Podcast Summary: MickeyJoTheatre

Episode: Cedric Neal (Hadestown, Guys & Dolls, Personality) - INTERVIEW
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: MickeyJoTheatre
Guest: Cedric Neal

Episode Overview

This lively and heartfelt episode features a deep-dive interview between Mickey-Jo and celebrated West End star Cedric Neal. Currently starring as Hermes in London’s production of Hadestown, Neal is also preparing to headline the concert presentation of Personality, a new musical about the life and legacy of musician Lloyd Price. The conversation covers Neal’s journey in British theatre, his personal connection to the roles he’s played, and the significance of representation, soul, and storytelling in his decades-spanning career.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. “Personality” – The Lloyd Price Musical

• Backstory and Connection

  • Neal describes being approached by Sheldon Epps for the role at a pivotal moment: "As artists we have that 'Will I ever work again?'... I was going through that, and Sheldon approached me about this piece, and I said, hell, yes." (02:20)
  • The personal resonance: the musical’s core message—“as long as I just keep singing, everything is going to be okay”—speaks to Neal’s own journey.
  • Cedric connects his experience in "Legend of Stagger Lee,” which links him to Lloyd Price’s music, as a "full circle moment." (02:37)

• Themes and Cast

  • Calls Personality “a piece about tenacity. It's a piece about how you can pave your way in this world just by sticking to your guns.” (03:16)
  • Praises the concert company: “This company is stacked. We have Clive Rowe, Zoe Burkett, Marcus Collins...” (04:42)
  • On Lloyd Price’s trailblazing: “He was the first African American to own his own record label... a trailblazer, and I hope that I'm doing some of the trailblazing that he did through musical theater.” (06:34)

2. Kinship Between Neal and Lloyd Price

• Parallels in Upbringing
  • Neal reflects on Price’s supportive mother and how his own “was the loudest cheerleader... Even when I was doing opera, my mother would be singing.” (05:44)
  • The show’s emotional resonance: “I've yet to get through that monologue and get through many pieces... without getting emotional.” (06:24)

3. Musical Upbringing & Artistic Journey

• Roots and Influences

  • Attributes his talent to faith and family: “I come from a singing family... My mother sounded just like Aretha Franklin... my dad is first cousins with Sam Cooke.” (07:44)
  • “All my life I've been singing. And no matter what's going on... There's my faith and my song.” (08:39)

• On Success and Authenticity

  • Early on, soulful riffs made Neal stand out—but not always positively: “The riffs, the soulful singing I brought... was a problem. But now... there are casting calls saying we want it to be Cedricfied.” (09:26)

4. On Hadestown and the Role of Hermes

• Crafting the Character

  • Neal aimed initially to “emulate my idol, Andre De Shields.” (10:18)
  • Hesitation at first: “I was very restricted... thought I would go too far.” But was told: “We hired you because we wanted you to bring as much of Cedric to Hermes as possible.” (10:46)
  • Hermes as a personal extension: “Hermes is just Cedric in a silver suit... I'm pops... I'm uncle, I'm sister, I'm brother... a godly figure... Hermes is a narrator... spiritual... responsible for making sure the generations behind us know what it took.” (11:18)

• Key Theme:

  • On the show’s core message: “Hadestown is about don't turn around this time. Whether it's politics, religion, addiction, relationships, self-expression, self-esteem.” (12:01)

• Evolution of Role

  • Neal’s relationship with Hades became more nuanced: “It’s not one dimensional, it's a three dimensional relationship now... initially played Hades as a bad guy... now, there are points of sweetness and history.” (13:50)

5. Career Milestones in the UK

• Breakthrough Roles

  • His arrival in 2014 for Porgy and Bess: “I had no idea... what a stacked cast that was... Now they're some of my best friends. That was a breaking point.” (16:04)

  • Motown the Musical as Berry Gordy: “That changed my life.” (17:17)

  • Chess at the Coliseum with Michael Ball, Back to the Future the Musical, and The View Upstairs: all highlighted as pivotal moments, especially for forming lasting relationships and exploring powerful themes. (17:52–18:39; 18:31–19:27)

  • Guys and Dolls and his Olivier nomination: “I never thought I would be playing Nicely Nicely Johnson in a major production... that show was sick... it garnered me my first Olivier nomination.” (19:19)

  • On workshopping Personality: “Every day I'm in the room with [Sheldon Epps], he finds another way to let me know he trusts me. I've never had a director trust me as much as Sheldon trusts me.” (20:57)

6. Scene-Stealing Performances and Special Projects

• On Centering Roles

  • “You were center stage telling that story... I felt like it gave me a chance to see a fuller dimension of you for the first time. That was really fantastic.” (21:42–21:58, Mickey Jo)

• Kinky Boots and Emotional Connections

  • On playing Lola: “I was scared... because the story relates... but at Drury Lane... first mid-show standing ovation. Three minutes and four seconds.” (22:23)
  • “Freddie Taplin... called me... ‘If you move, I'm gonna punch you. Just take it all in.’” (22:54)

• Playing Martin Luther King in “King”

  • “That was a special event, being able to play one of the most respected African American leaders... just flat footed center stage.” (23:09)

7. The Joy of Live Theatre

• Breaking the fourth wall in Guys and Dolls
  • “I love to break the fourth wall... you could see it in their eyes that they were getting the story... when the soul, when the spirit hit them.” (24:14)

8. Looking Forward – Bucket List Roles

• Dream Role
  • “I want to be the first male identifying Acid Queen in The Who's Tommy.” (25:26)
  • “Hey, producers... is that somewhere in the pipeline?” (25:49)

9. Hopes for “Personality”

• “That they walk away going, this works. More people need to see this. More people need to know this man's story. We already know his music. Now they know his name.” (26:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “As long as I just keep singing, everything is going to be okay. And I can relate to that.” — Cedric Neal (02:28)
• “I like to say Hermes is just Cedric in a silver suit.” — Cedric Neal (11:18)
• “For the first 10 years of my professional life, the riffs... I brought... was a problem. But now there are casting calls saying we want it to be Cedricfied.” — Cedric Neal (09:26)
• “It’s not one dimensional, it's a three dimensional relationship now between Hermes and Hades.” — Cedric Neal (13:50)
• “I want to be the first male identifying Acid Queen in The Who’s Tommy.” — Cedric Neal (25:26)
• “There was God in there. There was some spirit in there. And so that was comforting to me.” — Cedric Neal on Guys and Dolls audience reactions (24:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:20] Cedric on being cast in Personality, the Lloyd Price musical
• [04:42] Talking about the new concert cast; musical’s themes
• [07:38] Finding his own “voice” and musical roots
• [10:18] On his approach to playing Hermes in Hadestown
• [16:04] Breakthrough UK theatre moments and roles
• [21:42] Reflections on moving from “scene-stealer” to central star in Personality
• [22:23] On receiving a mid-show standing ovation for Kinky Boots
• [24:14] The thrill and resonance of Guys and Dolls’ immersive setting
• [25:26] Cedric’s dream role: The Acid Queen
• [26:24] Hopes for Personality: bringing Lloyd Price’s story to a wider audience

Conclusion

Cedric Neal’s interview is a passionate exploration of artistry, heritage, and the joy of live performance. His reflections on his craft, his journey across the Atlantic, and his grounding in faith and family reveal not only a gifted performer but a storyteller deeply attuned to the legacy and possibilities of musical theatre. Whether speaking about Hadestown, Personality, or longshot dream roles, Neal’s charisma and insight shine throughout—a testament to both his talent and his generosity of spirit.