Multifaceted: Interview with “Some Like It Hot” Performer TyNia Brandon

TyNia Brandon (she/they), is a multifaceted performing artist from New York. She has accomplished so much in her career and is now branching out to include “producer” as another one of the many hats she wears.

From the Lion King national tour, to the Tony award winning Broadway production Some Like It Hot and beyond, TyNia is making waves and taking names.

Let’s get to know more about TyNia in 10 questions!

1. Can you tell us when you knew you wanted to be a performer and about your first experiences being on stage?

TyNia: I’ve been a performer my entire life, but I think it dawned on me that I wanted to be a performer in college. I was in Once On This Island during my junior year in college, and it wasn’t until then that I realized that I could do this.

2. I’m very curious about Actors’ Equity. Can you shed some light on your journey to joining the union (what it took to get there) and why it’s important?

TyNia: I’ve always thought it important to be a part of a union because labor unions are what make working conditions as fair and as equitable as they can (if they do the job appropriately). I could work as an actor even if I wasn’t a part of the union, but I wouldn’t be able to work in NYC and I wouldn’t have health insurance. Being associated with a union allows these things, and makes much possible for my career. Essentially, I’m a big advocate and believer in labor unions, because they are supposed to be working to make the conditions of labor livable. I’m a human so I need to be living.

3. In what production was your debut on Broadway and what was that experience like?

TyNia: I debuted in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on August 10, 2018. It was the best and I was so excited to get the job. It was the pinnacle of my dreams at that time, and one of my greatest life achievements. I really miss that show. A lot. I could have stayed there forever. I really loved the people I shared a dressing room with and I made really great friends.

I was a swing, so my job was hard, but the experience of the show itself, made going to work an enjoyable experience.

Even when the job was challenging. I really think that was due to the cast and staff at the theatre.

4. You’ve also performed in the US national tour of The Lion King. Can you give us 5 tips for managing the intensity of life on tour as a performer?

TyNia:

• Keep something familiar, but not valuable, with you. It helps when you are moving all the time and it will help ground you.
• Have at least two friends: One on the road and one back home. One to remind you who you are, and one to remind you where you came from.
• Pack light. Only keep the things that are necessities on you from city to city. Youll learn what really matters to you quickly.
• Remember to take time for yourself.
• Treat yourself to a monthly massage.

5. The big question… Can you give us the inside scoop on what it’s like to perform in the Tony award winning musical Some Like it Hot? Can you also tell us a most memorable moment for you?

TyNia:

It’s awesome performing in Some Like It Hot. Im so glad it ended up being such a big hit, even though I knew it would be.

Most memorable moment was for sure performing at the Tonys. It was another pinnacle moment for my career. The show has offered me the opportunity to dance more than I have since my training as a kid. Im really proud of the ways I challenged myself with all the dancing I do in the show.

6. How do you stay inspired show night after show night and what is your pre-show routine like?

TyNia: My cast keeps me inspired because I’m not the only one on stage.

The thing about being a performer, especially an ensemble performer: You’re not just performing for yourself. You’re performing as a part of one unit with one goal.

I get a lot of inspiration just by watching my cast work every night and making choices in the moment to keep it fresh for the character and audience.

7. Can you tell us about any other project you’re affiliated with?

TyNia: Yes, I am on the board of directors of Sing For Your Seniors. SFYS is a non-profit working in NYC to enrich lives through the universal language of music by bringing professional performing artists to the communities of seniors in need to entertain, foster inter-generational connection, and create shared joy.

8. A little birdy told me that you are now an associate producer on Truth: A Bio-fictional Choreopoem, that focuses on stories of 19th century black female resistors and abolitionists, including Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and other lesser-known women. Congratulations! Tell us some more.

TyNia: Please visit www.truthplay.org to donate and support our crowdfunding campaign. We are one of the fastest growing theater projects online! For me, being a part of this project was an incredible opportunity to be a part of an important story about black femme abolitionists who have already done what we wish to do. The profundity of their stories is stored in the fact that they are nuanced, complex, neurodivergent, and taking their own freedom.

9. What advice do you have for budding performers looking to make their debut on the big stage?

TyNia: Start with what you have. Give it your all. If this is something you want to do, you have to love it, and be willing to give a lot for it. It’s not easy and it comes with sacrifice, but if you love it, then its worth it.

10. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us! What’s on the horizon for you, TyNia? What does 5 years from now look like to you?

TyNia: Hopefully i will be producing more projects. I also hope to tap into voiceover work. I really enjoy listening to audio books, and i have done some audiobook work with passengers journal. As an actor, I have a really good time using my voice to tell stories.

I have accomplished what I have set out to accomplish, so now, I’m making new goals and I’m not in a rush to achieve them. That feels like a privilege.

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