Interview: Chilina Kennedy on A SIGN OF THE TIMES' Uplifting and Important Message

Chilina Kennedy's journey with A Sign of the Times first began many years ago, and has taken her from developmental readings, to a regional production, to now Off-Broadway, where it will officially begin performances tomorrow, Thursday, February 8 at New World Stages. 

In an exclusive interview with BroadwayWorld, Kennedy discusses her experience and growth with the musical, how the show's message has deepened, and what she's most looking forward to with the Off-Broadway run. 

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You have been with A Sign of the Times for many years. How does it feel to be able to grow with a show over a length of time, and how has your relationship to the material evolved?

It’s so exciting and satisfying. For me, working on new pieces is my passion, and I just get so excited to see how it evolves. And the heart of the show is the same, but the message has deepened, the writing has deepened, you can feel the maturity of the piece from beginning to end. Especially that break that we had during the pandemic, I think that that taught us a lot, all of us, and you can feel that shift in the show, which is great.

You have a history of playing strong women characters. Can you tell me what your favorite part about playing the character of Cindy is?

Well, especially in this version, she goes on a pretty epic journey. She starts off in a small town, she’s never been outside her little hometown with her traditional values, and she’s got these dreams. And for a woman in the 60s to embark on that kind of adventure on her own... it chokes me up when I think about it because my mom did this when she was basically Cindy’s age. She moved away from home with no money, and took the bus, and ended up in the big city.

I feel like that is one of the bravest things that anybody could do, especially a woman of that time, being the age that she is. She has a huge moment of personal growth. She becomes involved in the feminist movement, the civil rights movement, and she learns how to really be an active and respectful member of both of those movements, and she knows when to speak up and when to know that she needs to learn some lessons. It’s a pretty cool journey.

This show takes place in 1965, but the themes of the show are still relevant now. What do you hope that audiences take away from this show?

Unfortunately, a lot of the issues are still very relevant, almost more so than we would have ever thought. I hope that audiences feel a sense of hope and inspiration at the end of the show. I certainly do. I think it’s a really beautiful message, not to give up and to keep fighting for all of the things that we’re fighting for. I think it’s very uplifting.

And that’s what we talk about all the time, we need uplifting stories, but we also need them to be weighted, and to have a real message. And ‘why now?’ and ‘why this piece?’ and I think we answer a lot of those questions, and it’s clear from the very beginning why it’s important to tell this story now. And it’s not a bummer, there is great music. I certainly feel excited by it, hopeful, in a time when I sometimes think it’s easy to run out of hope. I tend to sort of lean towards the, ‘Oh god, things are so dire,’ but you witness a piece like this, and what they go through in the show, and you’re like, ‘Oh, no, actually it’s important that we all keep fighting, our voices are important, they do matter, they do make a difference.’

A Sign of the Times features the music of famous women pop stars of the 60s. Do you have a favorite song to sing in the show?

Oh my god, well, right now it’s ‘You Don’t Own Me’. I think it’s probably always been ‘You Don’t Own Me’ but then again it’s so hard to choose, they’re all really, really good. ‘You Don’t Own Me’ is my favorite song to sing, but my favorite song in the show is ‘I Only Want to Be with You’ which is probably one of my favorite songs of all time.

You've been with the show since the beginning, what are you most looking forward to with the Off-Broadway run of A Sign of the Times?

Well, I think now we have an opportunity to realize the show in a deeper and more grounded and more informed way than we ever have. And I think everyone is very clear on what they want to say and how they say it. The creative team on the show is incredible, they’re very respectful, they are so open to different thoughts and ideas, and you don’t always find that. So, it’s kind of a thrill to work with them over the years, to continue to see them changing and evolving and being willing to listen and to open up and to evolve the material. So, I’m excited to see audience's responses.  I have a feeling people will be excited, and be moved, and I can’t wait to hear what people have to say after the show.

Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share?

It’s really fun to be working with Crystal and Ryan again, because they have also been with the show for a long time. So I want to give a shout out to them because they’re pretty amazing, and being on stage with them is pretty thrilling.  

Photo credit: Jennifer Broski