The last time Sophia Nicole Stephens came to the Fox Theatre before she signed on as part of the Broadway’s “Disney’s The Lion King – Musical,” she was in the very last row of the balcony watching a Kirk Franklin concert.
“I didn’t know how. I didn’t know when. But I said to myself, from way up there, ‘One day I will be on that stage,’” Stephens said.
She auditioned and secured an ensemble role on Broadway. She subsequently signed on for national tour of the production. Several years later when her statement came to fruition, she didn’t have the words to express what she felt.
“It was a wonderful moment that I don’t even have words for,” Stephens said. “From being way back there to standing on that stage,” Stephens said, trying to quell the emotion in her voice, “to standing there in front of my family, friends, loved ones – and in front of my city. I was like, ‘Really, God?’ It showed me how you have power and you can manifest things with what you say, what you think and how you work.”
Two years ago she was the understudy to Nahla –and was blessed to step into the co-starring role for several shows during the final days of the 2015 run in her home town.
Two weeks ago when the show returned to The Fox for a three-week run that continues through May 7, Stephens had risen through the ranks to play a principal. She portrays Simba’s mother Sarabi.
Stephens admits she still gets that feeling every time she steps in front of the Fox audience.
“Every single time,” Stephens said. “It feels so good to come home and to receive so much love from so many people. I’ll have people saying, ‘I’m going to come see you,’ and ‘we’ll be looking for you.’ And you see them waving at you from the audience.”
She’s been across the country as a company member of the national tour. While clearly partial, she says that there’s no place like home with respect to the audience.
“The energy after the first number is amazing,” Stephens said. “It helps you give everything that you have. Especially if you’re tired – after eight shows – it’s really inspiring to see how receptive and demonstrative our audiences are.”
Another reason Stephens loves returning to her hometown is to inspire others. She recently was a part of a “lunch and learn” session with student performers from area high schools facilitated by friend and recording artist Brian Owens at The Touhill Performing Arts Center.
“What is the worth of your success – not even just success, but your gifts – if you can’t share it with other people?” Stephens asked.
Stephens and several of her fellow cast mates spoke with the students about inspiration, faith, excellence and life in general, and how life affects the arts and how the arts make society whole.
“I see the impact my journey can have on other people as far as encouraging them,” Stephens said. “Because a lot of kids think ‘well, I’m from here and I don’t see how I can make it.’ It’s really great to be an example – even though I’m not the first, or the last, and this is not where my journey ends.”
In addition to “Disney’s The Lion King – Musical,” Stephens is working in the independent film industry and putting the finishing touches on a soon-to-be-released solo album.
“I want young people from St. Louis to know that you can be from here and go beyond what you can think, or even imagine,” Stephens said. “I was once all the way in the back of the balcony. Now I’m down here on the stage.”
From the Congo to ‘The Lion King’
Unlike Stephens, Phylicia Pearl is not a St. Louis native. But the journey that ultimately brought her to the share the stage as a company member of “Disney’s The Lion King – Musical” national tour is equally inspiring. As she told the story of her parents immigrating to the United States from The Republic of Congo in Africa, her eyes were bright and alert.
“I went to college and studied in musical theater, and during my time there I was cast in only two of 24 shows,” she said. “That was okay, because I kept telling myself that one day I would be cast in a major production. During senior year, agents and directors come to our school and we are allowed to audition for them. One director told me he was going to have me audition for ‘The Lion King.’ A week before graduation I flew to New York, and I found out within one day that I would be doing the national tour of ‘The Lion King!’”
That was in 2015. Now Pearl is a member of the swing company – which means she has to understudy six different performances in each production. She had to learn all the material, dance and song, in four weeks.
“My parents migrated here from The Republic of the Congo with dreams for themselves and their children,” Pearl said. “My mother always wanted us to do something that was great. My given name is ‘Watondua.’ which means ‘people worship you.’”
She has dreams and goals of writing a television show that is based on her life. For now, she is enjoying being in ‘The Lion King.’ Pearl is very honored to have been chosen for the cast – and remembers that she is a young woman whose roots she can proudly trace back to and through Africa, now starring in a stage play set in Africa.
“I think that the universe sent this show to get me to a point where I was very interested in my ancestry,” Pearl said. “Because so much of the show is about ancestry – and how you can become great and become who you are because of the people who came before you.”
The St. Louis leg of the national tour of Disney’s ‘The Lion King – Musical’ continues through Sunday, May 7 at The Fabulous Fox Theatre. For tickets or more information, visit www.metrotix.com.
