Chicagoland will get a taste of the Great White Way when five performers—J. Harrison Ghee, Karen Mason, Amber Iman, Myles Frost and Aisha Jackson—bring their talents here to entertain at the Illinois Conservatory for the Arts’ annual benefit gala/concert “A Night of Broadway.”
During a recent talk with Windy City Times, Ghee (he/she/they) talked about being part of making history at the Tonys in 2023 (when they and Alex Newell became the first openly non-binary actors to win the award), finding their center and the meaning behind a blue jacket he recently wore.
Note: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.
Windy City Times: There was an event called the Blue Jacket Fashion Show that took place in New York City—and you wore a very special jacket.
J. Harrison Ghee: It was a blazer that belonged to my dad. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004 the first time and he beat it then but, unfortunately, it returned and he [passed] in 2023—but a lot of things played into that, on top of the cancer. But it was an honor to represent him, and I styled it in my own way for the fashion show.
WCT: With a lot of people who perform on Broadway, it seems that they practically knew what they wanted to do when they came out of the womb. Was that the case with you?
JHG: No, it isn’t. I have sung a lot in my life; I grew up singing in church. I actually grew up wanting to be in PR and communications. My mom wanted me to be a lawyer—the next Johnnie Cochran. But it wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I firmly made the decision that I would pursue entertainment as a career.
WCT: And was there one performance that spurred that decision?
JHG: It was a combination of things. I was in show choir in high school. Our choir director took us to see shows; I saw the touring company of Hairspray just before I moved to New York and went to AMDA [the American Musical and Dramatic Academy]. And I found the poster for AMDA in our choir room; it was a sign to get out of North Carolina and get back to New York.
WCT: So it sounds like moving to New York was one of the most critical decisions of your life.
JHG: Oh, yes! I love this place. I came here when I was on a family trip to visit my uncle, who was stationed up here. I kept asking, “When are we going back? When are we going back?”—and we never did. I found my own way.
WCT: And a belated congrats on the Tony win. Please take me back to that evening. What went through your head when you won?
JHG: I remember a big sigh of relief. It was confirmation that the work I had done had been acknowledged. In all honesty, when they called Alex Newell’s name before mine, I said, “Oh—I think we’re doing this tonight.” During the awards season, a lot of people were hyping me up; it felt like everybody was in my corner and rooting for me. And I didn’t want to put all of my eggs in one basket or put the cart before the horse but everyone was pointing in that direction, saying, “It’s yours! It’s yours!”
WCT: Of course, so much has been going on with this current presidential administration, especially regarding anti-DEI or anti-LGBTQ+ news. How do you find your center in the midst of all this?
JHG: One thing I hold dearly is my prayer/meditation practice that I hold every morning. The first thing I do when I get out of bed is to go straight to my altar, take some deep breaths and acknowledge that I’m the only being I can control. I show up every day authentically and fully myself. And I know my existence is a political statement so when I leave my home, I give people something to look at, I give people the pride that is in me and I shine that as brightly as I can.
WCT: Do you find that increasingly hard, or is that not a hard problem for you?
JHG: It’s an everyday battle, even living in New York City. I still find myself on the edge. I’m always conscious [of what’s happening] when I’m moving throughout the city, but I’m even more vigilant of my surroundings now. Be bold and safe at the same time; it’s a tightrope walk.
WCT: What is your advice for younger queer individuals who are struggling? I’ve seen the statistics and people are increasingly stressed.
JHG: It is very important to find community—to find the people who love and support you. It is very necessary to have that. I have one of my best friends who’s on his way right now to hang out. You can share feelings with that person. Having that sounding board is important so that you know you’re not alone with your feelings and experiences.
WCT: I saw an interview you did with CBS. The interviewer asked you about pronouns and you said that you’re pretty much fine with any pronoun as long as it’s said with love and respect.
JHG: I give people permission to call me all things and I watch them struggle. We’ve been conditioned to respond to what we see and not treat people on an individual basis. But, also, my non-binary experience is different than what another non-binary individual goes through. It doesn’t take away from my power, existence or who I am if somebody doesn’t recognize the fullness of who I am.
That was something I learned early on. When I was little, I would come home crying and say, “People picked on me.” My mom would say, “Did they get to know you? Did they ask you questions? So you cannot let those words affect you; live your life.” I’ve really held on to that. I find strength in knowing who I am at the end of the day and not letting other people define me.
WCT: I believe that we’re all possible conduits of change. You seem to aim to be one, whether it’s in your everyday life or through your performances, when you try to open people’s minds.
JHG: I literally was saying that in my prayer last night. As I was going to bed, I said that I was grateful that God allows me to be a conduit of change in this world.
WCT: Wow. On a different note, if you could have any Broadway role—past or present—what would it be, and why?
JHG: The first thing that comes to mind is playing [Hairspray character] Motormouth Maybelle. If Edna Turnblad can be a drag queen [as played by Divine], why can’t I play Motormouth? I relate to her in so many ways. I’m very much a motherly figure in so many people’s lives and I’m a nurturer, by nature. I would love to take on that role.
“A Night of Broadway” will take place Friday, Feb. 21, at Naperville’s Wentz Concert Hall. Purchase tickets at this link.