6/21/2024
Performances and Artists
It didn’t take long for Bonnie Milligan’s Tony Award acceptance speech to go viral in 2023. That’s because Milligan, who will perform two shows at Myron’s in Las Vegas on September 21, didn’t laud her roof-raising vocals and electric energy that shined in Broadway smash Kimberly Akimbo.
Instead, the theater star delivered a stirring message of empowerment, advocating for inclusivity and self-confidence.
A trailblazer for performers of all body types, Milligan urged viewers to overcome comments like, “You’re not thin enough, not pretty enough, your identity is not right.”
“I have fought against stereotypes my whole career, and thankfully, I had an agent who believed in my ability to rise above and forge a new path,” Milligan tells The Smith Center. “We would turn down auditions that didn't provide opportunities to play three-dimensional characters. I think it's so important for people to make the sometimes-radical decision to love themselves.”
Milligan’s dauntless belief in herself paid off, propelling her to star in such Broadway hits as Kimberly Akimbo and Go-Go’s jukebox musical Head Over Heels, along with the national tour of Kinky Boots.
Southern Nevadans can experience Milligan’s sparkling personality and showstopping performance style at her upcoming concert with Broadway performer and SiriusXM host Seth Rudetsky.
Rudetsky will interview Milligan onstage, so she can discuss hilarious and inspiring stories of her journey from choir singer to Broadway star.
Milligan will also perform beloved melodies from her career, including earworms by The Go-Go’s and Cyndi Lauper’s high-energy tunes from Kinky Boots.
“I hope (audience members) laugh and are surprised by some things,” Milligan says. “I love my audiences to leave a concert feeling taken care of, and like they just spent time with a friend.”
Healing Onstage
Some actors might struggle with the complexity of a musical about a woman aging at an advanced rate. But for Milligan, the storyline of Kimberly Akimbo helped her grow at a challenging time.
She auditioned shortly after her father died from pancreatic cancer, she says, and “tackling this incredible material was a gift” as she coped with mourning.
“Having just grappled with mortality in such a personal way, the script and process became healing,” she says. “Embracing the beautiful message of the show, of living life to its fullest while you can, helped me stay present.”
Milligan attributes her success to always “diving deep” into her characters, she adds. “The more outlandish and comical a character, the more deeply I try to root them in truth,” she says. “I think I approach everything I do with a sense of integrity, and I try to act with kindness. I think that attitude has gotten me far.”
Two Beloved Entertainers
Milligan knows her upcoming show with Rudetsky will prove entertaining, she says, because, “Seth is masterful at leading a wonderful evening.”
Rudetsky possesses both in-depth theater knowledge and razor-sharp wit, Milligan points out. His impressive career includes performing onstage and in orchestra pits for iconic Broadway productions like Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. He also earned an Emmy nomination as a television comedy writer.
“I think our shows (together) provide a bit of everything,” Milligan says. “Audiences tend to have a blast.”