Amber Iman On Portraying Marimba In 'Goddess'

Amber Iman showcases the royalty that lies within all Black women in the Public Theater production of Goddess.

The New York premiere of the show features music and lyrics by Michael Thurber, with book and direction by associate director and resident director Saheem Ali, to follow the story of a mysterious singer portrayed by Amber Iman after she arrives at Moto Moto, a steamy Afro-jazz club in Mobasa, Kenya, casting an entrancing spell on everyone.

“In the musical theater canon, it is rare,” Iman told MadameNoire when asked what her role in the production means to her as a Black woman taking up space in the theater. “There are not enough title roles for Black women. One of the first lyrics I sing in Goddess is, ‘On a night with no breeze, the sweat drips down my chocolate skin,’ and the intentionality of that lyric, to know that this role will be played by a dark-skinned woman—has to be played by dark-skinned women—who will be seen as goddesses. It feels like my life’s work.”

She added, “My hope for this show is that it runs so long and it’s so successful that many chocolate women can come and stand in these shoes and wear these gowns and feel what it’s like to be called a goddess. We don’t get that enough in this industry. Black women don’t get it enough. Dark-skinned women don’t get it enough. Tall women, natural-haired women, and wide-nosed women; we just don’t see it enough. I wish there were 17 shows called Goddess. I’m so grateful to help create and build this role. It’s a love letter to Black women. That’s what it feels like.”

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How Goddess is art imitating life for Amber Iman

The production is art imitating life for Iman, who recalls being taken aback when she was hand-selected for the role and having to shed thoughts of unworthiness and imposter syndrome to step into a position she was destined for, much like the character she portrays.

“Our initial playwright, Jocelyn Bioh, when she came onto this project, she brought me with her, so I didn’t audition for the role,” Iman recalled. “I think I feel like, ‘Oh, maybe I didn’t deserve it because I didn’t audition against, you know, 200 other girls, and they chose me, but Jocelyn chose me, and then, in a way, this role chose me. I had to go through my own journey of trust and security and feeling like I am enough, which is still a journey. Seven years later, I’m still having to remind myself that this is mine and I’ve earned it.

“Marimba has a similar journey of looking for safety because that’s really what she came to Earth looking for. She did not want to live amongst war and pain and anguish. She wanted beauty and love, and didn’t even know that she was really searching for love. Then, seeing that love isn’t always easy, and sometimes it comes at a cost, and figure out how to navigate that as a God who was blessed to know life as a human. There are a lot of emotions. I am tapping into almost every emotion possible to bring this woman to life, but what a joy that is to be exhausted from doing what you love.”

Moving the culture forward through her work on stage.

As much as this is a journey that Iman is on to remind herself that she is more than worthy of leading roles like Marimba in Goddess, she is also using her platform to spark deeper conversations, pushing for forward movement within the industry.

“I’m intentional about the thing I say yes and no to,” said Iman reflecting on personal changes she’s making as she grows wiser.

“I’m more intentional about advocating for myself and others. I’m almost 40. I’ve been in the business long enough I don’t mind speaking up. I don’t mind being the enemy if I need to. One of my friends calls me the Broadway Bully, and I don’t mind bullying if it’s all for the greater good. We use words like community and family in theater in a way that is not healthy, because we’re not often in a safe space. It’s not often a family, unless it’s a disjointed, disgruntled family that needs to go to the nearest psychotherapist.

“I want to use my platform for Goddess, and I hope that I am to inspire people to number one, let Black women lead, and listen when Black people speak to encourage us, as an industry, to not talk about us without us. Like, I need these creative teams to stop putting all the diversity on stage. I want to see diversity from producers to casting directors to agents to managers. And I think it comes from asking difficult questions.”

Moreover, the goal is to inspire others to take up as much space as possible.

“We have so many gifts, and it’s foolish…if you don’t use it, you lose it. I really hope Black women are encouraged to take up space as much as possible. Don’t come to the table. Build a table. Build a house. Build a chair. Build all of it. Do all of it.”

Goddess has officially extended through June 8 at the Public Theater in New York City.

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