Lili Thomas is not only currently making her Broadway debut in the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre, she is also making history. On September 11, she became the first Asian-American actor to play the role of Matron "Mama" Morton in the long-running Broadway production.
The daughter of classical musicians鈥攑ianist Mihae Lee and cellist Ronald Thomas, and stepparents violist Cynthia Phelps and French horn player William Purvis鈥擳homas has appeared regionally in productions of Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and Octet. The actor was also seen as Cynthia Murphy in the national tour of the Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen, while her Off-Broadway credits included We鈥檙e Gonna Die at Second Stage Theater and The Hello Girls at 59e59.
In the interview below for the 半岛体育 series How Did I Get Here鈥攕potlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre鈥擳homas reveals the day job where she worked as a cook, and what kept her going when she was told she was "too ethnic" to be on Broadway.
Where did you train/study?
Lili Thomas: I trained at NYU鈥檚 former musical theatre
studio, CAP21. I did their pre-college program from the age of 14 and
continued my studies when accepted to NYU Tisch as a drama major.
Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made
this instructor stand out?
Oh, I had so many amazing teachers,
especially at NYU. But I would be remiss if I didn鈥檛 mention one from a
little earlier in life. When I was 10, I started doing community theatre
musicals and met a local director named Cagle McDonald, who quickly
became a mentor and, eventually, a lifelong friend. She stands out
because she always cast me in roles based on my skill set and energy,
regardless of my 鈥渢ype鈥� or race, which really helped me find myself as a
performer without boundaries.
What was your initial reaction when you heard you would be making your Broadway debut in Chicago?
It was a lifelong dream come true! I became completely obsessed with
the soundtrack in the summer of 鈥�97. I was staying with extended family
while my parents, who are classical musicians, traveled for concerts.
They all remember me portraying the murderesses in 鈥淭he Cell Block
Tango鈥� nightly in their Charlottesville house, where I firmly decided it
was Broadway or bust, so I couldn鈥檛 be happier that this is the show
I鈥檒l be making my debut in!
What does it mean to you to be the first Asian-American actor to play
Matron Morton on Broadway?
I have spent most of my professional career
wanting to play the types of roles that people wouldn鈥檛 see me in.
Unfortunately, my career has often suffered from the strong presence of
an Asian female stereotype in the industry鈥ne that I do not fit in to.
So, to be the lucky, big-belting, bold character actor鈥攖o have the honor
of making history in this role鈥攊s more fulfilling than words can
express. There are many Asian women in this industry who, like me, are
much more of a 鈥淪heila鈥� [the no-nonsense character created by Kelly Bishop in A Chorus Line] than a 鈥淐onnie鈥� [the role created by Baayork Lee and typically portrayed by an Asian actor in A Chorus Line], struggling to
be seen as such.
Mama Morton is a perfect representation of the kind of characters that are so rarely ever seen played by Asian-Americans; she is tough, strong, loud, brassy, sassy, and domineering鈥nd I cannot wait to represent those characteristics in such an iconic Broadway show!
As you've been rehearsing, have you found a favorite moment in the show
for Mama? What makes that special?
It did not take long for me to
fall in love with the scene she has defending Hunyak in Act II. We get
to see Mama鈥檚 more sensitive side as she is emotionally threatened by
the flaws in 鈥淯ncle Sam鈥檚鈥� justice system. It鈥檚 one of many vaudevillian
comments on our country鈥檚 current issues. But, for me, it's the most
powerful and heartbreaking moment in the show.
What made you decide to become an actor? Was there a particular
production or performance that influenced your decision?
My father took
me to my first Broadway show, the Damn Yankees revival with Bebe
Neuwirth and Victor Garber, and I was absolutely mesmerized! I became
such a huge Bebe Neuwirth fan, which led me to buy the Chicago
soundtrack鈥� the rest is history! I did at least two musicals a year from
the age of 10 on (one in school and one in community theatre) and never
felt more at home than when I was on stage. That is what inevitably
influenced my career choice. It was apparent that I couldn鈥檛 not do
this for the rest of my life. Years later, when I had my children,
Annabelle and Jack, I took some time off from the business, often
wondering if I鈥檇 ever make it back. I kept feeling more and more like I
was losing myself the longer I went without performing, until it was
apparent that I had to return to the theatre to feel 鈥渁live鈥� again.
Tell
me about a job/opportunity you really wanted
but didn鈥檛 get. How did you get over that disappointment?
The year after
I graduated NYU, I made it to final callbacks for three Broadway shows all
accumulating in the same week. Surely, I was to land one of
them鈥� Wrong! If the rejection wasn鈥檛 hard enough, the feedback is what
really wrecked me. All three shows confirmed that my singing, acting, and
dancing were outstandingly what they were looking for; however, for
reasons related to my looks, they went in another direction.
I looked 鈥渢oo ethnic.鈥� I needed to 鈥渓ose 20 pounds.鈥� My body was 鈥渢oo voluptuous for an Asian woman.鈥� I wasn鈥檛 鈥淎sian enough.鈥� I felt lost, not seen, and hopeless, and seriously contemplated leaving the industry until some smaller regional theatres reached out with opportunities. I started to let up on the race to Broadway and indulge in that magical feeling of performing with great people in wonderful working environments. I learned that the art you get to make with the community you build in a show is where true success and fulfillment is. Anytime I tried to leave the business, this is what kept pulling me back by my heartstrings.
What is the most memorable day job you ever had?
Anytime
I feel stunted artistically, I always turn to culinary arts. It is my
alternative creative outlet! I love to cook and have worked many
restaurant jobs. The most exciting one was Keith McNally鈥檚 former
Schiller鈥檚 Liquor Bar on the Lower East Side. I started out as a
waitress, each one of us slicing up our T-shirts, only to put them back
together in some unique way that supported the attitude we were
encouraged to throw at the customers. I rotated through every job in the
front of house (waitress, bartender, hostess) before taking a shot at
the line in the kitchen. Those days of sticky toffee pudding prep, and
nights cooking and plating on the line are forever ingrained in my
memory as the most fun and invigorating of my years of restaurant work鈥ncluding the year I worked for Anthony Bourdain!
What do you consider your big break?
I
think that this late Broadway debut is a result of the fact that there
is no obvious answer to this question! But if I had to pinpoint one
show, it would be Dear Evan Hansen (first national tour), mainly because of
the opportunity it gave me to be a part of representing an American
family, the type of role I was rarely even considered for pre-pandemic.
The chance to portray the mother of an American family
with what was very obviously a mixed-race family was not only an
amazing sign that the industry was growing and changing, but such an
honor to bring that representation (that I had spent a lifetime longing
to see) on stage throughout the country.
What
do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
Trust that what is
for you will not pass you. Trust that life is not a race. Trust
yourself to create your own path, and stop looking for a paved one to
follow.
