I think for a lot of people that are in performing arts, it's easy to fall into the trap of starting to confuse what's real life and what's not, because to your body it's all real.

I was a little girl with a pot belly and Afro puffs, hyperactive and overdramatic, and I found the theater and I found my home.

I want to thank all the shoulders of the strong and brave and courageous women that I am standing on.

Pedigree matters: if you break your shoulder trying to open a door, it's much harder to play the game once you get in the room.

The only thing I've ever wanted to do in my entire life is to be on Broadway.

...and if you hear something you know, please sing along. No wait - I take that back - you can't sing along - this is about me now - this is my show.

The authentic Gullah dialect is actually very clipped, and so it would sound almost Jamaican and be very odd to an American audience's ears. It's not the typical Southern dialect that we're used to.

Whatever is the scariest is almost always what I end up choosing.

Theater doesn't bring money in general. That's not why you do it. If you go into theater for money then you've really gone into the wrong business.

Music was all over my house, and all over literally my genetic house, and my house in the literal sense. So I kind of couldn't avoid it.

It's easy to spend - especially in this day and age - to spend your time not being in the present. It's very easy to be way ahead. What's tomorrow and the day after that?

to be right in the wrong direction may be wrong

Keep up with what's causing chaos in your own field.

Over the years, we met every kind of person imaginable. But no one makes worse first impressions than writers.

You know, writing is really difficult, and it takes a real patience and a skill. I don't know if I have that. I admire it in others, so much, and I envy it.

Every great leader is a great teacher, and the greatest leaders seize every opportunity to teach well.

There is no change without sacrifice.

Whatever doubt there may be as to the quality or purpose of our free speech we certainly have ample volumes in production.

All lawful authority, legislative, and executive, originates from the people.

There is plenty of room for us all to succeed and carve our own path.

Go out and make your own speeches. People need you. Go on TV. It can be done. After you speak up a few times, people say, "Hey, we got a crazy man in the community," and they'll begin talking to you.