Actress Danielle Lee Greaves Stars in Award-Winning Musical, 'Parade'

 

Danielle Lee Greaves

By Darlene Donloe

Danielle Lee Greaves is no stranger to the stage.

The beautiful veteran actress with a personality that outshines Klieg lights has impressive Broadway credits, including the original casts of Hairspray and Show Boat, and the 2012 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Blair Underwood.

Next for the talented thespian is her portrayal of Minnie McKnight in Michael Arden’s staging of the Tony Award-winning musical drama, ‘Parade,’ set for the Ahmanson Theatre June 17-July 12.

The show is based on the true story of Leo Frank's trial and lynching in early 20th-century Atlanta. Ostracized for his faith and Northern heritage, Jewish factory manager Leo Frank is accused of murdering a teenage factory girl the day of the annual Confederate Memorial Day parade.

Greaves, who appeared in the Broadway revival of Parade, will recreate her role as Minnie, Frank’s housekeeper, in the Ahmanson Theatre production.

(l-r) Danielle Lee Greaves and Talia Suskauer

I recently spoke to Greaves (DLG), a Harlem native who has appeared on several television shows, including Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, The Affair, The Americans, and Elementary, about the show and her career.

DD: What drew you to this role and this production of Parade?

DLG: I was given the offer. I previously worked with Michael Arden and Jason Robert Brown on other projects. It was a direct offer when it went up at City Center in New York. It’s a very heavy story. Our show is docu-theater. It’s not a traditional show. You will see actual images of the people who lived. I didn’t know the show. I knew it premiered in 1998, but I didn’t know it. Within that, I discovered the show and the character Minola ‘Minnie’ McKnight.

The cast of 'Parade'

DD: Tell me about her.

Leo Frank and Lucille Frank. Minnie was their housekeeper. She was entangled in the trial because she witnessed what happened in the house. Beyond that and previous to that, we know nothing about her. It was a frustrating quest to find out more about her. I appreciate telling a real woman’s story, especially a Black woman during that time.  I haven’t found much on her. I will honor her the best way I know how, within the scope of what I have. It’s the erasure of our history. Ancestry let me create a tree for her. Her husband, Albert, and she got married in 1910.

DD: What do you think happened to her?

DLG: She moved out of the city. She probably left Georgia. There are no records. It would have been a difficult time to stay at that time. There is a part of me that says she did stay. Maybe she was strong enough to stay and live her life. It’s a question I have about her. The reason Minnie had to testify is that her husband gave her up. Albert, who was 18, and Minnie, who was 24, were coerced into testifying. Later, she recants. She was held for three days in jail. She was in solitary.

DD: How do you prepare for a role that tackles complex themes like racial injustice and community?

DLG: I have a very strong connection to that period. I played several women at that time.

I am always fully aware of the difficulty of that time and how we had to maneuver to survive. It takes strength to be submissive. I did it wholeheartedly with respect. We did what we needed to do to survive, and I find it honorable to do so. We are in 1913 Georgia. This is a hard story to tell—dark elements. Subjugated, coming not too far out of slavery. – I have to tell the white cast members. I gently inform and explain how slavery fractured the Black family. The black relationship has taken a huge hit because of slavery. They separated us.

DD: How long have you been an actress?

DLG: I count from my first paid check as when I first became an actress. I don’t count college—that was the formative years. I didn't consider myself an artist until I got paid for it. In 1988, I graduated from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. In August of 1988, I had my first paid job in Little Shop of Horrors.

DD: Did you always want to perform?

DLG: Yes, I always wanted to perform. I started as a dancer from when I was six until I was 15, at the Dance Theater of Harlem. I removed all the other disciplines and focused on ballet. When we got on point shoes, I changed my mind.

DD: Why?

DLG: They hurt. They hurt a lot. I knew I wasn't going to be Misty Copeland. I gave up my scholarship. I pivoted toward musical theater. I was in the All-City concert choir in New York.

DD: How does performing make you feel?

DLG: There is a freedom that comes like nothing else. To be able to tell stories through art and to be able to impact people’s lives. I’ve always loved storytelling.

DD: Looking back on your Broadway career, what are your most memorable moments or experiences?

DLG:  The show closest to my heart is Rent. I love doing that show. I moved from swing to principal in six months. I started on my first tour as a swing, then moved quickly to Joanne. My other most cherished is my very first Broadway show, the revival of Showboat.

DD: What advice would you give aspiring performers looking to break into the Broadway scene?

DLG: First of all, could you please assess if this is something you want to do? It's a lot of work—a lot of competition. You have to know who you are to your core. I’m still challenged, and I’ve been doing it for three decades. You have to want to do this. If in your soul you know that you know that you know. It’s wonderful. I get paid to play dress up and pretend—hard work, focus, self-confidence. When the show closes, I have to start over.

DD: What has been the most challenging aspect of working on Parade, and how have you overcome those challenges?

DLG:  When we moved to Broadway, I realized what this period required. I emotionally dug up – it became a weight. During rehearsal, we were protected. We talked a lot. We had an emotional support coach who gave us tools of de-rolling – where you release from some of the tough stuff in the show. When they offered me the tour, I could figure out how to purge, release, and leave it in the dressing room. I don’t carry it anymore. I used to isolate myself because I didn't think people understood my feelings. I could see that she could have joy. That changed how I approached her.

DD:  How do you go about deciding what roles to take?

DLG: If the part doesn't speak to me, I pass. In my baby years, I just wanted to work and took whatever came across my path. I’ve always worked in that way. My voice matters. If I see something that doesn't gel with me, I won’t bother.

DD:  Did you ever have a 9-5?

DLG: Yes, back when there was temp work. I did a lot of temp work. I worked at the Bronx Zoo. I was a wild encounter host at the Bronx Zoo. 

DD: How would you describe your career?

DLG: It’s been incredible. I started in my 20s playing the sassy best friend. Now I’m playing the matriarchs. Some people don't get a 40-year career. I have aged through. It’s a blessing to have a career you can age through. I can work until I don't want to work anymore.

Parade, directed by Michael Arden, with book by two-time Tony Award® winner Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by three-time Tony Award® winner Jason Robert Brown, and co-conceived by 21-time Tony Award®-winner Harold Prince.

The show stars Max Chernin (Broadway Revival of Parade) and Talia Suskauer, who will play Leo and Lucille Frank.

Joining them will be Griffin Binnicker, Evan Harrington, Ramone Nelson, Jack Roden, Andrew Samonsky, Chris Shyer, Michael Tacconi, Alison Ewing, Olivia Goosman, Danielle Lee Greaves (Broadway Revival of Parade), Jenny Hickman, Robert Knight, Prentiss E. Mouton (Broadway Revival of Parade), Oluchi Nwaokorie, Ben Cherington, Emily Rose DeMartino (Broadway Revival of Parade), Bailee Endebrock (Broadway Revival of Parade), Caroline Fairweather (Broadway Revival of Parade), Trevor James, Sophia Manicone (Broadway Revival of Parade), Trista Moldovan, Ethan Riordan, Jason Simon and Brian Vaughn.  The swings will be William Bishop, Jerquintez A. Gipson, Brianna Javis, Benjamin Magnuson, Jodi Snyder, Eden Witvoet, and Jake Ziman. 

Parade, Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, 8 p.m., Tues.-Fri.; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat., one and 6:30 p.m. through July 12, 2025; $40.25; 213 628-2772.