| Full given name: | Litha Portiaeyne Johnson |
| Hometown: | Niagara Falls, New York |
| Zodiac sign: | Aries…what else? |
| First Broadway show ever saw: | Pirates of Penzance, my first trip to NYC with my high school drama club |
| Current show you have been recommending to friends: | Sweet Storm by Scott Hudson at the Alchemy Theater Company |
| MAC or PC? | PC for now |
| Most played song on your iPod: | Well… let me check: Okay right now there is a three-way tie with 96 plays: Beyonce "Freakum Dress," Amy Winehouse "You Know I'm No Good" and Aly-us "Follow Me." I love music so that list will change by the end of the day. |
| Web obsession: | Facebook's FarmVille and I need neighbors!! |
| Last book you read: | I never read one book at a time, my brain doesn't work that way, the last two are: "Fledgling" by Octavia E. Butler. I am pretty obsessed with her, she is fascinating, I don't call her work science fiction, I call it science faction! I have read almost everything she wrote except one book that is no longer in print…and I am searching; searching; searching for "Survivor." Also read, and continue to read "The Wisdom of The Lotus Sutra" |
| Favorite board/card game: | UNO... and I take my game very seriously, ask the LAB members!! |
| Pop culture guilty pleasure: | Reality TV: "Intervention," "Real Housewives of Atlanta" and "…New Jersey," "Biggest Loser," "America's Best Dance Crew," "America's Next Top Model," "Project Runway," "Top Chef"…oooh boy!! |
| First stage kiss: | McReele with Anthony Mackie. Shortly after, I kissed Dylan McDermott in The Treatment (woo-hoo!!!) and then got naked on stage with Robert Clohessy in Frankie and Johnny… hey I don’t mess around |
| Favorite pre-/post-show meal: | Dessert! Pre- or Post-show!! |
| How you got your Equity card: | The Merchant of Venice directed by Peter Sellars. I was working as a horticultural technician (the plant lady) and Peter was casting the role of Jessica. He decided to stop in NYC on his way to LA. I hadn't been in NYC that long and had no idea who he was or what I was doing. During my audition, I looked down at the text and the book was upside down and I was too mortified to fix it so I just kept going. The job was to start the next day in Chicago with a European tour to follow. I remember going to work the next day to water plants as usual; I was caring for my niece Ayana, who was two at the time, I picked her up from the sitter's and we went on a shopping spree (shopping is a ritual after all auditions now, even if I only buy gum). I got home and got the 21 messages saying I had the job. |
| Who have you played on "Law & Order"? Which edition? | Between the original and "CI," I have played a prostitute, a drug addict (recovering, that's important), a housekeeper, a nurse, and a foster mother |
| Worst costume ever: | Frankie & Johnny… costume: nudity. When we started rehearsal the director allowed us to go at our own pace knowing that eventually we had to get comfortable with being nude. I started with my earrings and then my socks. I spent every moment outside of rehearsal in the gym. Finally, I realized that when you're nude you don't go around looking at yourself. I also got a full weave which helped a lot. |
| Pets' names: | Earl and Ruby, my 3 year old cats. |
| Who would play you in the movie? | Regina King or Kimberly Elise. I think they have the depth and sensitivity needed to pull off something like that. They also happen to be two of my favorite actresses. |
| Worst job you ever had: | waiting tables at the South Street Seaport one summer…I am very sensitive to smells and well, you know seafood and heat, not a good mix for me |
| TV or commercial gig you most enjoyed: | Voice over work, you don’t have to sweat over what you are going to wear or spend time putting on a face. |
| What other single-named artist would you love to work with? | Oprah of course! |
