These Inspiring Tony Nominees Nearly Gave Up on Their Broadway Dreams

Hi, I'm Jonathan Groff

Latonya Richardson-Jackson. Conrad Ricomora. Jasmine Amy Rogers. Tala Ash. Athena Straza. Andrew Durand

Joy Woods. And I'm with Parade. I really remember the first, like, month that I moved to New York

I was waiting tables at the Chelsea Grill of Hell's Kitchen on 9th between 46th and 47th

Lots of rejection, lots of, lots of like, particularly really like failed dance calls, like going to dance calls and getting cut and feeling like, what am I doing here

And I remember going back to my apartment and taking down the Bible that my Mennonite grandmother had given me on moving to New York and being like, hmm, is this, this isn't making me feel better

putting the Bible back up on the shelf and running to Central Park and standing in front

of the Bethesda fountain and looking up at that angel and being like, I got this

I was feeling the like magic of New York City, the magic of Central Park, the magic of like

the Angels in America HBO special just come out. And so feeling like I was also about to like step into my gay self for the first time

So that that was the moment looking at that statue that I was like, OK, everything's going to be OK

This is a magical place. I want to be here. And now here we are

I have never had that point in my life that I would ever give up because there was always a job at the ready for me

That's always something to do. So you don't give up. You stay in it

I believe in a God that provides that there is no lack in life So in the end you shall reap if you faint not You know it was right before I booked this booked Betty Boop

It was August of 2023, and I was just auditioning for everything that I could, and I wasn't getting anything

And I actually had an audition for Gavin Creel's Walk On Through, and I didn't get it

But he sent me the most beautiful email and it lit a fire underneath me

And a couple of weeks later, I went in and I booked this. So honestly, I feel like in a way I have him to thank

I was doing Romeo and Juliet in Philadelphia and I was in my early 20s and I was playing Romeo

I got this scathing review in the Philadelphia Inquirer. It was the first time I'd ever got Ben reviewed and I made the mistake of looking at the review

And I then was in a depression for like two months. And I was like, well, if everyone hates you, do you still want to do this

And I was like, yeah. And it's the thing that I still ask myself

I mean, this is so nice to get to be nominated. But the thing I learned back then was if you bomb, do you still want to do this

And I told myself, yeah, the answer was yes. And then that made everything a lot easier

Well, there was one time I was working for a tasker app and I was building a cabinet for someone in their house and they were like, did I see you in War Horse on Broadway

And I was like, yes. Where would you like this cabinet? So yeah, highs and lows, that's what it's all about

But it also like, I'm grateful to be an actor for that. I mean I used to resent that but now I love it because I appreciate the highs so much and the lows are just the time to sort of gather yourself and look forward to what next Oh my God So many times this process doing Gypsy I really really struggled this season in feeling like burnout

feeling like I didn't know what I was doing in the show, feeling like I just needed to step away and be able to come back

And then boy, oh boy, I'm glad I stuck it out. About a month ago

You know, many times as an actor, you go through periods of, it's really difficult, you know

and it feels like there's, you know, not another job around the corner and acting is not something

you can really do by yourself or I haven't figured out how. So yeah, there's been many, many moments

but inevitably even if it's a day on a workshop or reading, I'm reminded, oh, this is why I'm here

This is what I have to offer as an artist. You know, we didn't celebrate and we haven't celebrated

He's in London doing a film and I called him that morning because my daughter called and said

my daughter, who's a big producer, called and said, I can't get to dad. I'm trying to find out about my Kendrick Lamar tickets

Can you call him? So I called him and said, do you have her tickets? Blah, blah, blah

And he was like, I told her they're going to call her, blah. And I said, OK, no worries

He said, I'm upset. I said, OK, bye. And we hung up. About an hour later, he calls back and says, why didn't you tell me you got nominated for Tony

I said, because I called you because she called me to ask about those tickets

And that all I was thinking about So when I tell you I got 500 jobs That what was happening And then it dawned on both of us at the same time I said wait wow Sam I got a Tony no he said that what I

talking about I said so you know it comes when it comes like I'm overjoyed

my feed was delayed when I was watching the nominations come out so I didn't

ever actually see the category come up and instead my phone started blowing up

out of nowhere and I was nervous to pick it up hoping it would be good news on the other line

but when I found out I just kept repeating oh my god oh my god oh my god I kind of feel like that's

still where I'm at I'm just in shock that was the most exhausting but thrilling day of my life

I literally toward the end I was like I have no more emotion left in my body but it feels magical

I am on cloud nine every day. Some days I have moments where I'm like, I'm a Tony nominee

Do I deserve to be a Tony nominee? But I'm like, there's no room for any of that. I feel like I'm living in a dream

Last year, everybody was telling me that I was going to get nominated for Here Lies Love

And then it didn't happen. And because everybody was telling me that constantly, I was devastated

And so this year, I had to, again, be like, you know what? Show up and do eight shows

Luckily, we're still doing the show. So doing eight shows a week makes you tired and focused on your job

So I didn't want to look. So I made my coffee in the morning and then I looked at my phone and saw that there were 60 missed messages

And I was like, oh, I guess something happened. And then it felt great. It was totally surreal

I couldn't believe it. I don't think I did believe it until I looked at my husband who was crying

Yeah, it just it felt truly surreal