A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose

If there was ever any question that Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose can do anything she wants, the answer comes this month. On February 5, she makes her solo cabaret debut as part of Lincoln Center’s acclaimed American Songbook series; on February 8, the DVD of her recent film, Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls — which has earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination — will be released; and she also returns this month to CBS’ hit series The Good Wife as Chicago political candidate Wendy Scott-Carr. TheaterMania recently spoke to Rose about these projects.

THEATERMANIA: What do you have planned for the American Songbook evening?
ANIKA NONI ROSE: I am simply doing music I love. It’s mostly music that was introduced to me from my grandma, like Dinah Washington and Eartha Kitt. I call it “Vintage Rose,” because it’s mostly great old stuff that never dies out. It’s a tribute to these women and to my grandmother who shaped me. There are two or three Broadway songs, but it’s not meant to be a Broadway show, although I’d like to do that some day. Right now, the set list is far too long, so I may do different things at the 10:30 show than at the 8:30 show. Ultimately, I want do a lot more concert work, so I figure if we prepare 29 songs, but only do 12, that means I’ll have a little surplus for the next time.

TM: Congratulations on your NAACP nomination for For Colored Girls. The role of Yasmine, who is a rape victim, must have engendered a lot of response, right?
ANR: The response from people to my role was just phenomenal. I got sent a lot of emails from strangers. One woman wrote to tell me the very same thing happened to her, down to the physicality of the situation, and she hadn’t told anyone before. Another friend, someone I’ve known for a long time, told me rape was a part of her life, and I didn’t know that. I have to say I was humbled and honored that people felt I was true to this character and this horrible situation and was able to make it a cathartic moment for them.

TM: What was the biggest challenge for you in tackling this role?
ANR: Being truthful to Yasmine in each moment, and not to turn her rape and the aftermath into a dramatic soap opera. She was betrayed by someone she trusted — she had her life stolen — and that completely changed her. But it’s important for women to realize they can get back up after that happens, and that was the story I wanted to tell. It wasn’t about me proving I’m a great dramatic actor.

TM: How important do you think it is that the film is getting a DVD release?
ANR: I think very important. Ntzoke is such a beautiful writer — her words give you such amazing moments of poetry. I also think the film got unfairly thrashed, and even people who saw it and enjoyed it may be able to see things they didn’t in the theater, for whatever reason.

TM: Would you work with Tyler Perry on another project?
ANR: To me, the important thing is the project. I don’t set out to work with people. But it was a good process. We had an open and clear dialogue while we worked together, and I appreciate that from any director!

TM: I love your role on The Good Wife. Wendy is a very smart character and very surprising. How are you enjoying the experience?
ANR: The Kings [the show’s creators] not only have really great writing, they are so good to theater actors. So often theater actors are told they’re not big enough for the screen, or they’re too big or too this or that. They gave me a vague outline of Wendy — she was only supposed to be in two or three episodes originally, but they keep writing for me. I love that Wendy is playing in a world not made for her — for a black woman to be in the man’s game of city politics is so unusual. She’s shrewd, smart, and family-oriented.

TM: Have you been getting a lot of fan reaction to the role?
ANR: Yes. The other day, I’m walking in New York and I’m all bundled up and this woman walks by me and yells at me “I hope you win.” At first, I didn’t think I heard her right and then I just had to shift into another gear. I love it!

For more information on the American Songbook concert, visit www.AmericanSongbook.org.