Tony Award Winner J. Harrison Ghee Will Be Out of ‘Some Like It Sizzling’ for Six Weeks

Tony Award winner J. Harrison Ghee shall be out of the musical Some Like It Sizzling for the following six weeks. 

The actor, who received a 2023 Tony Award for his or her portrayal of Jerry/Daphne within the musical, will take a break from the present as they bear surgical procedure “to handle some points which have arisen,” over a time span that they are saying may final “a minimum of” six weeks. Ghee, who makes use of he/they pronouns, introduced the information on Instagram, which was confirmed by the manufacturing, and inspired viewers members to return see their understudy DeMarius Copes within the interim. 

“I’m OK. I shall be OK. I’m so at peace and grateful for this second of restoration, of therapeutic to return,” Ghee stated on Instagram. “And I hope that you’ll proceed to help the unbelievable forged of Some Like It Sizzling on the Shubert Theatre and go see the unbelievable DeMarius Copes, who shall be taking up the function whereas I’m out.”

Ghee made historical past on the 2023 Tony Awards as first overtly non-binary performer to win a Tony Award for main function in a musical. Alex Newell, who additionally identifies as non-binary, equally made historical past that night time after successful a Tony Award for finest efficiency by an actor in a featured function in a musical for his or her function in Shucked. 

Within the musical, which is an adaptation of the MGM movie, Ghee’s character begins the present as a person named Jerry, who disguises himself as a girl named Daphne whereas on the run from the mob. Later the character finds larger pleasure and authenticity in that gender expression than they did as a person. Ghee has been growing the function for the reason that musical’s first studying in 2019. 

“It’s so particular. I really like the chance to be a mirror for individuals in order that they’ll free themselves to see themselves in a lot larger and totally different locations than they ever imagined for themselves. And I believe there’s a little bit Daphne in everyone. You’ve simply acquired to present your self that permission to be free,” Ghee informed The Hollywood Reporter after the nomination. 

The present, which includes a e-book by Amber Ruffin and Matthew Lopez, a rating by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and course and choreography by Casey Nicholaw, has been operating on the Shubert Theatre since Nov. 1, 2022.

The forged consists of Christian Borle, Adrianna Hicks, Kevin Del Aguila, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Adam Heller and Mark Lotito.