“This is my first musical, my first big Broadway musical,” the well-known stage and screen actor says of New York, New York, which opened on Broadway in late April and earned nine Tony nominations in May. This time Washington took on a new role, behind the scenes, as co-writer. Loosely based on Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film, the show depicts New York City regaining its resilience and spirit after World War II. Washington sees parallels to today as we emerge from the pandemic. “It’s about finding your major chord in life, which is music, money, and love,” she says. “It’s a tapestry of New York stories. Our main characters are from different backgrounds, different classes, but they all are trying to find the New York of their dreams.”

Washington worked with friends and previous collaborators, including director and choreographer Susan Stroman and playwright David Thompson, as well as the songwriting team behind box-office smashes Cabaret and Chicago: composer John Kander and the late lyricist Fred Ebb. In 2010 Washington helped them flesh out her role as The Lady in The Scottsboro Boys. New York, New York also includes several new songs with lyrics by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. 

A native New Yorker whose family’s ties to the city date to 1835, Washington grew up in custodian apartments above three branches of the New York Public Library.

She turned that experience into her 2018 one-woman show, Feeding the Dragon—her first foray into writing for the stage.