In 1981, a Broadway musical targeted the African-American community and won six Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. But Dreamgirls and its characters became icons in the LGBT community (okay, mostly to gay men) and has thrived in several reincarnations ever since.
The 2006 film version introduced the story of Deena, Effie and Lorell to a new generation. The film won two Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2007 in addition to a Grammy Award for Best Song written for a Motion Picture (“Love You I Do”). The most popular song from the film, “Listen,” has been incorporated into the new stage version of Dreamgirls as a stirring Act II duet for Deena and Effie.
Syesha Mercado, who is mostly recognized for her Top 3 finish in the seventh season of American Idol, grew up in Sarasota and will take the stage of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa Nov. 16-21 to play “Deena,” the lead singer of the “Dreams.”
The petite star spoke with Watermark over the phone during a recent tour stop in Nashville and discussed life lessons learned since taking on the chart-topping role, her upcoming album and the messages Dreamgirls provides to LGBT youth.
WATERMARK: You have been on tour with Dreamgirls for almost an entire year. What has that been like for you?
SYESHA MERCADO: (Laughs) A big growing experience. Deena and Syesha have grown a lot. I’m learning a lot, and learning how to be fearless on stage, and in life as well, and to just take risks.
Did you ever think you would be a part of such a beloved musical?
I always had the big dream to do a Broadway show since I was a little girl, so this is something that has always been a passion of mine, being onstage and performing music and acting.
What is your favorite thing about being in this show?
Creating what Deena goes through every night from the young naïve girl to the confident woman who stands up for what she believes in the end. She really finds herself and I really enjoy taking that journey with her every night.
The journey really is about self-discovery and many LGBT youths face bullying while on the path to their true identity.
There’s a quote that I use all the time, “The most important opinion is the one you have of yourself.” I think we all go through struggles in life and we all kind of second-guess ourselves sometimes and just wonder “is this where I’m supposed to be?”
It’s important for people to just keep holding on and know that eventually everything will work out for the best.
These kids should surround themselves with positive people and people who believe in them. If that’s hard to find, they should try to find an outlet—whether it’s drawing or music or art. There’s always a positive outlet and somewhere to escape, whether through friends or a teacher or a mentor.
Most importantly, they need to stay encouraged and keep their heads up, because they are not alone.
You’ve faced your own challenges. What was being on American Idol like for you?
It was pretty much the best and worse time of my life. I say that because it was a big challenge, you’re picking songs every week from a list and you’re trying to pick the right songs. You’re trying to pick popular songs but at the same time songs that you can connect to and that resonate well with you. But it’s not only just about your opinion, it’s also about everybody else’s opinion and sometimes it can get a little confusing and you don’t know what to think. That’s where I learned the most important opinion is the one that you have of yourself, and I have kept that with me since Idol. I learned a lot of discipline and what it means to take care of my voice and my body so that I’m healthy for the stage.
Do you recognize the influence American Idol has had on your career?
Yes. I think it’s given me a lot of exposure so a lot more people know my name and I have a fan base. When I go back home it’s really crazy because people remember me from Idol. After Idol I got a lot of requests to fly out to certain cities to do shows and concerts. It has opened a lot of doors as far as exposure and just getting my name to a broader audience.
Which of your Idol performances meant the most to you?
The one that was my favorite to perform was One Rock & Roll Too Many because that was the week where I was going through so much and I was just stressed out and discouraged. I remember taking a piece of paper and on one side of it writing everything that I wanted to happen for that performance and everything that I didn’t want to happen. I focused on everything that I wanted to happen for that performance and it happened (laughs). I got good feedback, I felt good about my performance, I had fun. I was standing on top of the piano barefoot, dancing onstage and singing. It was just a fun performance.
The Dreamgirls tour ends Dec. 26. Do you know what is going to be next for you?
My plan is to go back to LA, where I’m based, and continue to work on my album and my music. It will be out at the top of 2011 and it is my debut album. That is the first project that I will release to the public. I am really excited that my audience will be able to hear my story and hear my songs outside of Dreamgirls and American Idol and really hear what I have to say.
You grew up with Disney World in your back yard. Did you visit the parks often when you were younger?
We had a music group in high school called The Tone-ados, because our mascot was a tornado, and Booker High would always send about 20 of us from the Visual and Performing Arts department. We would do a cabaret at one of the cafes at Disney every year. I remember doing that every year and it was so much fun.
