'An Honor and a Privilege': Meet the Cast of New York City Center Encores!' Jelly's Last Jam

As the legacy of the American musical continues to spool out across generations, historical programs like New York City Center Encores! are more important than ever. Through diligent craft and care, the program balances more familiar favorites from yesteryear with rarely produced gems, breathing fresh life into important touchstones from the art forms lineage.

Jelly's Last Jam, now playing the Manhattan venue through March 3, is the latest in the Encores! series. For much of the cast, the show feels achingly necessary. See them reflect on the show in the video above.

"New audiences need to see where musical theatre came from," declares Tiffany Mann, who plays Miss Mamie. "Bringing the history back, it feels like an honor and a privilege, and I don't take that lightly, to touch this piece."

"This is our history!" John Clay III, who plays Jack the Bear proudly proclaims. "Jazz is Black history... especially with Black History Month, the timing couldn't be more perfect. These are legends in my community."

The seldom-produced biomusical celebrates the life and music of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (a.k.a. Jelly Roll Morton), featuring a book by George C. Wolfe, music by Morton, and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, plus musical adaptation and additional music by Luther Henderson.

Originally portrayed by Tap legend Gregory Hines, the title role is now played by Nicholas Christopher, doing double duty playing Pirelli and standing by for the title role in Broadway's Sweeney Todd.

"My eyes were crossed for the first week of rehearsal," Christopher laughs. "I was playing Sweeney Todd at night and coming in at 10 AM here and tap dancing, and singing, and playing piano. This year for me is about title characters only!"

The production also features Tony winner Leslie Uggams as Morton's grandmother, marking her return to the musical theatre stage after over a decade, when she shined in Encores! revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pipe Dream. "I was very close with Gregory Hines," Uggams recalls, "I loved the show then, and I think people are going to be really excited about this show now. The music, the dancing, it's amazing."