure.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

What topics did you know you wanted to cover in song?

[Whitney White]

I wanted to dive into the spirituality of the text. I think that's a delicious place where Shakespeare's kind of creation of the witches. Let's just take the witches and the idea of their spiritual power is something that overlaps with black culture and idiom very well. You know, the idea of black women in a church service who can conjure, who can pray, who have a kind of space and power about them, that was something I wanted to play with in the music. So a lot of times, the witches are conjuring in song, and they're rapping, they're speaking on rhythm, mixing contemporary language and Shakespeare's language on a beat, you know, on a 5, 6, 7, 8. And I just knew I wanted to do that as much as possible.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Yeah, the witches are interesting because they're Shakespeare's witches, But they're also sort of a Greek chorus. They also talk to us, the audience. When you were thinking about the witches, I'll get into what they're wearing. But when you were thinking about the witches, what was their role gonna be in this show?

[Whitney White]

Yeah, I think of the first witch as a relative, as someone who loves me. I think of the second witch as a rival, as someone who wants my part and probably could do it. And I think of the third witch as just like your best friend, your homegirl. So I wanted each witch to have an identity, family, rival, because all of these types of women have really carried me along the way in my life.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

There's R and B in the show. There's gospel in the show. There's pop, there's rock. How did you know which genre would tackle which set of feelings?

[Whitney White]

This is a great question for me. Every Shakespearean play I read kind of has a different sound. You know, Twelfth Night has all this comedy and big ensemble scenes, and it sings differently than Macbeth, which feels like rock and roll to me. And when I first read that raven speech, I was like, gosh, this makes me feel like I'm at a nine inch Nails concert. Like, for some reason, when I say the raven himself is horse, I feel like I'm Trent Reznor on stage. So I just tried to listen to my own responses to the text and then write music accordingly.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Let's talk about the way. What the costume is. Designer Queen John.

[Whitney White]

Queen Jean. Yes.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

She's amazing because, yeah, Mark, Macbeth looks a little rock and roll. You look a little Rock and roll. First of all, how did you arrive at what the woman would look like? You're in sort of a spangly jumpsuit.

[Whitney White]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Big old leather belt.

[Whitney White]

I think that since the world of live music and concerts was our playing ground, we just looked at those iconic photos of Tina Turner, of Cher, of all these people throughout time, all these women who get on stage and own the space. And Queen Jean birthed something very original. And, you know, she's working miracles out there. I'm a mom, you know, and when I step on stage, I feel fabulous and dangerous. And that's all her.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

How about the man otherwise known as Macbeth?

[Whitney White]

Yes, for the man played by Charlie Thurston, wonderful actor and performer. We were definitely looking again at Nine Inch Nails and the Doors also. That was a big visual reference there. And these guys who kind of come out and they're unpredictable, you don't know what they're gonna do, but they have that kind of rock and roll charisma. I love vintage rock. I can't talk about it enough. It was such a wonderful time. So, yeah, there's so much to pull from, from Bowie to the Doors to Trent to beyond.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

And tell us who else is on stage. Wanna give everybody a shout?

[Whitney White]

Yes. My witches, Phoenix, Holly, Sierra. They're incredible. My music director, Nigel. And also there's a band on stage, Kenny, Bobby and MD and together we build this world for you, this world of sound.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Why did you want everybody to be on stage?

[Whitney White]

There's nothing like performing with a live band on stage. Before I even started doing theater, I was in a little punk band in Chicago, and I used to sing in all these girl group stuff and singing in church. You know, you're up there, the church I grew up in, anyway, you're up there with keys, bass, drums, guitar, and it's just electricity. It's wonderful.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

We're talking to Whitney White. She's appearing in the Shakespeare as concert piece Macbeth in Stride. It'll be a Bam through April 27. There is Shakespeare in the Play. What part of Shakespeare's Macbeth did you know you wanted to keep in this script?

[Whitney White]

The Raven speech.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The Raven.

[Whitney White]

There's something about the Raven speech that sounds like a service, that sounds like worship, that sounds like prayer in a very real way. And every time I read it and say it, I'm just like, how did this guy capture this? It feels so honest and urgent. And I knew that that had to be kind of done without any interruption.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The backup singers, the witches, your friends, they all have a question for you. They're asking you, like, what else do you want from life? What do you want? First of all, how did you decide what question to ask? Or what is your story? How did you decide what question to ask? Have them ask you.

[Whitney White]

I think when I began writing the piece, I was reflecting a lot about. Reflecting a lot on what people in the world ask me or women like me, you know, can you really do it? What do you want? Where are you from? You know, these questions that black women can get when people are curious as to whether you're competent enough, curious as to whether you know what you're doing, curious as to whether. Whether your story's sad enough for them, you know, And I was. I still am very much digesting the questions that come at me, even now where I am on a daily basis. And if you can get in control of your own narrative and answer your own questions, you can kind of get power over that. So I think that's why they're asking, what's the story? And I'm asking, what's the story? Because you got to get in control of your own story, because people will always put one on you.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Does that happen? Does it change for you night to night, what the answer is?

[Whitney White]

Yeah, definitely. And sometimes I still can't answer it. And that's probably why I'm doing the show.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

It's interesting because it makes me think. People are like, is she a director? Is she a singer? Is she a songwriter? Like, what's your story? You have to answer that. Really. I'm not gonna ask you about that. So you can be all those things, though, right?

[Whitney White]

Thank you. I think so. For now, I do think it's possible.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

I would've said maybe 20 years ago, you have been asked to choose one of them, but why not now?

[Whitney White]

I hope so. My fingers are crossed.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Anyway, you do use, and forgive me if this is the Raven speech, the unsex me.

[Whitney White]

Yes, yes.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Use that on stage. What did you want to give the audience to think about differently? When you use that speech, the unsex.

[Whitney White]

Me here speech, it's such a radical proposition that is such a radical ask to be un gendered. And for me, I interpret it as someone who's not necessarily, necessarily saying, I no longer want to be a woman, but I want to be divorced of all the assumptions that the external world has on me and of me, that a woman can't do this, a mother can't do this, a successful woman can't do this, an unsuccessful woman can't do this. And I think my provocation is just to get people to hear that in a new way, to hear the assumptions and bias around gender that we do put on that character and other women with maybe Lady Macbeth syndrome.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

It's interesting, though. Once she becomes the queen and she gets the tiara, she's like, hello, I love this. I'm queen. Thank you very much. But there's something about that. She's still not entirely satisfied. She's got the outside of it all in place. What is it that she's not satisfied with?

[Whitney White]

For me, that character's unsatisfied, probably with the realities of power. There's the show of power, and then there's actual power. Someone might put you in a powerful position, but if you're not in stride or in lockstep with yourself and you don't have a connection to your inner power, it's just a show. And I think we are living in a time where often black women are hoisted into positions, and it's like, what agency do they really have in that role? And it's not all fun and games. It's not just about capitalistic pursuit and putting on a nice dress. And I really love that the witches challenged me there, because every night I get lost in that moment. Oh, my God. I'm in my new wig and my fancy costume, everybody. And they're like, hello. What are you gonna do now that you're here? And so many of us still need to figure out what we are going to do if and when we get real power in our hands.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

When the man appears, Macbeth appears. He tries to take back the narrative.

[Whitney White]

Yes.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

All the focus goes back to him. Tell us about that moment, what you wanted from your actor, and what does it feel like when he fights for the stage?

[Whitney White]

Oh, real talk now, everybody, I think. Well, first of all, I have to send it up for Charlie Thurston, my co star. He is wonderful to be on stage with and wonderful to be in space with at large. And it is funny. That is another moment that surprises me every time. I mean, I wrote and composed the piece, and still so many people come for Charlie. So many people get into his story, and it's interesting how easy, how facile it is for him to hijack the story. And it's a delicious challenge. And we grapple with it and each other every night.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

This isn't the first time you've done Macbeth in stride. You've done this over a series of years. What's changed over the course of it?

[Whitney White]

Audience response has really changed.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Oh, interesting.

[Whitney White]

I think it's Fascinating. And this moment you just brought up about the crown and the tiara. So the woman, Lady Macbeth, my character, is finally crowned queen. And I think not. I think I know. Several years ago when the witches used to ask me, what are you gonna do? You are the system. Now, people used to just laugh at that. And now when the witches say, you are the system, people go, yikes. Ooh. There's like, hisses. There's very different responses. So I think as we change, we find different things in the material. And also the question, what is the story? I used to kind of glaze over that, what's the story, guys? I used to just make it a joke. Now I, like, really ask it, and I feel a different response from the audience there too.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

You don't direct yourself?

[Whitney White]

No, thankfully.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Who are your directors, and what did they give you that you're able to use all the time?

[Whitney White]

Oh, my directors, they're incredible. Tabi Magar and Tyler Dabrowski, dear friends of mine I've known since Brown Trinity for years now, and they give me a wonderful mix of support and tough examination. I think the best theater, you cannot make it alone. And we've been in this wonderful dialogue over the question of this show. It is a hybrid piece of theater. It's a challenging piece of theater, and they have been poking at me along the way to get to the heart of it. And also they craft a beautiful visual world along with our designers.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

When you say poking at it, suggesting that you change a lyric or you.

[Whitney White]

Write a new song structure, I mean, you know, there'll be times where they'll ask me a question and I'll change a whole scene. So there's never been the same version of the show that's performed across the country and the different cities we've done. And I think, like myself, we're all in pursuit of the deepest thing we can make possible. And I know the show's not done. We'll probably. We'll keep on with it, you know.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

How did you end up at bam?

[Whitney White]

I just love it. I live in Brooklyn. If you live in Brooklyn, I think BAM is such a cultural hub for you. I mean, I take my son to bam. I go see movies at bam, and some of the most incredible performances from artists across the world I've ever seen have been at bam, so. So it's like a bucket list place to perform. And they had been in dialogue with me for quite some time about the show, and the artistic leaders came to see it at Art in Boston in 20. Was that 2022. And I've just been dreaming to perform there ever since.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

You mentioned you have a little kid. You were doing Macbeth and Stride before you were pregnant.

[Whitney White]

Yes.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

And you've been doing it.

[Whitney White]

And before I met my husband.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Yes, all the way. So a lot has changed for you in the course of it. How has that changed how you approach the woman?

[Whitney White]

I realize how much I didn't understand before. I think becoming a mother physically, literally, and spiritually opens you up to new depths and new horizons and, you know, to say to your lover and partner on stage, to the character who's playing that character, rather that. I would rather have dashed the brains out of our own child than give up on our aspirations and dreams. I had no idea what that meant before now. Now I understand the stakes and how badly you can. How far you can reach for something.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

My guest is Whitney White. We're talking about Macbeth in stride at BAM through April 27th. The convergence of these three things. You had Liberation off Broadway. It's been nominated for a lot of Lortel Awards. Congratulations.

[Whitney White]

Thank you.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The last five years on Broadway, this happening at the same. When did you realize that all three were gonna happen at once?

[Whitney White]

I think it was a midpoint of last year.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Whitney White]

You know, you work on your schedule, but it's not all about me. I'm working with wonderful theatrical institutions and producers, and my show was supposed to come to BAM years ago. It was a weird circle of fate that all this happened now, because in the theater, you know, we're all trying to program and use the. The limited resources we have. So it wasn't like I set out and had a dream and was like, I'm going to do all of these things this year. It was a convergence of things much bigger than me. When Nick and Adrienne could do the last five years, when BAM had the budget and resources to do my show, and Bess Wool and I meeting each other for Liberation was such a beautiful coincidence. She's also a mother, and it just. It just all happened. It was bigger than me, you know?

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Did you ever say, you know what? I can't do this one thing? Or did you just go, I'm gonna get it done?

[Whitney White]

I said, I'm gonna get it done.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Just.

[Whitney White]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

You knew it, and you knew you would.

[Whitney White]

No, but I was gonna try. I was gonna reach, you know, I'm not. So I'm still at the place where I have to be grateful for the opportunities that come my way and just put my head down and do my best. And when you're directing other people's work. You know, it's not just my name on the line, it's theirs. And so they're entrusting me to bring this to life. I said, I'm just gonna. I'm gonna do it.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Can you put on your director's hat for a minute?

[Whitney White]

Sure.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

All right. You are directing the current Broadway production of the last five years, starring Adrienne Warren and Nick Jonas. The timeline of the show is interesting because one character moves backwards while the other moves forwards through time. How did you figure out that puzzle, how to stage those two timelines?

[Whitney White]

It was a challenge, and I love a challenge. And similarly to Liberation, it's a time play. And I feel like I'm always trying to direct something that's gonna teach me something. And I am married now, you know, and I was a younger artist, struggling artist in New York. And I love, as a director, I love the provocation of two artists falling in love and that crumbling apart and us watching it from two different perspectives. And that's just what I tried to hold onto while I was directing the play.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The musical, rather, right, because mostly song.

[Whitney White]

Yeah, it's completely sung through, just about.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

What are some of the challenges of staging a show that is almost all music, no dialogue?

[Whitney White]

Well, I honestly turn to the world of opera a little bit. I quite love opera and opera and operettas or Porgy and Bess. You know, these are all things that are sung through. And so the main challenge is how do you keep it active? You know, how do you make events in there in that music? That's also why I wanted the band on stage. The band is also on stage. The orchestra, I can't even call it a band. It is a great orchestra on stage for the last five years. Please come out and hear them play. They're incredible. But I knew the music was part of the theatrical event, but the actors needed things carved out for them so the music could stay alive. And I think we found something special there.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

I hate to even ask you this, but what else are you working on?

[Whitney White]

I am actually. I'm working on another musical as a director that I' be working on at the New York Theatre Workshop. It's called Saturday Church. It's beautiful. It's based on a film of the same title. And it's got two writers, Damon and James. And the music is by Sia. And I'm working with Jason Michael Webb, an incredible music director, and Honey Dijon. And I think it's going to be the opening of a whole new side of work for me. It is opulent and full of body and spectacle, and I think of it as a modern odyssey.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

When can we see that?

[Whitney White]

That's gonna be at New York Theatre Workshop, and I believe we begin performances in September.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

Right now you can see Whitney White at Macbeth in stride at BAM through April 27th. Thank you for coming to the studio today.

[Whitney White]

Thank you. It's a pleasure.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

The Essential Mango Coconut Freeze. It makes its appearance at the dinner party right when the night could go either way. Between Nice evening and legendary. Served in eight perfect stoneware bowls to the sounds of circa 1950, bossa nova seconds, a good debate and an impromptu round of Never have I Ever Followed. It's going to be a late one. The Essential Evening extender made possible with Vitamix.

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