This is a first for FFB... A birthday and a feature on the same day!!! Today we're celebrating Aisha and everyone should probably eat a pie (maybe these ones!) in honor of both her Bday and her current Broadway home, the delicious musical, Waitress! Aisha is all about balancing through spirituality and staying in tune with her heart reminding us that sometimes it's the mind, body, spirit approach that's the key to being Fit for Broadway!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AISHA!!!  

NOTE FROM AISHA: Hey yall! I was born and raised in College Park, GA, and I grew up in church with a family of singers. I first fell in love with musical theatre in middle school and my passion grew even stronger in high school and college. The summer after graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, I packed up my bags and headed to NYC! I had no money, no place to live, and no job. All I had was lots of passion and determination to make my dreams come true!

INTERVIEW:

Q: Aisha, you're part of one of my favorites, Waitress! I'm so excited to hear about life on Broadway with pies!!! Haha but let's start at the beginning... What was your journey to Broadway?

A: Well, I moved out to New York with an agent that I snagged from my senior showcase in L.A. My first audition was for Witness Uganda at the American Repertory Theatre. I was actually written up at work for attending my final callback. I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to work with Diane Paulus, Griffin Matthews, and Matt Gould so I went to the callback instead of going to work. Thank God I booked the show! It was an amazing experience and I got my Equity card out of it. For the rest of my first year in the city, I did a lot of work regionally. When I got back, I auditioned for the National Tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and ended up getting an offer to join the Broadway cast as a swing!! I made my Broadway debut on January 23, 2015.

Q: Has fitness been a big part of your performance career? How does it vary from show to show?

A: It has and it hasn’t. I have periods of time where I’m extremely motivated to stay on top of my fitness, and I have other times when I slack off.  When I’m not on top of my game, I can definitely tell the difference. When I’m on top of it, I like to do this awesome workout that Kelly Rowland and her personal trainer created. I also love Classpass. It’s an awesome way to explore different ways to stay active! The trampoline class is one of my favorites.

Q: Please tell me there's a steady supply of just baked homemade pies backstage at all times?! Haha :) Food is fuel though!! :) How does diet play a role in your FFB lifestyle?

A: Definitely not!! If there were home baked pies backstage, my costumes wouldn’t fit! Ha ha Because I’m at the theatre so often, I order most of my meals. I love a great balanced meal from Fuel on 47th and 9th before my show. My favorite is the teriyaki salmon with broccoli, carrots, and a kale smoothie. Dig Inn has become a new favorite of mine as well. Since I’m not the best cook, I recently joined Blue Apron. It’s helped me to find quick, easy recipes to help strengthen my cooking skills.

Q: Ok, so pies. The names are awesome and the ingredients are so yummy. If you could originate a pie for the show what would be your core ingredients and what would you name it?

A: The core ingredients would be brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and sweet potatoes!!!! I love a good sweet potato pie. It’s my favorite. I guess I’d call it Southern Sweetness Potato Pie.

Q: What are some ways you keep your mind, body, & spirit in balance for Broadway?

A: My faith is very important to me so spending time with God and fellowshipping with other believers keeps my spirit balanced. To ease my mind, I take moments to breathe, say a prayer, or journal throughout the day. Writing down my feelings helps to keep my mind clear. It’s also nice to look back and read stories about a great day I had or a horrible day that I overcame. Praying gives me a chance to remind myself to be grateful and gives me an outlet to get things off of my chest.  As far as the body goes, staying active is of the utmost importance but rewarding your body with a massage, or spa day is equally important.

Q: Top 3 tips for living healthy and Fit for Broadway?

1. Stay active. Don’t allow your show to be the only form of exercise weekly.

2. In all the chaos of your busy schedule, make time for yourself.

3. Eat healthily, but remember to reward yourself with a little treat every now and then.

Q: Have you ever had a moment of doubt when you thought about quitting your journey to Broadway? What was your process out of that like?

A: Thankfully, I’ve never thought about quitting. I have had moments of frustration about not getting work though. In those moments, I try to encourage myself to never stop reaching for greatness. Instead of getting upset about opportunities not presenting themselves, I work to better myself daily so I will be fully prepared when a new project comes along. I also give myself small projects to work on during my free time. It’s not easy though. When I feel down about my career or doubt myself, I pray and surround myself with my friends and family. It’s important to have a supportive group of people that you can lean on.

Q: Who or what inspires you?

A: My siblings inspire me on a daily basis. They’re both recording artists and their drive, passion, and commitment push me to continue to go after my dreams. Their love and support means the world to me. Cynthia Erivo, Amber Iman, and Audra McDonald also inspire me!! And last but not least, working with younger kids inspires me. Seeing the younger generation go after their passions makes me want to do more to show them that all things are possible!

Q: What's your advice for aspiring performers who have their sights set on Broadway?

A: Make sure this is what your heart wants. The journey to Broadway is not always an easy one, so you must be fully committed to push through, no matter what. Remember to always keep an open mind, a positive attitude, and a kind heart. And have FUN!!!! Enjoy and learn from every part of your journey, good and bad.

connect with aisha

Instagram: @gifted2sing  |  Twitter: @starringaisha