‘Gypsy' Tony nominee Joy Woods takes Louise from ‘apologetic' to ‘powerful'
"I'm new to this," says an excited Joy Woods when asked about what she's looking forward to at the upcoming Tony Awards ceremony. "I will just be taking in everything." The actress earned her first career Tony nomination for the Broadway revival of Gypsy in Best Featured Actress (Musical). She portrays Louise, the girl who evolves into the glamorous Gypsy Rose Lee, opposite Audra McDonald as Louise's mother, Rose.
In our exclusive interview, Woods discusses reuniting with old costars and why she doesn't describe her Louise as timid.
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Gold Derby: In just under five years, you've performed in , , , and now you're a Tony nominee for . Have you had time to let the impact of all of these moments sink in?
Joy Woods: No, not one bit! But I know I will at some point. I think it's been nice to just be on the ride and on the journey and sort of focused on learning. Things have happened so quickly and so loudly that all I can do is just take it in and make sure that I'm learning and growing from the experiences that I'm having.
It's a wonderful coincidence that you and Jordan Tyson went directly from starring in together, to playing sisters in . How did that time help you in your new roles?
We didn't actually spend any time together on stage [in The Notebook], but we did share a room. And we did the out of town tryout together in Chicago. So there was a lot of time spent together before the run on Broadway. But I think just the time spent sharing the room and having a shared decompression safe space to just exist in whatever state … it allowed us to get to know each other really, really well. I think she knows more things about me than she would rather know, and same for me! But that's allowed us to become actual sisters and fiercely protective of each other's happiness and safety.
It's nice having you two finally share the stage because your duet 'If Mama Was Married' is the secret killer bop of ! What is it like getting to harmonize with her every night?
We know each other's voices very well. We did have the duet in The Notebook and learning how we sing, how we breathe, our tonal qualities and how we blend throughout those years together prepared us for being able to play with each other in the moment in Gypsy. She's my safe person. When we get to doing that song, it's really my main thought is how can I make her laugh today? I love that girl so much. It is really about doing tennis and lifting each other up. We know each other so well that we know exactly the parameters of which to play in.
Louise has a tricky arc to navigate because she starts out timid and transitions into the ultimate star. What do you feel like is your most important moment that propels you through that transition?
Well, I want to say first that I don't think this Louise is timid. As I've gotten to know Audra's Rose, I've learned exactly what kind of Louise she raised. It's one that's more apologetic rather than timid. Apologetic of her existence, or I want to say she's protective of keeping the peace. She's protective of keeping her place in the family and making sure that she can earn her keep. And I think the moment where that becomes less important for her is the moment that she sees herself in the mirror and says, 'I'm a pretty girl, Mama,' because she's never felt like she had any worth in that department. And the moment that she saw herself and suddenly … there is a possibility that [Rose] might not be right about everything. That I've been holding her on too high of a pedestal. There's a possibility that there's more for me beyond what my mother says. And then of course, being thrown onto the stage and reverting back to the version of yourself that truly believes that you're not a star. And then seeing the change in the audience when you start to just exist and perhaps take a glove off. Oh, you like me? Oh, I can exist up here and be received well, and perhaps even get some attention, maybe even adoration? That is the turning point. She can earn her own keep in her own life, and not be tied to her mother.
That entire strip sequence culminates in this big Josephine Baker-inspired dance number. What was it like performing that style of choreography?
It was definitely my first time really dancing like that on stage. I'm someone that grew up dancing first and then went to school for theater and had fully, truly believed without the shadow of a doubt that my breakout into the business would be dancing in an ensemble of a show. But this is to be a centerpiece, going full out naked. I was very, very scared. And to do Camille A. Brown's choreography, who is someone I've looked up to for many years, just making sure that I want to honor her and honor Josephine and honor all of the versions of women that I am sharing parts of their story in this moment in the show. I hadn't danced in so long, and boy oh boy, am I so grateful to be doing it with that ensemble. I have the most fun. I can't worry about being scared, about how I look. Louise wouldn't be, she's just shaking her tail feather for a bunch of people that paid to see her. And the ensemble and I, we're growling at each other, we're laughing, we're saying things, we're having fun. And that's what we want to see Louise doing. We want to see her having fun in a space that Rose isn't around. We want to see her feeling powerful without anyone to bring her down.
Speaking of Rose, you really go toe-to-toe with Audra McDonald in that last dressing room scene where Louise is certainly not apologetic anymore. Was that scene ever intimidating to get through?
Up until about a month ago? Yes. Very much so. It's such an iconic monologue for Gypsy just in the moment in the dressing room scene when she stands up to Rose. And to be making sure that you're affecting Audra McDonald enough to propel her into 'Rose's Turn' is a task. It's a challenge. And I was so scared of what people were thinking or if I was saying the right words or how I looked or how I felt … and there was so much noise surrounding that I wasn't able to hear what was happening [in my body]. I finally got to shed that. Especially after knowing Audra's Rose, now I know what weapons to use to affect her. Every Rose is different, so every Gypsy will be different because of the Rose that raised her.
This is the first time on Broadway that all three main female roles in are played by Black actresses. When you think of your version of Louise, which aspect makes her distinct from the iterations that have come before you?
As a Black person, we've all heard that story of going over to a white friend's house when you're a child and hearing the way that they speak to their parents. And being like, oh, you guys have a different relationship. So I think that level of awareness of how you come off to your parent is what services Louise's perceived timidness or apologetic behavior. And that is why the dressing room scene is so powerful. You don't yell at your parents. You don't talk back to your parents. Especially back then before gentle parenting, long before gentle parenting was a thing. So I think the rigidity of the way they were raised, paired with the time period, it being the Depression, being Jim Crow … you have to be pristine, quiet, and speak when spoken to. Which is why the dressing room scene is the way it is. And so I don't think that's very different from the other Louises, but it comes from a different place, which might be why it translates differently to audiences depending on who's watching.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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