Angelica Ross grew up doing musical theater and was convinced that would be her path forward. But, as she tells Paul Wontorek in the latest episode of “The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal,” she went on “quite the detour.”
The actor, activist and founder/CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises is well-known for her two series regular roles: as Candy Ferocity on “Pose” and Donna Chambers on “American Horror Story.” Through these opportunities, Ross became the first openly transgender actor in history to secure two series regular roles.
And now, as Roxie Hart, she has become the first openly transgender actor in a leading role on Broadway.
But for Ross, she says that while she loves what she does, she dislikes the fame that comes with the territory.
“I really don’t care about being the first of anything,” she said.
“I want to be the best.”
Growing up, Ross says she used theater as a way to escape. Once she recognized that she was different and was bullied for it, she didn’t want to go home after school, she tells Wontorek.
“Theater became the space where I could be someone else,” Ross said.
Of coming to Broadway, Ross noted that while she was not expecting it at this moment, “at some point, the child in me had always seen this.”
She tells Wontorek what it’s like to come to Broadway as someone returning to singing, saying she was “super protective” at first because she was concerned about cracking or “having some vocal moment.” But she’s past that now; ready to push herself and finding that she’s surprised by the results.
“I surprised myself at how much voice and command and access and range that I have,” she said. “And this, for me, feels like the beginning.”
“I just realized not only can I do this, I am. I am doing it.”
Ross said she’s also grateful to be performing the demanding eight-show-per-week schedule “because it has conditioned me for something that I think is just even more in my future.”
Ross will continue in her limited engagement in “Chicago” at the Ambassador Theatre until Nov. 6.
“The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal” airs on weekends. Check your local listings for air time and channel.
