When Sheryl McCallum was growing up, it was her brother — not her — who had the acting bug, but a move to New York and her brother’s passion for theater ultimately led her to the stage. Now, she’s starring in “Miss Rhythm: The Legend of Ruth Brown,” which she helped co-create alongside David Nehls. McCallum effortlessly portrays Brown, a trailblazing star who rose to fame in the 1950s, became known as the “Queen of R&B,” and won both Tony and Grammy awards.
What is one of your earliest memorable moments on stage?
“I call myself a reluctant actor. My brother, years ago, started the Denver Black Arts Company. I would sing with his band in the productions, and one day, one of the actors could not make it, and he said, ‘Sheryl, you have to do this role.’ I’m like, ‘No, I don’t want to do it.’ With a lot of prompting, he said, ‘Too bad, get on stage, you gotta do it.’ I did not like it. I would be around actors and performers, but it was not in my vein. I feel the moment it switched, I moved to New York because I wanted to keep studying voice. My brother kept putting me in his productions in New York, so it started to switch a little bit then. But then he passed away, and I think when he passed away something then left him and came into me, because I really started taking it very seriously.”
You seem to portray Ruth Brown effortlessly. Why is that?
“I didn’t see her live, but going back and looking at different clips that she’s done, different interviews she’s done, she’s everybody’s mama, auntie. Just this strong personality, who’s been through a lot. Just sassy and brassy through living her life. In her older years, you see where she’s settled into herself, no nonsense. It’s not just one story. It’s all of our stories. I find myself making it true to what I feel. I’ve met people who’ve known her personally. I did meet her son and her nephew. Her son is like “I don’t know, but you just remind me of my mama.”
What do you hope the audience takes away from the show?
“I hear it when I greet the audience at the end and [they say] “I didn’t know who she was, but now I want to know everything.” That’s what I want them to take away. Go and find out more about her and other artists of that era. There’s not just one. Our stories are dying out, people are starting to lose the interest, or they just don’t even know.”
Have you seen the show yet? I want to know what you think 🎶
