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| Sybil D. Jatta as Billie Holiday By Scott Morgan Photography |
By Darlene Donloe
She ready! Sybil D. Jatta is ready to take the stage and bring one of her favorite singers to life in Billie Holiday: Front and Center, a musical she wrote about one of the most beloved jazz singers in music history.
Set to open Friday, July 26, at the WACO Theater in North Hollywood, the show, directed by B’Anca, takes the audience on a journey through Holiday’s tumultuous, tortured, yet brilliant life – cut short due to cirrhosis of the liver. Billie Holiday: Front and Center had its world premiere in 2006 at the Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena.
While writing the show, Jatta, who previously played the legendary singer in Sang Sista Sang, a tribute piece to the great legends of jazz and blues said she wanted to present the raw truth about Holiday’s story – warts and all.
In the show, she portrays multiple characters and sings several songs from Holiday’s hit list including Strange Fruit, God Bless The Child, All of Me, Good Morning Heartache, What A Little Moonlight Can Do, Don’t Explain and My Man.
Holiday’s stormy life included prostitution, drugs, incarceration, abusive relationships, being the victim of sexual assault and racism.
Still, she prevailed – recording multiple hits and selling out Carnegie Hall three times.
Jatta, who will be accompanied live by jazz musicians, is no stranger to the stage or to musicals. The Phoenix native’s stage credits include The Music Man, Jesus Christ Superstar, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Little Shop of Horrors, Simply Heavenly and her own show Just Let Me Sing. Her film and TV credits include Veep, Deliver Us From Eva, Two Can Play That Game, The Sarah Silverman Show, Strong Medicine and more.
Jatta, who recently wed (King Raul F. Jatta) was formerly known as Sybil Harris and now performs under her new name.
DD: Describe the show.
SJ: Our show is about the life and times of the legendary jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday. This show gives you snapshots into her life journey from childhood through adulthood.
DD: Why did you decide to do a show about Billie Holiday?
SJ: We decided to do our own show about this icon of music because we wanted the world to see Billie's strength and perseverance through her many struggles in life.
DD: There have been numerous shows about Holiday. What makes yours different?
SJ: We see Billie Holiday as a trailblazer! Many other shows focus on her substance abuse issues however, we allow our audiences to see the behind the scenes of her life. They leave the theater saying, "Wow I never knew that about Billie Holiday."
DD: There are lots of shows in Los Angeles. Why should anyone come to see your show?
SJ: Prior audiences of various ages and racial backgrounds have seen this production. They have sung along with the songs featuring a quartet of the greatest jazz musicians of our era. Our show is returning to the stage by audience demand. Many people still want to see it so we are humbled to bring the show back to the stage. The WACO Theater Center is the vision of Richard Lawson and Tina Knowles Lawson. We are so excited for this opportunity to perform at their prestigious venue, "Where Art Can Occur".
DD: Talk about the process of writing this show. How long did it take and what do you want audiences to know?
SJ: The research was extensive because the writing and storyline are based on true facts of Billie's life. It actually took a few months to complete everything. I also wrote two original songs for the show.
DD: What is your artistic vision of the show?
SJ: My artistic vision for this show as an artist is to be transparent in my work, writing, and performance. Our future goals are to produce more truth revealing shows on other jazz icons, giving inspiration to audiences globally.
DD: How did you go about developing this story and making it your own?
SJ: In developing our story we first had to compare and contrast other stories out there about Billie. We had to ask ourselves "what are we doing differently." We proceeded to make our story different by taking a positive fact-based approach to her life.
DD: How do you “become” a character?
SJ: Becoming a character is an integral part of the acting process. Thinking about how the character stands, walks, speaks, enters a space, and what motivates them are keys to developing characters. I thank God for my great teachers, Richard Lawson, Pemon Rami, Masequa Myers, and Gary Imhoff.
DD: You play several characters in the show. Who are they and what is their significance to the story?
SJ: Each character portrayed in our show was key to Billie's life. I portray nine different characters including her mother Sadie Fagan Harris. An interesting note is that we are all named Harris. Billie, her mother and myself are Harris, which is my maiden name.
DD: Talk about the first time you heard Billie Holiday sing. What did it do to you and for you?
SJ: The first song I heard was Don't Explain. I felt her sadness in the delivery of the song. I researched the lyrics and discovered that she wrote it. I have always wanted to sing this song! This song was based on her life experience with husband Joe Guy and his infidelity. My late grandfather, Peter Martin Sr., a jazz pianist, accompanied Billie Holiday at a gig in Maryland. He shared that experience with me and I felt connected to Billie Holiday.
DD: You first portrayed Billie in Sang Sista Sang. How will this Billie differ from that Billie?
SJ: My first portrayal in the Smokey Robinson, Mickey Stevenson production of Sang Sista Sang, was a tribute piece to the great legends of jazz and blues. It featured Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Josephine Baker, and Dinah Washington. Our show focuses only on Billie Holiday's life and music. We are dedicating this show’s run to our late Sang Sista Sang director Lonnie Stevens. He encouraged me to go forward with this project and was so eager to see our show. Unfortunately, he passed away last month.
DD: In your research what did you learn about Billie that you didn’t already know?
SJ: I learned that Billie Holiday was a trailblazer! She persevered through so many obstacles in her childhood...racial discrimination. I learned that she had to always pee in a bucket offstage because she could not use the toilets while touring with white bands. Yes, she was a trailblazer and we are still writing and speaking about her today.
DD: What do you like and what don’t you like about Billie?
SJ: I love Billie's heart of giving and her love and respect for musicians. All of the greatest musicians wanted to play with her because she thought of herself as an instrument. I absolutely hate the fact that in her weakest life moment she chose heroin. I hate drugs and what they have done to some of our most gifted and talented artists globally.
DD: Why are you the right person to bring this show to life?
SJ: I am the right person because I have mastered her style of singing, and we share the same last name, Harris. Who knows maybe we are related. And my grandfather accompanied her at a gig in Maryland. Therefore, I am feeling Billie's essence in every performance.
DD: What challenges did you encounter bringing this story to life?
SJ: We were challenged by the fact that there were so many stories out there about Billie Holiday. We had to research and keep our facts straight because there are still people around who saw Billie Holiday perform live. The legendary Corky Hale, the only female to accompany Billie Holiday came to see. She said, "Where are all of the big Broadway show producers, they need to see this show and get it to Broadway?"
DD: What happens to you on stage?
SJ: On stage I allow the characters to speak through me as I become the vessel.
DD: What do you look for when taking on a project?
SJ: I look at the integrity and purpose of the project.
DD: What do you learn about yourself during the run of the show and after each show ends?
SJ: I always seek to get better after each performance and each run. We have audience members who continue to come to our shows observing the progress, supporting the journey and giving feedback. I give my absolute best to every performance. I strive for excellence in making each character believable. During one of our earlier shows, we were performing a music medley and for some reason, I got caught up in the moment and pointed to the musicians as they each gave solos. After the show an elderly couple approached me and said, "Billie never did that...she never pointed to anyone...don't ever do that again because that's not Billie...she just stood front and center and sang her songs!" Lesson learned and I never did that again.
DD: What is it about theater and what does it do for you?
SJ: Theater is now! Theater keeps you in forward motion up on your toes and I love love, love, theater.
DD: How do you measure your success?
SJ: We have a very strong team. B'anca our director/stage manager, Linda Bronson-Abbott, our associate producer and I have known and worked together for many years. We meet and set up our goals and timeline. We follow up on our progress -what worked and what we need to improve upon. After each run, we look at audiences, feedback, reviews, and the success of the run.
DD: What is your philosophy in life that influences your creative work?
SJ: My philosophy in life comes from the words of the great leader Kwame Nkrumah..."Forward ever Backwards never." So when creating a new project I ask is it propelling my life, career, and audiences forward.
DD: What play, other than this one, has influenced you the most? In what way did it influence you?
SJ: The Color Purple, featuring Fantasia was an amazing experience. I was a part of the American Idol Choir when Fantasia won. We prayed together backstage with Fantasia for God to bless her career. Seeing her light up the stage in the play, The Color Purple inspired me as an artist. It influenced me to start writing my own projects.
DD: What do you do when you’re not singing your heart out on stage?
SJ: I am also an administrator at Franklin High School. I am honored to work with the best team of teachers, administrators, and students. We are the best-kept secret in the entire LAUSD school district.
DD: You come from quite a family.
SJ: As the firstborn of nine to my mom, Abbie, and my father Peter, I was raised to lead by example and make no excuses because we are a family of champions. My niece Jessica McDonald is a part of the current World Cup Champion team. My niece Mariah Hall is currently national pageant winner at age 14. We have many extraordinary gifted people in our family of champions, excelling on many levels.
DD: Do you have a philosophy of life?
SJ: I want to always encourage, inspire and motivate others to do their best and never give up on their dreams...no matter what.
Billie Holiday: Front and Center, Waco Theater Center, 5144 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; 8 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2019; 8 p.m., Sat., July 27; 3 p.m., Sun., July 28; 8 p.m., Fri., August 2; 8 p.m., Sat., August 3; 8 p.m., Fri., August 16; 8 p.m., Sat., August 17; 3 p.m., Sunday, August 18; General $52; Groups of four or more $45; Students with I.D. (high school/college) $40; Seniors (65+) $30. Except for the Opening Night Gala on Fri., July 26, when seats are $100. Tickets for the Opening Night Gala includes dinner. Audience members are encouraged to wear fashions in the style of the 1930s and 1940s; Online Ticketing: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/billie-holiday-front-and-center-tickets-63407808462
