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[0:00] Robert Bannon: Welcome to The Roundtable, everybody. My name is Robert Bannon, and you're listening to us on Broadway World, the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeart, Spotify. Our next guest was on I Was a Baby Little Show, and she was doing her theater thing, and she was already a movie star. But she has grown into a big, giant superstar television star with series and episodes and seasons. She is so incredibly talented. She is so sweet. And I have a confession to make about her, and I'm going to admit it on this show for the first time ever. I was here, my husband was getting his hair done by his mom, and I'm in Detroit, and that's like a whole big process, okay? Because he gets twists, and they're long, and he wanted them really long.

And it was a couple of weeks ago, and his mom said, I want to put on Joyful Noise. Well, I said, Oh, I want to watch Joyful Noise, too. And I'm watching Joyful Noise. And this lady's up there singing. And I said, That looks like my girl, Angela. And I'm watching it, and I'm like, she's Broadway, and now she's got a TV show, and it's produced by Kerry Washington. And I said, That really looks like Angela. That's Angela. Why did I not put it all together before this moment? I don't know, but you're not alone. I just want you to, you are not alone. I am here with you, on the TV. So many people, like, after we gained another Angela, lovely dolly, so many people were watching that movie, and I got so many texts.

People were like, Is it? And I was like, Yeah, that, yeah. That was a big old gig. And it was so fun to see you sing and dance. And it was really fun to see Dolly up there clapping and singing and doing choreo. It was, it was a moment. You have to watch that movie, everybody. Oh, good. It's so it's fun. Like a, you know, and we shot it almost like, you know, you would do like, like rehearsal for Broadway and stuff. So we moved, we got down to Atlanta. And like, we were like, let's stage it. Let's figure out what the choreography is. And then we shot it. It was so cool. It was such a cool experience.

[2:46] Robert Bannon: So when you look at your career now, okay, as you're about to enter your new season of your big giant hit TV show, which we're going to talk about in a minute, and you see the ups and downs of I'm in a big movie, I'm in a big TV show. In the middle, I'm going to do a guest star role, I'm going to do an off Broadway show, I'm going to do a Broadway show. How does it feel? It's not an overnight success. This is years of work, years of yeses, years of nos, years of big things, years of waiting for things to pan out that don't pan out. How do you sum it up? How's it? How's the ride?

[3:15] Angela Grovey: Um, I mean, it's kind of awesome on this side of it. You know what I mean? I also want to just be like, listen, the answer is different every day, depending on where you are. But I'm really grateful to have been allowed to be on the ride on the roller coaster. There's a lot of seats on the ride. And I'm really honored to have gotten a seat. And I'm honored that I get to change seats and move around on it. But I think for me, I never, my focus was always just to be on Broadway. It was never I never saw television and film in my path. And the fact that I got a television and film thing before I even landed on Broadway, I was like, oh, I'm so thankful for a guy that I serve that has bigger dreams than I could ever have. And so I think that for me is I'm just like, I'm just really grateful. And I want to continue to stay open to what the world has to offer.

[4:51] Robert Bannon: So when Broadway came to you, you had already gone in other directions. Was your probably, was Leap of Faith your Broadway debut?

[4:57] Angela Grovey: Yeah.

[4:59] Robert Bannon: With Leslie, and with Miss whatever happened to him, just said, and, and then now you've got, you've got three. You have three Broadway shows, and a bunch of television appearances and movie appearances. And now your big old season regular, just another day on set as Crystal in Reasonable Doubt. How did this show come to you?

[5:39] Angela Grovey: Um, this show, this audition came in the middle of the pandemic, the pandemical times, as I lovingly call it, all of us were in our homes, stuck away trying to be like sound engineers, and like lighting and makeup and props and all the things. And it was one of the many, many auditions that I taped for during that time. And, you know, I wasn't, I wasn't like, oh, this is the one I want to get. I was like, send me all the material because I just want to keep auditioning because I want to work. And I just I didn't know that it was gonna, I didn't know it was gonna be this big old, big old job. It's a big old year, year job, year season four. And everybody who wants on Hulu, and you got to check it out and make sure you check it out. It's executive produced by the one and only Kerry Washington. Does she like come on set? Do you see her? Does she get is this her baby? How does it work?

[6:50] Angela Grovey: Yes, she comes on set. And it's the most shocking thing. Like I try and like kind of keep my cool because we've got some amazing people that are on the show, like regulars, but then also that like come in guest star. I thought I was gonna lose my mind last season when Candy Bursts was on because I was a huge SWV fan and like Escape and like that, that whole like, like girl group. And so I was like, oh my god, I hope I don't embarrass us today and just start singing. Week in the neat, like I just was like, oh my god. But Kerry still like freaks me out because she'll come in and she'll like have her mask on and like a hat. Because she also is like working on lots of things. And she'll like come into set and then I'll like learn, I'll like, you know, peer over to the side and I'll see her.

And I just have no cool, like I'm just, I feel terrible that I want to be better at that. But I get shocked. I get like shook or like the first time she sent me a text message, she was like, hey, it's Kerry. I was like, Kerry who? I have a cousin Kerry. I would never think it was Kerry Washington. She would not be on the top list of people. You mean Miss Washington? No, but she's very, she's very involved. She looks at daily. She's invested. She's invested and so supportive of Ramla Muhammad. It's just, it's a really cool environment to be a part of, to watch these like boss women supporting each other on this like big ass show. Sorry.

[7:32] Robert Bannon: You can say whatever you want. So I love that because firstly, there's an incredible, like you talk about, there's an incredible cast. And what do you say to people who have maybe not seen it? They have not watched the first three seasons. They have, they just got Hulu or maybe they just Disney plus with the Hulu and they need to now see what are you going to watch? And I don't know what to, I'm bored. So who should watch it?

[8:05] Angela Grovey: So I feel like it's very much, if you like a spicy legal something a la scandal, it's for you. But if you like a little bit of a like, oh, what's going on on the blocks with my girlfriend, like a la insecure, it's very much that. And I mean, that's what kind of what I would say. Like it's a little bit of a mix of those two worlds. If you need a vibe because we're in the office and then we're outside of the office.

[8:40] Robert Bannon: Angela, I've watched like religiously scandal and insecure. So this show seems like it's up like that's then everyone needs to watch it.

[8:45] Angela Grovey: I think it's pretty, it's pretty good. It's pretty good. And it's very much the talk. It's like, if you want to be in the know at the water cooler, the water cooler, who says that? The water, right. When you go to the water cooler, everybody, you need to go.

[9:15] Robert Bannon: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Don't be not in the know. So I was late on. I was late on the scandal. I had to binge watch it at the Dominican Republic next to the pool because I don't really like the beach. So I mean, I just had to sit there. So don't be late on this, everybody. You got four seasons. Now you got to catch up and you got to jump in it right now. Start from the beginning. So who's your character? Tell us a little bit about her.

[9:27] Angela Grovey: I play Crystal Walters. I am the assistant of Jack Stewart and I work in her law firm. She is a criminal defense attorney. So criminal defense lawyers tend to work with some interesting people. It is our job to make sure the prosecution makes sure that they prove their case beyond their reasonable doubts. Our job is to make sure that there are some loopholes around it. So I feel like that's a polite way of talking to you about what the defense side looks like a little bit. And so yeah, I'm there. I'm one of her right hand people in the office. And you get to kind of explore a little bit of my life. This season, especially, we see a little more of Crystal and her outside life. I'm in law school now. And so that's very exciting.

[10:34] Robert Bannon: You're in law school and out in these streets and we're going to see her live it up this year. Some people say, actors say sometimes that, I don't know if it's a procedural per se, but law show, these kinds of shows, they say as an actor, the law and the law courtroom in another case gets boring. I don't think the audience ever gets boring. There's not a boring day on set with a procedural show when it's done right.

[10:57] Angela Grovey: Yeah. When it's done right. And I will say, just having done this show now for several seasons, you learn about the structure of it. And it's like, don't nobody want to sit in the court for like an hour. But, you know, if you have like a couple of good scenes in the courts, sandwiched by some other outside, I'm like, oh, that's how you make that work. I feel like they have, they figured out the structure of this really well. It's going to be juicy. You got juicy courtroom drama. You got juicy personal life. You got juicy relationships. Work mess is always relatable to everybody. Go work with somebody that's messy. And this is, this is it.

[11:36] Robert Bannon: So this cast from, from, I don't want to say her name wrong, but Jack Stewart.

[11:43] Angela Grovey: Thank you. And then you've got, you got Lori Harvey and you've got McKinley and you got Morris Chestnut and you've got Michael Ely and you've got like, you got some superstars. Y'all are very beautiful cast and talented. Good night. Very, very beautiful. And then Megan Good this season, Tank, Lucina, Wesley is on this season. It's, I mean, it's, it's Lala joins us for a little bit. It's great. It's spicy. I'll be like,

[12:14] Angela Grovey: The show is spicy, y'all. You don't want to walk up to Tank during craft services and just sing a little song, son.

[12:21] Robert Bannon: I don't, but I do harass Tank on the regular. I'd be like, "Oh, you decided to wear some clothes today?" Because I feel like if I follow him on Instagram, I mean, like, he doesn't have a shirt on ever.

[12:34] Angela Grovey: Well, if I looked like him, I might have no clothes on right now. That's a lot of... I don't have that much discipline, but I give him...

[12:43] Robert Bannon: That's fair, yes, and he should show it off, but I like... I can't really talk to you without a shirt. I need you to put on some clothes for you.

[12:55] Angela Grovey: What I love about you and your journey is that you grew up in Texas and then got that bug. If you read your bio, you read your website, getting that little Kathy Rigby's flying in the air, and you're doing theater in Houston, right? And you're in it, and you run out, and at eight, you decided to make a living out of it, and it paid off. You're here as a working actor. What made you keep going even when people told you you shouldn't? Because I know everyone hears, "You're gonna be broke. You're gonna be a waiter. You're not gonna have a job. What's your backup plan?" What made you have the guts and the courage to keep going?

[13:36] Angela Grovey: Well, it's just that thing that I was like, "I'm meant to do this. I'm meant to breathe life into characters that writers write." I'm not an actor because I desire to be a writer or pitch a show. That's not really my style. My biggest thing I love to do is, I was like, "Let me bring life into a character that you create." I love being a little bit of a puppet. I'm like, "Yeah, let me put it on. Let me see how this feels." So I feel like that is what has kept me going. It's like, "I'm meant to do this. This is what you're supposed to do." And then the work came, and the work keeps coming, and the work will keep coming.

[14:24] Robert Bannon: You had a big moment. You got to play Mama Morton in...

[14:28] Angela Grovey: Yeah.

[14:29] Robert Bannon: Yeah, that's a role that so many people have. I talk about something that has been done, that is a national treasure. I mean, when the world in Chicago will, they'll still be razzle-dazzling and killing it. What was it like to be able to... You know, that's a track that is not an ensemble piece. That is a track that is you with these songs, with that duet, with your "When You're Good to Mama" moment. What was it like for you to do that role?

[14:58] Angela Grovey: I mean, it was... You know, that's a role that I have been chasing for a long time since I was too young to be playing it, right? So I went to school in Chicago. I worked professionally in Chicago for a couple of years, and the tour of Chicago made us... Did a sit-down, obviously, in Chicago, and I saw that show so many times. Like, rush tickets. I was like, "Oh my God, I loved it!" Outside of Rent, I think Chicago is the show I've seen the most of. So it was always something that I was like, "Oh, at some point, you're gonna play this part." And then last year, you know, when the stars sort of aligned perfectly, I know it's like, "Okay, yeah, let's go step into this." And it felt so good. It was terrifying because, you know, that's the kind of show where they're just like, "Great, we've been here for 79,000 years, so let's just plug you in, plug you out." So I was like, "What do you mean? Three hours in it? To great line? Got it, got it."

[16:06] Angela Grovey: But it was just really, really great to finally step into that role that I have been looking at and admiring for so many years of my life. And the cool thing at Broadway here is for Chicago, there in their stage, behind like the stage door alley, there is like a roster of the names who've played the characters on Broadway. And it's sort of... I think it got started by one of the people in props, like the head of props. So after you're like in the show and like a role, your name gets added to this. And so to walk by that every day and see the legends that have been inside of this building that have put these characters on, it's hard to not live in a space of gratitude to just be like, "Thank you, universe, for letting me put my interpretation on it as well." And it was a great time, and I look forward to getting back with them when the stars align again.

[17:07] Robert Bannon: That's because you could sing your teeth off and act your face off, and those things make you want to do it. And you're a legend, and someone's gonna look at you up there just like you might look at Patti or Brandi or Jennifer Holliday, etc., etc. Then the next generation looks at you and gets to follow in your footsteps. Speaking of Broadway, before we... You know, she's busy every so... You got you in your spare time when you're not doing Broadway and you're not doing television, you're not doing movies. You just so happen to have worked a lot with the next generation. Speaking of broke, what made you be a part of Broadway Inspirational Voices and take on all of that work?

[17:40] Angela Grovey: Well, the years you've done, like that's a... That's really a labor of love. It's not like they're paying you, you know, seven figures in a Jaguar here, but...

[17:50] Robert Bannon: No, they're not.

[17:53] Angela Grovey: But I do, I love it. I love it. I always try and say that I like my druthers. My dream scenario is to be an artist half of my life and to serve others the other half of my life. And being the executive director of Broadway Inspirational Voices and being on this show is like the perfect sort of combo for me right now. I grew up, and I have parents and people around me that always taught me that it's important to give back, to leave the world better than you found it. And so it's been very important for me to find how I contribute to the world, and I find that BIV, Broadway Inspirational Voices, is really that place for me. So I started singing in the choir first, and then I fell in love with Covenant House in New York, which is a place for homeless and trafficked youth.

Then when I went out on Newsies, I traveled to Covenant Houses in every single city that we toured and did workshops. And so I was like, "Oh, let me develop a program for BIV." And then a couple years later, we had a big shift in leadership, and the founder was like, "I think it's your time now to be the executive director." And I was like, "What?" And so I stepped into that role in 2022, and yeah, things are great. But I just think it's so important to give back, and I'm super passionate about young people. I'm also really passionate about underserved communities, and I want to make sure that they have a place to feel safe, especially those who have been damaged in religious settings.

[19:39] Angela Grovey: Is that this can be a church for people, for everybody. You can look on their website. We'll put the link below. You can see their upcoming performances. If you talk about church, you better be a good church singer because you're gonna come as a soprano, an alto, a tenor. You better... Ooh, or just a Broadway musical theater baby that you're gonna come in and sing harmonies.

[20:02] Robert Bannon: Yes, all the ranges, all the ranges are up there, and some of the biggest stars in the world have come out of that choir, and they perform with some of the biggest stars in the world. So kudos to you. I'd be fired. I'm at the age where I'm singing the melody or I'm going home. I'm not working that hard anymore.

[20:18] Angela Grovey: Yes, soprano. You're a lazy soprano, as I call them. I'm a... Look, I didn't grow... You know, my husband grew up in the church. He'll sing one song as a tenor, and the next song is the prayer. He'll know all the parts. I'm like, "Oh, no. I only hear the main part."

[20:35] Robert Bannon: You like you're a soprano.

[20:39] Angela Grovey: I'm so happy for you. I want people to check out the show. The show, everybody, is out and about, and you got the old episodes, the new episodes. Tell your friends about it. Have a watch party. It's part of the Onyx collection on Hulu. It's incredible that you support this work. It shows incredible representation, incredible storytelling, incredible acting. You got our girl Krystal, and that's Angela's character. Check her out on Reasonable Doubt, and then I'm sure that Broadway and theater and movies and more things are gonna be calling. I'm sure you've got tricks up your sleeves, and this is just another step and another page in this incredible book that is your career.

[21:13] Angela Grovey: Spiritual. You talk about the universe, talk about spirituality, you talk about religion, you talk about God. How important is that to ground you? You're such a humble, grounded, joyful person. So do you... There has to be a daily practice? You must have some advice on how to stay that way.

[21:28] Angela Grovey: I know, but I have to say that I surround myself with people who are like-minded and like-spirited. Also, I have a wonderful group of people who will never let me get out of line because it would be like, "Come on for a second. What you doing? What you doing? Come here for a second." I spend a lot of time with my elders. I love to sit up on your people and just be like, "How do I continue to learn? I don't know everything. How do I listen and sponge? Be a real sponge." And I think that helps me because it's not just about me. It's about all of us and how we sort of do that. So I work and believe in a spirit of openness, and I think that helps me sort of just remain humble.

[22:20] Robert Bannon: Well, you're a joy, and you're so talented, and your light jumps off the screen. So we're so grateful for you to come back and hang out with us. It's such a pleasure. I love watching, seeing what you do on social media. You got to follow her, everybody, on social media and check her out and take the ride. Let's all buckle up because there's a lot more work and love and light out there for Angela to give the universe and the world. So thank you so much for hanging out with us.

[22:44] Angela Grovey: Thank you, and congratulations to you.

[22:49] Robert Bannon: Thank you. He came home, my husband somewhere. I was gonna say, "Hey!"

[22:53] Angela Grovey: I love it. I'm so happy all the things that are happening in your life, and I hope the next time you do a concert, I'm in town because I didn't use in the green room 42.

[23:03] Robert Bannon: Yeah, we do green room, and I do... Every June, I do 54 Below for Pride.

[23:08] Angela Grovey: Angela, come sing! We make a party, sing!

[23:11] Robert Bannon: But I'm never... I love to buy a ticket and sit and let somebody up. No, no, because I love those two venues. I just saw a couple of friends last week doing stuff. So I love to support, but every time I see you, like you're doing a show, I'm like, "Not in town, Angela's booked."

[23:31] Angela Grovey: Okay, make all the bucks, make all the money. It's gonna happen. I'm gonna give you the biggest hug. I just wanted to say to you that when I am in town and you are doing something, it would be a very big... It's a big... It would be a great honor for me to be in the room to cheer you on.

[23:48] Robert Bannon: Back at you. I can't wait. Thank you so much for being... That means so much. You're the real deal. You're so... Thank you for being here.

[23:54] Angela Grovey: Absolutely. I appreciate you. Thank you. Go, you gotta cook dinner.

[23:59] Robert Bannon: I don't cook.

[24:02] Angela Grovey: Darius, do I cook?

[24:05] Robert Bannon: No, no.

[24:08] Angela Grovey: Great. I hope to survive.

[24:12] Robert Bannon: Miriam's, do you cook?

[24:18] Angela Grovey: This was the hair that was being twisted when we watched Joyful Noise, and then it was you.

[24:23] Robert Bannon: Oh, I love it. You look...

[24:28] Angela Grovey: Yes! Oh my God, I love that you too. Thank you so much.