Many actors have to let go of their support system when they start chasing their Broadway dreams.
But growing up in Harlem and living just three blocks from where she was born, Tony Award-winning actress Kara Young was able to share her success with the community that raised her.
“It's a very beautiful community,” Young said of the Spanish Harlem neighborhood on Manhattan's east side, known for its Puerto Rican culture. She attended elementary and high school there after her parents immigrated from Belize.
“But at the same time, I recognize that I was privileged to remain in the community I grew up in. Gentrification is real,” she added.
It was at the 92nd Street Y that she first fell in love with theater, she said. Young's older brother, Clay, was taking mime classes as part of an after-school program, and Young, 5, wanted to join.
Soon she was performing with other students around Manhattan, and “that sparked my imagination,” she said.
She earned an associate's degree in acting from the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts and juggled several rotating jobs, babysitting and working in cigar bars, restaurants, and offices while attending auditions.
“I said to myself, 'Either I do this or I fail.'
Young made her Broadway debut in 2021 and won her first Tony Award last year for her role as Rootibelle Gussie Mae Jenkins in the Broadway revival of the Ossie Davis satire “Purly Victorious.” . Her next role will be in the family drama “Purpose,” which is scheduled to be released on February 25th.
Young, who often plays young characters but declined to reveal his age, lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Harlem with his partner, actor and playwright Biko Eisen-Martin.
A creature of habit It doesn't matter how late you stayed up the night before. My body still wakes up at 6:30 or 7 a.m. without an alarm. Sleeping requires a lot of effort.
Water, water everywhere I drink water, splash cold water on my face, and take a shower. It wakes up my body.
Meanwhile, Biko is obsessed with making coffee. They grind the beans and drip them.
Family Brunch I usually work Saturdays and Sundays, so when I have a rare Sunday off, it's all about spending time with my family. Meet for brunch at Melba's or Archer & Goat. Grab two medium or larger eggs and some turkey bacon. Or maybe you order a waffle with lots of butter and syrup.
Retail Therapy I love walking up and down 125th Street and stopping at beauty supply stores. We have everything you need. You might buy new earrings, you can buy all kinds of hair if you want to change your braids, you can buy new shampoos and oils for your scalp and eyelashes. I'm like a kid in a candy store.
EAR CANDY I've been hooked on audiobooks lately. I was just listening to “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments” by Saidiya Hartman. And “Pearly Victorious” playwrights Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee will turn their story into an audiobook. It's great to hear their voices. I also started listening to music intentionally. I love Kendrick Lamar and SZA's new album. I also listen to a lot of old school reggae, like Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, and Sanchez. And rap, I need rap! I love Tyler the Creator and Doechii. I'm also into an amazing Asian R&B artist called SAILORR.
Sunday is show day It's hard to watch your actor friends' shows when you're on a show. This is because performances often take place on the same day and time. So between shows I go to town! If I find a show that has a matinee, I plan on seeing a matinee or two.
Catching up I spend the afternoon on the phone, calling people I haven't talked to in a while: mentors, family, fellow artists. It could be my mother, even if I just broke up with her. My mom and I sometimes spend hours on the phone, but sometimes it only takes two minutes just to hear her voice. Sometimes I think I'm bothering her too much! Also usually Portia, Liza Colon Zayas, and Patrice Johnson. I've been watching them for years and am in awe not only of their instruments, but of their spirit.
Chef Kara If I have time, I'll make dinner. I wish I had spent more time in the kitchen. I love it. I'm proud of my arroz con gandour, which I learned how to make from my childhood friend's Puerto Rican mother. You have to make your own sofrito. It takes some practice. I'm sure I haven't mastered it.
Better Suggestion Otherwise, I might go to my father's house for dinner. My father is a great cook. His baby lamb chops are to die for. He has been in the hospitality industry for a long time, working at the Rainbow Room for over 30 years and has seen some of the greatest chefs of all time cook. My dad makes really great Thai food, great Indian food, and of course traditional Belizean food. You can get a taste of his hospitality education through the food.
TV to Turn Off Your Brain End the night with “The Real Housewives of Potomac'' or a documentary. However, I wouldn't call it a reduction. My brain feels like it's always on.
I shower again at night. I want to be more clean.
My head is still spinning I usually don't get to sleep until around 3am, but I crawl into bed around midnight. It's hard to switch off your brain. The characters I play never disappear, they live on in me. I was sitting across from this iconic actress the other day, and she said she had heard that characters in plays are like souls that have not found a body. You happen to be the body they are in so they can live in the moment. That's a great idea.
