Free Times contributor Catherine Hunsinger had a nice long chat with Ellis-Gaston about her career, inspirations and back-home roots.
Leandra Ellis-Gaston may be a name you’re just discovering today, but it’s likely to become a name you’ll remember tomorrow.
A native of Columbia, she has swiftly emerged as a rising star on Broadway, completing her fourth year in the Big Apple with standout performances in two hit musicals: portraying Tina Turner in “TINA — The Tina Turner Musical” and Anne Boleyn in “SIX,” a pop musical take on the six wives of King Henry VIII of England.
Crediting her tenacity, her passion for her roots and the support of Columbia’s theater community, Ellis-Gaston celebrates her unique identity. She leaves an indelible mark on Broadway and is positioned to help shape the future of the entertainment industry.
Leandra Ellis-Gaston is a Columbia native and rising Broadway star, with starring roles in "Six" and "Tina — The Tina Turner Musical." Kadie Austen/Second Star Creative/Provided
Check it out:
CH: You’ve only just completed your fourth year on Broadway, and you’ve already starred in two hit Broadway musicals. Can you take me back to the moment you received your first call to play the iconic Tina Turner in "TINA"?
It was truly crazy. I began my journey in "TINA" as just a dance captain and a swing. My job was to know every stage position, every piece of choreography and every word of the show — to keep the integrity of the choreographer and the director at its highest standard. One day I was laid up in my bed — because when you’re on Broadway, you sleep in as long as you can — and I got the call: “You’re going on as Tina.”
I didn’t scream, I didn’t cry. I just said, “OK, let’s go.” That cast was my family, so they weren’t going to let me fall flat on my face.
I went on as Tina over 30 times, and my life changed forever. I met my potential. When I started "TINA," I thought I was going to be a swing and dance captain for the rest of my career, and that was enough because, when you do it right, you can have the time of your life!
CH: When YOU do it right, you can become Tina Turner.
I really did that!
CH: So then you said, “Tina Turner wasn’t enough, I need to add more iconic women to my list?”
Well, that responsibility sort of fell into my lap. I was performing in "TINA" when I auditioned for "SIX" on a whim with a friend. Then, when I got my first callback for Anne Boleyn, I actually turned it down. I didn’t go.
CH: *Audible gasp*
OK, to be fair, I had my eyes set on another Broadway show that I actually did end up booking for the next season. But then I got another call from "SIX" and then another one saying, “We really want you to come in.” So, eventually I did.
My stakes were so low ... but as soon as I walked in, it all instantly clicked. The material rolled off my tongue — I loved it. We finally got to the last callback and I thought, “I don’t know how, but I think I just booked 'SIX' on Broadway.”
Leandra Ellis-Gaston is a Columbia native and rising Broadway star, with starring roles in "Six" and "Tina — The Tina Turner Musical." Kadie Austen/Second Star Creative/Provided
CH: Was it incredible working with a cast of all women?
I have never been surrounded by so much talent in my life. This is an industry where women are taught to be competitive with each other. We’re taught that there should be tension between us because we’re going after the same roles. To be in a show with these immensely talented women, with zero of that tension, was out of this world. All we could do was respect how talented each other were.
CH: You were ultimately deemed and celebrated as “Bo Bo with the Box Braids” by your fellow queens and fans. Can you share how that originated?
I auditioned for "SIX" with box braids in my hair. I’m a braids girl — it’s just in my DNA. So when the team came to me with the concept of a box-braided wig, I said, “YES! … And can we also add baby hairs around the face?!”
Leandra Ellis-Gaston (left) is pictured with a fan after a performance of Broadway's "Six," where she played Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England's King Henry VIII. Provided
It was just an incredible and rare experience. They said, “We have a darker-skinned Black woman on stage, how do we represent her in the world as she actually exists?”
My favorite part of that entire process was when little girls would show up dressed as me, box braids and all. I unexpectedly inspired so many young people, and that was the biggest gift.
CH: Is the industry, at large, moving toward making representation and inclusion more commonplace?
The conversation is opening up more, but colorism within the industry is not gone. We don’t often talk about the facets of Blackness in this business — how there are so many different versions of Black women. There’s always been this notion that some Black skin is “too dark” or “too Black,” that it won’t appeal to the masses. But darker skin is commercial when you are willing to release your bias.
CH: Do you see empowerment as an enduring theme in your journey as an entertainer?
I’ve been very lucky to be shown a place in history I want to be a part of so early on in my career. I come from a lineage of extremely powerful Black women who have transformed spaces and industries and who are raising children that are redefining generational curses. I know that empowering women is a huge piece of my story.
I am standing because I have grandmothers who pray. They stand at a dark window and decide that light will shine through it. So much of me is them, and so much of what I’m going to do is for them.
— End of Q & A —
Ellis-Gaston’s journey is evolving beyond the confines of Broadway.
As she extends her artistic finesse to the cinematic and musical worlds, audiences can anticipate a fresh dimension to her extraordinary talents. The excitement mounts as she crafts and curates a solo EP titled “Golden,” an exploration of timeless musical theater gems from the Golden Age.
With each stride, she continues to captivate and redefine the boundaries of her artistic expression, leaving us anticipating the next chapter of her sensational story.
