Keke Palmer and Sherri Shepherd Are Cinderella's First African-American Mother-Daughter Duo

In just 21 years, Keke Palmer has achieved an impressive number of milestones. The young artist has already released a solo album, appeared in feature films (opposite the likes of Jeremy Jordan), and become the youngest person to host her own talk show. Now she will star as Broadway's first African-American Cinderella.

Palmer isn't the only fresh face preparing to take the stage at the Broadway Theatre this month. Sherri Shepherd (recent host of The View and sometime 30 Rock star) will join Palmer onstage as Cinderella's wicked stepmother. This will be Shepherd's second opportunity to play mom to Palmer, after the duo appeared together in the Lifetime movie Abducted: The Carlina White Story.

"All of my moments are with Keke, and she's so excited to be doing this and I'm seeing the whole experience through her eyes," said two-time Tony Award winner and Broadway's newest Fairy Godmother Judy Kaye. Kaye has high hopes that the new blood will bring in a fresh audience. "I would be very excited if this brings in a whole lot of [Palmer's] fans," said the Broadway veteran.

TheaterMania spoke to the dynamic Cinderella/Stepmother duo, Palmer and Shepherd, about their pre-Broadway nerves, extra rehearsals, and the experience of going through it together.

How are you feeling about your upcoming Broadway debut?

Keke Palmer: It's exciting because everything's getting closer. I'm feeling more confident in the rehearsals…This is my third or fourth week going into rehearsals, and I've been doing extra rehearsals at home. I'm now in a place where I feel like I'm ready. Come Tuesday, I'm your girl.

Sherri Shepherd: I'm scared. I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm scared. I'm happy. I'm scared. I'm joyful. I'm scared. Did I say I'm scared? I'm scared. I'm scared. This is the big time. This is like, pull up your big-girl panties. And you're working with the best of the best on Broadway. I'm so honored to be here, and I don't take it for granted.

How is Broadway different from what you've done before?

Keke: My mother and my father both are from theater, so for me to have them is the biggest blessing of all. My mom knows how this process works. She's the one [who's] at home with me making sure I'm doing my lines. She's watching me sing and we're finding different colors and different moments to bring different emotions out of the music.

When I was getting ready to come out here…she was like, "Finally I really get to help you because theater is my background, theater is where I come from. I can really finally get the opportunity to help you because this is my world."

Sherri:
Well, number one, they just told me five minutes ago we've got eight shows a week. And I was like, "Eight shows a week? Ya'll got to be outta ya'll doggone minds. That's not even legal in some states." I'm all, Yes, I'm looking for the human resources department of Broadway to talk to them about this. I think I could get a petition going. Imma talk to Audra McDonald.

How are things going in your stepmother/stepdaughter relationship?

Keke: I love Sherri. This is my second time working with her and Sherri's just a lot of fun, especially going through something like this. It's very overwhelming and difficult for both of us — this is our first time doing something like this. And it's just awesome to be able to do it with her because she's so cool and so nice…she makes everything chill.

Sherri: Keke is an actress. She is bringing so much to this role and she has a wonderful spirit. So it's wonderful working with her. She's got a great work ethic. She comes in to work, she's prepared, she knows her lines, and she's ready to do this.

What makes the two of you special as a stepmother/stepdaughter duo?

Keke: Our history definitely helps. And also we're both from Chicago. That's really cool as well. But this is our first time doing Broadway ever. And we have each other to experience this moment with and that's the coolest thing about it all.

Sherri: It's wonderful because she's the first African-American to play Cinderella and I'm the first African-American to play the evil stepmother on Broadway. I think it's good because it has a very broad message for everyone but particularly to little chocolate boys and girls. Just for them to see someone who looks like them singing "The impossible is possible if you believe," that means so much. And it's about time! I mean I saw Stephanie Mills a long time ago play in The Wiz, and that made me want to be an actor. So I think little boys and girls are gonna see Keke and me on that stage and they're gonna go, this is possible.