Danielle Pinnock’s journey to Lincoln Center Theater’s Off-Broadway production of The Whoopi Monologues has been anything but conventional.
Pinnock was building a career rooted in theatre, documentary performance, and an unwavering belief in the power of storytelling. long before audiences knew her as the scene-stealing Alberta on CBS’s “Ghosts,” or recognized her from “Young Sheldon,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” and her wildly popular social media characters,
She spoke with The New York Independent about growing up in a first-generation Jamaican- American family, how she discovered theatre through her middle school teacher and, ironically, the archival video collection at Lincoln Center Library, where she and her mother would watch Broadway productions and read plays.
Now performing the work of her “north star” Whoopi Goldberg at the Newhouse Theater through Aug. 30th while simultaneously filming “Ghosts,” Pinnock finds herself living a dream.
It brings together nearly every chapter of her artistic journey — comedy, character work, documentary theatre, immigrant storytelling, and the freedom to create her own lane.
The New York Independent: Do you remember the moment when you realized performing was more than just a hobby and that it was something you wanted to do professionally?
Pinnock: Growing up we didn’t have a lot of resources. I grew up in my grandmother’s house without a television. I didn’t know much about theatre until middle school when a wonderful teacher told me about the archival video section at the Lincoln Center Library. My mom and I were able to go see any Broadway play via video. It really changed my life because I could also read the plays.
I also did school plays and I was part of a community theatre group. I think the thing that is so funny is that for a lot of first generation immigrant kids the path is to be a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer, a pharmacist, a nurse….but the arts are not on the list of things you can do occupationally. My mom saw that this was a dream of mine and decided to invest in it. She would take me to acting and singing lessons, and any kind of artistic after school activities. She’s not only my biggest fan (along with my husband), but she is my greatest support and the reason I chose a career in the arts.
NYI: What do you remember about your first roles in middle school?
Pinnock: I was in a very bootleg production of Aladdin where I was Jafar’s sister Alima. We had to buy our own costumes at Party City. The outfit required me to show a little skin in the belly region, so my grandmother decided to buy me a Capezio leotard and put it underneath the all-black outfit. I literally looked like a childhood version of Black Panther. My favorite role was at the JCC where I was Ursula, and I think my dress was made out of Glad garbage bags. We did the entire performance on tables that were duct-taped together. We had a full band playing on those tables! I cherish those memories.
NYI: What advice would you give your younger self as she started her journey in the performing arts?
Pinnock: The biggest advice I would tell her is that she will have to make her own lane. There is no lane for unconventional talent and unconventional beauty. You’re going to have to do it yourself. You will also be able to find rich community as you try to build your own road ahead. As a kid, I was truly like the black Matilda; I spent a lot of time by myself in libraries doing research and was always looking for community. Now, I’m grateful to have a team of wonderful artists around me and we all inspire and empower each other.
NYI: The story behind how you were cast in The Whoopi Monologues is a testament to how you make your own lane.
Pinnock: I had been tracking this project for a year. I was in the Drama Book Shop, and I ran into James Ijames, who was working on a play called Saturday Church at New York Theatre Workshop. James invited me to opening night, where I met Monologues director Whitney White. I said, ‘Hey, I love Saturday Church, I would love to be considered for The Whoopi Monologues.‘ Whitney said, ‘Oh my god, I am such a huge fan of yours. We will keep you in mind.’
Cut to the next year and I hadn’t heard anything. I saw another announcement come up on Playbill. I was like, ‘Man, I really want to be in this.’ So I DMed her on Instagram, asking, ‘Hey, has this been cast?’ And she said, ‘Unfortunately, it has.’ The next day she messaged me back and said, ‘Oh my gosh, someone just dropped out.’ It would surprise a lot of people to know that my career started in theatre, and I was in theatre for more than fifteen years before television. No one knows that Anna Deveare Smith was my mentor and I have been doing documentary theatre since I was 19 years-old. Thursday, I auditioned virtually, and Friday, I booked it. I am so grateful because the showrunners at “Ghosts” CBS, and Paramount, allowed me to do this play at the same time as shooting “Ghosts.”
NYI: How does that schedule look?
Pinnock: On Mondays and some Tuesday mornings I will film “Ghosts” in Vancouver, and then I will fly into New York on Tuesday and do the show through Sunday. I’ve been doing double duty and I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is a dream realized for me. Whoopi Goldberg is my north star, and so I am grateful not only to work on this project, but also to have a seat at the table with such icons and legends as Kerry Washington and now Jurnee Smollett, Kara Young, Kecia Lewis, and Dominique Fishback.
NYI: How did Whoopi have an impact on your life, and how did she influence where you are today?
Pinnock: Everything. I remember watching “The Color Purple” for the first time and wondering who that actor was because I was transfixed by her gift. I went to the library and watched everything I could find her in. She was the first black woman to host the Oscars. She is an EGOT and a trailblazer. When I look at her career, I am so inspired. Nobody gave her any freebies. She had to work hard for every single thing she had, and she was doing that as a single mom. I am incredibly inspired by her journey and career because seeing her do it makes me know I can do it too.
Anytime you watch “The View,” there are so many artists that come on saying, ‘Whoopi, you are the reason I became an artist.’ That’s just a testament to her once-in-a-generation gifts, including determination and persistence. She loves our production and she said she was crying laughing. That’s the only validation I need working on this project.
NYI: Monologues redefines what solo performances can be. How do you honor the legacy of solo performances before you while making the material your own?
Pinnock: This is my background. Being mentored by Anna Deveare Smith changed my life as an artist because it made me realize you don’t have to be in ensembles because you can have multiple characters living inside of you. You can form them. People can be just as moved by seeing a ten-person musical as they are with seeing just one performer. I also have to give a shout out to my husband, Jack Wallace, who is an incredible dialect coach. He helped me with this project.
Oliver Samuels, who is one of the most brilliant Jamaican comedians, flew in to help make sure I was the most authentic I can be. I feel like a lot of times immigrant stories are reduced to politics, and this opportunity gives a face to the immigrant experience and it humanizes them. The audience laughs but also feels for “Jamaican Lady” and roots for her victory at the very end. It is not by chance that I am a plus size woman doing this. There’s also a beautiful freedom to see a bigger body on stage, who’s true to herself, who feels sexy, and who shows up in lingerie. This show gives me freedom not only just for the character but also for myself. I feel like I am alive again.
NYI: Why do you think Monologues still resonates with people?
Pinnock: Any great work will resonate and withstand the test of time. It is the reason that we have Shakespeare in the Park and every single year we cycle through all of these different classics. There is a different take on it, but the work still stands. Whoopi did a very simple version of all of these characters; she would stand on stage and wasn’t moving too much. It still worked! I just hope that this show, in the same way that Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues toured around the world, will be everywhere: in colleges, high schools, in the West End, regional productions… It deserves to travel in that way.
NYI: You have accomplished so much across theatre and television, and your career continues to evolve. What kind of stories and roles are you most excited to explore next?
Pinnock: After ten years I just started writing my second show, which deals with mental health and mental illness, specifically. It takes place in a treatment center. I have been doing a lot of interviews with people who are dual-diagnosed, specifically with mental illness and drug use. That will be the next show that I work on. It’s a dark comedy.
NYI: What can you share about the new season of “Ghosts” and the big cliffhanger centered around your character, Alberta?
Pinnock: We ended last season with her boo-thang Pete disappearing. She is going to be stressed at the top of this season trying to figure out what happened to Pete and how he can be brought back. I just can’t wait for audiences to see this very vulnerable side of Alberta that we haven’t seen. She is really devastated. We need Pete!
NYI: When audiences leave Monologues, what do you hope stays with them long afterwards?
Pinnock: I want them to have had a slice of joy in their day. It is funny and inspiring. For any artists in the audience, I hope they are inspired by Whoopi’s legacy. This is something she created in the 80s and look at it now! I just hope anyone, even beyond artists, who had that idea that they want to bring to fruition, sees this piece of work that makes them think, “You know what? Maybe, I can do something like this too.”
Visit The Whoopi Monologues : Shows | Lincoln Center Theater for more information or to purchase tickets.
Iris Weiner is an entertainment writer, editor, reporter and theatre critic based in New York. Her portfolio contains a diverse collection of work on all genres of entertainment. Her reporting has been featured in more than twenty publications, including Newsday, Playbill, TheaterMania, Encore Monthly, Weston Magazines, and Long Island Woman. She is a proud voting member of the Drama Desk and The Outer Critics Circle.