An Interview With Dawnn Lewis – “Creating Melody In My Delivery”

By Terrance Afer-Anderson

There have been occasions during my humble theatre and film career where I have been blessed to hold court with Hollywood African-American royalty. I have chronicled a few of those acquaintances on these historic pages of the New Journal and Guide. But none do I cherish more than good friend Dawnn Lewis.

Most of you will of course remember Dawnn for her portrayal of “Jaleesa” on the ever-popular sitcom “A Different World.” She also wrote the theme song for that show. Her extensive television and film credits also include “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper,” “I’m Gonna Git U Sucka,” “Dreamgirls,” “Veronica Mars,” “Major Crimes,” “A Christmas Retreat,” “Be The Light,” “Any Day Now,” “The Secret Life of The American Teenager,” “One Tree Hill,” and “Young Rock,” about the life of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Her impressive stage credits include co-starring in the original Broadway cast of “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical,” appearing as Tina’s mother Zelma Bullock, the NYC City Center production of “The Wiz,” “Intimate Apparel,” and the original cast of “Sister Act: The Musical.”

Dawnn also has quite a stellar portfolio of voice-over work, to include appearing as “Captain Carol Freeman” in “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” where she was nominated for 2021 NAACP Image Award as “Best Voice Actor,” and won a Woman’s Image Award. Additional television and film voice over credits include “Futurama,” “Karma’s World,” “The Simpsons,” “Loki,” “Lisa Joins the Club!,” “Housebroken,” “Duncanville,” “Sing,” and “Minion’s 3.”

Dawnn joined us for the Las Vegas premiere of my play “Hiram & Nettie,” featuring her best bud Michael LeMelle as “Hiram.” But the last time I saw her was on a visit to Los Angeles, when she put me up for a night in her guest house. It was during a private conversation that evening I came to appreciate her as one of the most absolutely genuine, endearing and sweethearts of a human being I have ever been blessed to know. So, via the following Q&A, I am very pleased to share further insight on this extraordinary spirit who walks among us.

Where were you born and how would you define any challenges and/or blessing in your childhood?

“I was born in Brooklyn, NY, in Bedford Stuyvesant. ‘Bed Stuy, Do or Die!’ It was considered ‘The Ghetto,’ a very low-income, somewhat dangerous neighborhood, by most standards. I was raised in the culture of my parents, who are from Georgetown, Guyana, very different from American norms. The food was different. The expectations of parental respect, male dominance, and the accents were different. Life goals of career and education were different from what was expected of American kids, especially for little girls. I wasn’t encouraged to envision much for myself, beyond being a teacher or someone’s wife.”

Can you elaborate?

“My father was a very charismatic man but had a dark side at home. He was physically, emotionally and mentally abusive to my mom and us kids. I have 3 brothers. When I was about 6 or 7, my mom escaped the house to save her life. We didn’t see her again for almost 2 years. When she left, my Dad attempted to split the 4 of us up into foster care, but his mother, my grandmother Olga, took us in. We lived with her for the next two years, and only saw our Dad when we needed to be disciplined, ‘spanked!’

My grandmother was incredible, a real life ‘Auntie Mame!’  She introduced us to art, culture, genuine kindness, accountability, a wide circle of eclectic friends, and a belief that the ‘sky’s the limit,’ if you put in the work.”

How about school, your “formal” education?

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“I began elementary school near Grandmother Olga’s house and quickly learned I was ahead of the curve academically. I only spent a couple of months in the first grade, before moving straight into the 2nd grade.  Public School 9 (PS-9) was really advanced in its curriculum and the teachers genuinely poured into the students. I sang in the choir, which gave concerts all around the city. I was a member of the African-American History Club. I developed my skills as a writer and poet at PS-9 and played the cello for some 7 to 8 years. I learned I had a beautiful gift to offer the world, if I chose to focus on the good things in my life and not the negative, which there was plenty of. I was bullied quite a bit in school, but my teachers helped me find a way through it.”

Dawnn also attended New York’s High School of Music and Art as a voice major, graduating with honors, and enrolled at the University of Miami as a 16-year-old freshman. She later founded the Musical Theatre Degree program there and was the program’s first graduate, graduating Magna Cum Laude, with a minor in Journalism.

How much did your early experiences at PS-9

impact and nurture your creative dreams?

“I knew early on that I wanted to be either a performer, having started singing at age 4, dancing at 7, and acting at 11; a writer, penning poetry and short stories, having poetry published in a compilation of young writers at age 15; or a teacher. Teachers were my absolute heroes! Oh! There was also a period I wanted to be an airline stewardess, so I could travel!”

What was the first little known thing you did

on-stage or on-screen?

“That would be when I was in college. I was cast in what was to be a new TV series called “The Crummy Movie Show,” a combination of a sketch comedy and really bad late-night movies. The premise was that a host would introduce the movie, and it would be so bad, you the viewer would ‘change the channel.’ The actors would be the ‘commercials’ or ‘TV shows’ you’d come across when changing the channel. The series didn’t get picked up, but they ran the episode as a Halloween special 2 years in a row.”

Share a bit about your incredible voice over work?

“I’ve been fortunate to be a voice actor for well over 33 years now! My career started singing jingles and session work as a vocalist/recording artist in Miami & New York. When I moved to California, Suzzanne Depasse gave me the opportunity to voice a character in the Kid n Play cartoon series she was producing. Later, my reputation from that one gig got me requests from directors from numerous studios to do voice-overs, such as “Handy Manny,” “Spiderman,” “Jonny Quest,” and dozens more. I learned the voice over community is a very small, tight-knit one, with very few people of color doing voices. It’s been a tremendous blessing for my career ever since.

How would you define the craft, of creating character?

“I respect accents & dialects. I do my best to accurately portray them and not do a ‘caricature.’ My experience as a singer also gives me an ear for creating melody in my delivery, which I find really helpful in making the characters relatable. I love the ability to ‘be’ a list of people I would never have been hired to play on camera:  young boys and girls, elderly men and women, monsters, British, Caribbean, African, aliens, etc.”

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Any experience as a producer?

“Yes. I created and produced a television pilot for ABC. The series wasn’t picked up, but it got me in the door as ‘not just talent.’  Truthfully, it was a very challenging experience. Getting it sold was easy, once I was attached to the right person the studio wanted. Forrest Whitaker. But everything after that was absolutely grueling.

“It’s critical that we hone our skills and branch out into directing, creating or producing.  All kinds of roadblocks were put in my way back in the day, but because of my efforts, and many others, we now have people like Quinta Brunson, Lena Waithe, Issa Rae. I still develop and produce projects and am currently pitching a new TV series.”

How has your celebrity advanced your capacity to be a community activist?

“My celebrity has given me the platform to speak encouragement into the lives of people around the world. I started the A New Day Foundation for that reason. The foundation launched in 2017 to provide pro bono programming and financial support to underserved youth both nationally and abroad. Please visit www.anewdayfoundation.net for more information.”

I know you to be a very spiritual person. How would you define your walk with God?

“GOD IS EVERYTHING in my life. HIS Grace, HIS Mercy, HIS Guidance has sustained me in some of my darkest days and most frustrating circumstances. The Lord taught me how to forgive and love my Dad, forgive and love myself, and to see the good in others, even when they’re not being very good at all! GOD has opened every single door of opportunity I’ve been blessed to have and showed me the right people to ‘teach’ and HE prepared me for those opportunities when they presented themselves.  I am eternally grateful for the ‘village’ HE has brought into my life.  I am a better person and continually growing because of it.”