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The Whoopi Monologues, the influential solo show from Whoopi Goldberg, is being reimagined in a new production from Lincoln Center Theater. On Thursday’s episode of The View, Goldberg was joined by several artists involved in the production, including director Whitney White, and stars Kara Young, Kerry Washington, and Danielle Pinnock.
The conversation kicked off with comments from Washington, who brought forth the idea of mounting a new production of the 1984 Broadway show. The performer was taken with the show at a young age, sharing, “I watched Whoopi, as a child, be everybody… it made me feel like I could do anything.”
A marked difference for this new production is that the monologues—originally performed by just Goldberg—are now shared between five performers. Rather than reimagining the show, White revealed that she was instead more interested in “opening it up.” “I think these five women will reflect the audience and the world in a beautiful way because this one, brilliant woman made a pathway for us all.”
The discussion then shifted to the actors, with Young sharing her desire to explore the humanity of Fontaine in her monologue. Pinnock, a first-generation Jamaican American herself, performs the Jamaican Lady monologue and hopes to bring a face to the immigrant experience. Watch the full conversation now, which sheds more light on the new production and Goldberg’s continued influence.
The Whoopi Monologues begins performances on Tuesday, July 7, with an official opening night set for Monday, July 13 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. Written by Whoopi Goldberg and directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Whitney White, The Whoopi Monologues will star Emmy Award Nominee Dominique Fishback (“Swarm,” “The Deuce”), Tony Award winner Kecia Lewis (Hell’s Kitchen), NAACP Image Award Winner Danielle Pinnock (“Ghosts”), Emmy Award-winning producer and Golden Globe-nominated actress Kerry Washington (“Imperfect Women,” American Son), and two-time Tony Award winner Kara Young (Purlie Victorious, Purpose), with Kai Heath, Denise Manning, and Pavar Snipe rounding out the cast as understudies.
In 1984, then unknown monologist Whoopi Goldberg premiered her provocative, thought-provoking one-woman show on Broadway, torching the rulebook of traditional solo performance in one of the most electrifying debuts of the era. Now, the trailblazing work returns, reimagined for a new generation led by a remarkable ensemble of 5 women bringing Goldberg’s unforgettable characters back to the stage. Funny, vivid, and deeply human, these nuanced portraits feel as fresh and irresistible today as they were over 40 years ago.
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