As soon as that little "ba-da-da-dink-dink" at the beginning of "Under the Sea" starts I think to myself: "Here we go! Let's do it!" When I first got the role, I was very intimidated because people have high expectations. But I have nothing to prove only to share. I'll do my best interpretation of what these songs should sound like in their current incarnations and it's quite an honor.

Tituss Burgess

Categorized in : Thinking Song Sea

I'm praying for healing for our nation. For retaliation that yields constructive results. Peaceful protests. We need each other.

Tituss Burgess

yield peaceful healing

I've grown up watching and admiring Norm. Sherie actually starred in the first off-Broadway show I ever saw in New York, which was The Last Five Years. It's amazing how things come full-circle and how the community (once you hang around it long enough) grows smaller and smaller as it grows. Sharing the stage with these people is more than a dream come true it's so special. They're so warm and giving and offer the best advice. Sherie is very nice and maternal and nurturing.

Tituss Burgess

nice new-york dream

Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone and get back up into my dressing room for the rest of my costume. I get snapped into all these things and layers and bundled up. I walk downstairs to the pit. Someone hands me my baton (which lights up like a wand) and I watch the first three minutes of the show. Then I come up out of the pit and there I am.

Tituss Burgess

shining light hands

I pinch myself every night when I hear the overture starting. I'm so overwhelmed by the whole process, and humbled and giddy all at the same time because I can't believe it's me that gets to sing these songs every night.

Tituss Burgess

song night believe

I've been in New York for going on five years now, and I always thought I would make a mark and do something but I never thought it would be this big of a deal. I'm so blessed and I'm truly honored.

Tituss Burgess

blessed new-york years

I wish Howard Ashman was still alive so I could just meet him and tell him his words are magic. It's so fun to say. He has such great alliteration and paints the most vivid images with his lyrics

Tituss Burgess

magic wish fun

There's a bit of a difference in the way he sounds. Samuel E. Wright lent his voice and personality to the animated film with his booming voice. I have a high-tenor voice. Instead, I have to figure out a way to convince the audience to come along with me and accept this new texture and tambour to the way Sebastian sounds. I have a great dialect coach.

Tituss Burgess

dialect-coach differences voice

If anyone has the opportunity to work with that woman, jump at it. She is the most generous, most giving director I have ever worked with in my entire life. She is classy. She speaks a dozen difference languages.

Tituss Burgess

differences opportunity giving

I just had a bunch of lifeguards around me.

Tituss Burgess

top-news

I hover closer to earth than I do the clouds.

Tituss Burgess

closer than earth clouds

I never had any trouble being myself. Myself was a problem for a lot of people, but I didn't have a problem.

Tituss Burgess

myself being-myself problem people

When it's your turn, it's your turn. That's just the way it is.

Tituss Burgess

turn your just way

I'm a Pisces - I can't rest if you aren't resting well.

Tituss Burgess

resting well rest you

For me, having walked through Times Square so many times as a broke and starving artist, as a TV star, and now having other hopes and dreams, it just represents possibility and the moment of full circle.

Tituss Burgess

dreams me moment artist

There is absolutely nothing that you can control except showing up and doing your job.

Tituss Burgess

control nothing job you

I think Donald Trump has put America in great danger, and I think he's done a disservice to us even if he doesn't win. I think his effect is going to be kind of lasting.

Tituss Burgess

great win think be-kind

I get to do some unbelievably layered things. The material that I'm given is so complex, and I'm so grateful for it, so I welcome any opportunities to push boundaries.

Tituss Burgess

opportunities push welcome grateful

When I cook at home, most of the people I cook for want to be in the kitchen while I'm cooking. I love nothing more than someone monitoring how much salt I put into something, how much pepper I add - but nothing that you can offer is going to sway how I decide to deliver information to you; you'll either receive it or you won't.

Tituss Burgess

you cooking home love

The critics are not writers - they're not a part of the creative process; therefore, they should not influence how I go about doing my next bit of work.

Tituss Burgess

doing influence creative work

I tell you, my naps are epic. They win awards.

Tituss Burgess

tell win you awards