Cornelius Smith Jr. on His Hopes to Bring ‘American Prophet’ to Broadway
variety.comGordon Cox Theater EditorThe new musical “American Prophet” is now in the midst of its world premiere run at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
Next stop: Broadway?Listen to this week’s “Stagecraft” podcast below:That’s the goal, according to the show’s star, Cornelius Smith Jr., speaking on the new episode of “Stagecraft,” Variety’s theater podcast. “I hope the next stage is that we get to Broadway and we get to New York,” he said. “That’s kind of the dream and the point. … I don’t have any say over when and where; I just know that something’s going to happen sometime next year.
I’m looking forward to getting those details.”The new musical “American Prophet” chronicles the early life of abolitionist Frederick Douglass by going straight to the source: the autobiographies, speeches, letters and editorials penned by the man himself.
Smith Jr. (“Five Days at Memorial,” “Scandal”), who leads the cast as Douglass, estimates that some 80% of the words he speaks onstage are taken directly from Douglass’ writings.
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