Let's Hear It for the Girl

In Bring It On: The Musical, Gregory Haney plays La Cienaga, a smart, no-nonsense teenager in Jackson High School's dance crew. Nowhere in the show does it mention that she's a trans girl (other than a sly wink in the second act song, "Ain't No Thing"), rather, she's played with wit and elegance by Haney to great effect. By the end of the show, she's beloved by the audience, and La Cienaga gets some of the biggest applause.

After a year of touring across the country in the show, we caught up with Haney on the Monday before opening night on Broadway August 1 as he was on his way to a dance class. Not only did we find out what it was like donning a dress daily to play one of the most fabulous queer characters we've ever seen on stage, it turns out he also gets an intense workout from wearing those heels and doing cheer routines eight times a week.

Out: The night I saw the show, you received some great big applause during the curtain call. Have you noticed anything different so far about the Broadway audience versus the other audiences as the cast has toured the country?

In every city we visited--it was a 13-city tour--it was a different response to my character in general. I think different people have different experiences with the trans experience, and the whole gay culture in general. Being in Dallas, I'd get smaller applause, or I'd get more teenagers who would come up to me after. But in Toronto, it was a little more laid back, as it was in Chicago. They're larger cities, and they see a lot more. But being back in New York, it's a completely different story. It's such a hub; the people who are seeing the show are coming from other walks of life. But people probably never get to see a character like mine on stage. Every night, I'm not ready for the reception--no matter what it is.

It's a very upbeat show, and it did seem like a girls and gays sort of crowd when I was there. Do you think that's who is mostly attracted to the show?

I feel like now it's a little more mixed. I've had a lot of Jersey moms beaming over something that they said reminded them of their daughters. Jersey moms love me! A lot of cheer families come up and say they really enjoyed the show. I think the changes that we made from the tour to New York have been great. The show is more focused; it's more about telling the story of Campbell and her journey to figure out what's right and what's true. I love that they're getting that from the show.

OK, but let's face it: You have some huge biceps! I think you might be the most muscular guy on stage. Does that help you while you're in a dress?

I don't think I have the biggest arms. I don't know if being built helps. I mean, I built my career on being an animal. I started off in Cats, then Tarzan. The physical aspect of the show is very intense. My physical background helps. But being La Cienaga, that's what it's about. I don't know if it has anything to do with being muscular...

It's interesting you bring up that aspect of your prior roles. I'm always curious about how African-American actors end up having to play these animal characters, whether it's Lion King or another show. Does that concern you? These animal roles?

I think...I don't view it as a negative thing if I felt comfortable playing a monkey. I think I saw it as my job as an actor, and that's what I am doing. Whether the director asks me to slide down a rope or stand center stage in 3-and-a-half-inch heels, it's my job to do it the best way I know how. Every show I've done, I've had to put a different thinking cap on and do something different.

When else can I say I was in Alaska playing a cat? Where else I can say I was on Broadway, living my life because of the character I was playing? It's the way you view it. And I love it.

Now, some reviewers have called you a drag queen. Do you want to make sure they realize that you're not playing a drag queen? Does that concern you and something you want to clear up?

I do a little bit. It's not said in the show, what my sexuality is. It doesn't say whether I'm a drag queen or a transgender girl in the show. I see it like this: Angel [in Rent] is a drag queen. You see her as a boy and as a girl. La Cienaga is a transgender girl. You never see me as a boy. I like that. It doesn't take the audience out of the illusion. You never wonder what's under her dress; she's one of the girls.

I talked to an actor who was in Priscilla for two years and, after wearing heels every night, he told me how tough it was on his back. I noticed you are wearing Doc Martens with heels and a few other high-heeled shoes. Is there anything you're doing to make sure you aren't thrown out of whack?

Taking dance class. I will say that wearing the heels is making my ankles so strong. I actually enjoy wearing them in the show. I don't know if I could wear them every day. But they have streamlined my legs like nothing else has. It's nice to get that other quality. Going to the gym is one thing, you get the desired look. But this is something completely different. I also do a complete workout before the show. I roll everything out, get all in alignment.

The choreography is so intense. I was impressed at how young and fresh it feels, a mix of hip-hop and other styles mixed with the cheerleading choreography. How was that for you to learn?

I think that's what's so brilliant about Andy's choreography: He has such an eye for detail, such a treasure chest of information when it comes to dance. It's great talking to him about what an arm movement is. He'll say, "That's from the '30s, when they used to do that." Often, doing choreography over and over again, you lose the meaning of it. With other shows, they are telling the story--and they tell the story wonderfully--but Andy's choreography tells it in a completely different way. The words wouldn't mean as much as they mean. It's hip-hop, on top of jazz, and then pop moments; the hip-hop escalates that storytelling even higher, which is amazing. The cheering motions are really hard. I mean, there's a rulebook about how high your feet are supposed to be when you jump.

I thought ballet was hard, but cheering...whew.

You've been doing this show for more than a year now in some form or fashion, how is it being with Ariana DeBose, who plays Nautica, now that you have essentially been "girlfriends" in the show for so long?

She is like my little sister. I pick on her so much. I literally will push her for no reason. I don't know, we've been in the show for the last two years together. And watching Ari, her growth from the very first reading. All of sudden, I'm seeing her now, and I'm like, "You have become such a strong woman!" And I'm so happy to be part of that journey because it's been phenomenal. Adrienne [Warren] and I are the same way. It's all very family oriented, and that's what I love.

Ariana deBose (left), Ryann Redmond, and Gregory Haney / Photo by Joan Marcus

You're 30, playing a teenager, but it seems like a very young cast. And there are a lot of really young actors and dancers on Broadway at the moment. Is this a trend that you're noticing?

It's a little bit of a trend right now. With shows like Newsies and even Billy Elliot. They are loving to find younger actors. I love that they're getting the experience. But don't forget about us veterans! I think it's what the audiences expect with what's on mainstream television, like Glee and all of these shows that get young kids and family watching. I feel like when they come to see a show there's an expectation of a younger cast. You want to see actual high schoolers. But you can't have an actual 15-year-old doing some of these things, so you're having to cast a little older, that illusion come to light. I am happy that I'm still able to look like a teenager! When I was just turning 30, I thought, I'm never going to work again. But I'm so ecstatic: I love being the age that I am. I wouldn't trade it in for anything.

I think it helps La Cienaga in the long run: She has to go through so many things in her life. I think without me being the age that I am, I wouldn't be able to give her maturity to do her character justice. There's something to say about stillness. When she comes out, she is still; I'm listening. I don't have to distract by doing other things. I would never have known that if I had not been my age.

It seems that there's a whole cheer community that is coming out. Are they ever confused by the show or have questions?

It's funny, we had the National Champion cheer team come out. We saw them before the show, and they asked a lot of questions, about tumbling passes and, are you doing flips in the air? I told them, "I think that you're going to be very surprised about the technical aspects. We have a cheer coordinator who has worked with Andy non-stop in finding a voice for the show. Some of the tricks that you want to see are at a collegiate level, so we can't do those. But the cheerleaders that come to this show have all been really impressed.

But it's tough stuff to do eight times a week. I think, watching it, you keep thinking someone is gonna get hurt. Are there injuries?

With every show there's little injuries here and there. We've been conscious of the difficulty level of the show, and we have a physical therapist in-house. She's always there. In Memphis, we did a fight call before each show; in this show, we do a cheer call, and we run through all the stunts that happen. If we don't hit it, then we go to Plan B.

With all of this touring and work, what about your personal life?

This is all I have time for. I try to keep a distinction between my craft and what I'm doing on stage. I don't want it to influence what I do. All I have time for at the moment. I have a dog I rescued in San Francisco. A Jack Russell. When I was with the Wicked [touring] company.

So he goes everywhere with you when you travel with shows?

Yes. He's a road dog.

But if you were going to date, would it be a guy?

I'm not going to answer that.

OK, no problem. I understand. Well, you mentioned Angel earlier, and I was wondering, were there any favorite musicals growing up or any shows that inspired you?

I was a football player for 11 years growing up. Then I got bit by the entertainment bug.The one show I can remember was Fame was touring through Arizona. I told my dad, "This is what I want to do." He said: "I can see this; I can see that." That was the jump off for it all. I had done shows before. I had done musical theater, and I had done sports. But I was a junior in high school, and I knew, This is what I want to do.

Knowing it was a touring company and traveling to all these different places each week was mind blowing. When I decided to go to school for musical theater, I had to figure out my angle in all of this. I knew I wanted to express myself that way. I knew I wanted the musical theater aspect of it. You don't know what's going on in New York because you're not privy to it yet. It was being in musical theater, and I knew, I want to sing and dance and that type of thing. But then, coming to New York, seeing Wicked. She was singing her face off, and, clearly I wanted to do this.

So that was your moment, but it's a lot of work to get to this point. Anything you tell people looking to do the same thing?

I twach as well, and I've had a lot of conversations with dancers. I think it's exciting right now. You think you're locked into this box. But where art is and where it's growing to, there is no box. If you want to be a contemporary dancer, be a contemporary dancer, but if you have the drive to sing and act, you can do that too. I never thought I could do hip-hop again. Now I'm doing that and some double turns. I get to be funny and live my life. I love that, nowadays, there are so many resources out there. We have So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol streaming into the homes of America. These kids who think they are gonna be stuck they are seeing these things. They are making the choice.

Bring It On: The Musicalopens Aug. 1 at the St. James Theatre

Check out this video where Haney gives a tour of his dressing room, explaining his costumes, makeup, and more.