{"id":32424,"date":"2026-08-08T12:20:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=32424"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:20:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:20:38","slug":"stranger-things-star-ayana-cymone-talks-opening-doors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=32424","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Stranger Things&#8217; Star Ayana Cymone Talks Opening Doors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"440\" width=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?w=660&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Two people sitting on the floor of a rustic wooden cabin, surrounded by lit candles.\" class=\"wp-image-1685022\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?strip=all&amp;quality=80 6522w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=153%2C102&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 153w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=378%2C252&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 378w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 768w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=660%2C440&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 660w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1536w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2048w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=180%2C120&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 180w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=150%2C100&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 150w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 300w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=75%2C50&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 75w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=720%2C480&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 720w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=900%2C600&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 900w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1200w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=450%2C300&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 450w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=600%2C400&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 600w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=250%2C167&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 250w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=220%2C147&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 220w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=245%2C163&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 245w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=129%2C86&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 129w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=144%2C96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 144w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608525057.jpeg?resize=50%2C33&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy \/ Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the terrifying and deeply nostalgic universe of <em>Stranger Things<\/em>, the presence of Henry Creel\u2014the troubled boy who eventually becomes the monstrous Vecna\u2014has horrified millions of viewers worldwide. On the stage of the Marquis Theatre, inside Broadway\u2019s Tony-winning production <em>Stranger Things: The First Shadow<\/em>, something unexpected steals the spotlight: a grounding, fiercely human love story. At the very center of that emotional core is Patty Newby, played by <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ayanacymone\/\">Ayana Cymone<\/a>, who carries the heart, soul, and terrifying screams of the role eight times a week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ayana sat down with <em>MadameNoire<\/em> in this exclusive conversation to discuss her trajectory, stepping into this pivotal lead role, and what it truly means to occupy space on Broadway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cymone\u2019s performance speaks to a change taking place across the theater landscape\u2014a moment where Black women are holding down major spaces across the broader New York theatrical scene. Whether observing the raw, ensemble-driven energy of <a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1678880\/runako-campbell-outsiders-broadway\/\"><em>The Outsiders<\/em><\/a>, the high-octane spectacle of <a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1440591\/jasmine-amy-rogers-betty-boop-broadway-history\/\"><em>Boop! The Musical<\/em><\/a>, the classic genre reinventions in <a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1678557\/broadway-nikki-m-james-little-shop-of-horrors-exclusive\/\"><em>Little Shop of Horrors<\/em><\/a>, or the multi-generational celebration of Black female agency in <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/l.threads.com\/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmadamenoire.com%2F1680770%2Fwhoopi-monologues-danielle-pinnock-exclusive%2F&amp;e=AUDsMZ0THs0EBX6YH_BAqVQYfOzmvba7O_CVeKouAA8aihgao-K8WC8vY5dew1pbvzHaAtCgw-igBzXaSlkMWkCDNB5zVwWlWnhbitfay-yV7ISyP3zHkKFMhANed7CSbB2tC6qlw0d0qmVy_n0mqnfgj3SD\"><em>The Whoopi Monologues<\/em><\/a>, the standard for what Black artists can lead is expanding rapidly. Cymone\u2019s performance as Patty reflects this growing, necessary standard: Black heroines leading stories where their humanity isn\u2019t reduced to trauma, but elevated as the ultimate emotional force.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"1\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\"\/>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cymone\u2019s journey with the production began as part of the original Broadway cast playing Sue Anderson (the mother of Lucas and Erica Sinclair; portrayed by Tara Wescott in the first season and by Karen Ceesay in the television series), while also understudying Patty during the show\u2019s first year. When the opportunity came to fully step into Patty\u2019s shoes\u2014a character created specifically for the stage play by Kate Trefry as the adopted sister of Bob Newby and the primary love interest to Henry Creel\u2014she leaped at the chance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was always my dream to play a young Black girl where the story doesn\u2019t necessarily have anything to do with her being Black,\u201d Cymone tells MadameNoire. \u201cI do feel like those stories are needed, but a part of me is a little tired of seeing those stories where her whole identity is about her color. Is that a part of it? Absolutely, you can\u2019t excuse it. But I think that there\u2019s something so fresh and interesting about our show that it really doesn\u2019t have much to do about that. I am in love with the fact that I am not the only Black person in that show\u2014that there are many of us. I get emotional every time I think about the fact that I\u2019m being who I wanted to see. I hope that once a night, or once every 18 nights, there\u2019s some young Black girl, specifically a dark-skinned Black girl, seeing what I\u2019m doing on stage and being like, \u2018That is possible.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED CONTENT: <a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1680770\/whoopi-monologues-danielle-pinnock-exclusive\/\">\u2018Ghosts\u2019 Star Danielle Pinnock Manifested Her Way Into \u2018The Whoopi Monologues\u2019 \u2014 Then Booked It With One Bold DM [EXCLUSIVE]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"2\">\n<h3 id=\"h-rewriting-the-sci-fi-and-horror-trope\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rewriting the Sci-Fi and Horror Trope<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"440\" width=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?w=660&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Stranger Things: The First Shadow - Broadway Opening Night\" class=\"wp-image-1684831\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?strip=all&amp;quality=80 1024w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=153%2C102&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 153w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=378%2C252&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 378w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 768w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=660%2C440&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 660w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=180%2C120&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 180w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=150%2C100&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 150w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 300w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=75%2C50&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 75w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=720%2C480&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 720w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=900%2C600&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 900w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=450%2C300&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 450w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 600w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=250%2C167&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 250w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=220%2C147&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 220w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=245%2C163&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 245w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=129%2C86&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 129w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=144%2C96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 144w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860395380191.jpg?resize=50%2C33&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Jamie McCarthy \/ Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Black audiences, Cymone\u2019s role disrupts a tired cinematic legacy. In traditional horror and sci-fi genre fiction, Black characters are routinely subjected to a double layer of trauma: they are either written as the sacrificial first victims to die, or their narrative existence in a historical setting is burdened by the heavy weight of period-typical racism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set in 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, a storyline involving an interracial relationship between a Black girl and a white boy would traditionally be framed through relentless racial violence or systemic oppression. <em>The First Shadow<\/em> takes a different approach. While acknowledging her character\u2019s identity, the narrative allows Patty to be awkward, romantic, curious, and central to saving the boy she loves. Seeing a dark-skinned Black woman centered as the romantic lead and emotional anchor in a 1950s sci-fi epic without being burdened by historical trauma reclaims genre space that Black women have long been denied.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"3\">\n<h3 id=\"h-built-for-the-spotlight\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Built for the Spotlight<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Originating from Richmond, Virginia, Cymone\u2019s path to Broadway was built on rigorous craft, formal training, and community roots. A proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University\u2019s prestigious BFA acting program, she sharpened her classical skills playing iconic roles, including the titular Cressida in <em>Troilus and Cressida<\/em> with Santa Cruz Shakespeare. When <em>Stranger Things: The First Shadow<\/em> made its leap from London\u2019s West End to New York, Cymone was right there at the foundation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEven though the show had existed in the West End, we were kind of writing it from the ground up for Broadway and kind of catering the roles to us,\u201d Cymone recalls. \u201cSo I think it was super cool and collaborative. Your Broadway debut, that night of, everyone kind of blacks out, so I don\u2019t really remember much of the actual night! But it was a super cool experience overall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Transitioning from ensemble work to carrying the narrative weight of a lead character eight times a week required both mental and physical recalibration. Patty Newby is thrust directly into the show\u2019s legendary special effects and illusion sequences.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"440\" width=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?w=660&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Dramatic explosion with intense flames, lightning, and silhouetted figures in a dark, fiery setting.\" class=\"wp-image-1684838\" style=\"width:834px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?strip=all&amp;quality=80 4169w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=153%2C102&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 153w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=378%2C252&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 378w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 768w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=660%2C440&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 660w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1536w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2048w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=180%2C120&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 180w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=150%2C100&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 150w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 300w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=75%2C50&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 75w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=720%2C480&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 720w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=900%2C600&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 900w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1200w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=450%2C300&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 450w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 600w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=250%2C167&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 250w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=220%2C147&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 220w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=245%2C163&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 245w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=129%2C86&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 129w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=144%2C96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 144w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860402225396.jpg?resize=50%2C33&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI did get to go on quite a bit for Patty during year one\u2026so I feel like I was able to dip my toe into what it would be like,\u201d Cymone explains. \u201cBut you never know what eight shows a week is going to feel like on your body with any role, so I think that was a big adjustment. I\u2019m a hopeless romantic myself, so I\u2019m super excited to be playing the love interest! It\u2019s so exciting for me, and I feel like a role like Patty has always come really easily to me\u2014just something that I immediately connect to. The fact that she\u2019s awkward, and weird and a little bit of a loner in the beginning, and then it\u2019s her finding Henry that makes everything click for her. I resonate a lot with that with how I was in middle school and high school.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"4\">\n<h3 id=\"h-sci-fi-illusion-and-the-demands-of-the-stage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sci-Fi, Illusion, and the Demands of the Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/broadway.strangerthingsonstage.com\/about-the-show\/\">Co-created by<\/a> the Duffer Brothers, written by Kate Trefry, and directed by Stephen Daldry, <em>Stranger Things: The First Shadow<\/em> was the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorktheatreguide.com\/theatre-news\/news\/stranger-things-the-first-shadow-to-close-on-broadway-in-january\">most Tony Award-winning play of 2025<\/a>, taking home four awards including a Special Tony Award for Illusions and Technical Effects. It recently announced its final extension on Broadway through January 3, 2027, having already drawn nearly 1.6 million theatergoers across London and New York. The show continues to expand the reach of live theater, with 65% of audience members reporting that the production is their very first time attending a theater show.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working alongside world-class illusionists Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher\u2014who previously designed the magic for <em>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<\/em>\u2014feels to Cymone like stepping into a living, breathing magic trick every night.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s literally a magic show happening before your eyes,\u201d Cymone says. \u201cEvery department helps make those effects happen. I am on stage for what I think is one of the scariest moments in the show, because it\u2019s a shift that happens literally mid-scene\u2014literally [in the middle of] my line. You literally hear the audience go, \u2018Oh\u2026 oh no!\u2019 And you see them kind of catching on to what we\u2019re doing. From someone who actually hates horror\u2014I don\u2019t love horror movies, I would be terrified even seeing the show\u2014being in it is so much fun. I love scaring people.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"440\" width=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?w=660&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"A person wearing headphones and holding a microphone, surrounded by various radio equipment and signage, including &quot;ON AIR&quot; and a Starbucks logo.\" class=\"wp-image-1685023\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?strip=all&amp;quality=80 8192w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=153%2C102&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 153w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=378%2C252&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 378w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 768w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=660%2C440&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 660w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1536w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2048w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=180%2C120&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 180w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=150%2C100&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 150w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 300w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=75%2C50&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 75w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=720%2C480&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 720w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=900%2C600&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 900w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1200w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=450%2C300&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 450w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=600%2C400&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 600w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=250%2C167&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 250w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=220%2C147&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 220w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=245%2C163&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 245w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=129%2C86&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 129w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=144%2C96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 144w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?resize=50%2C33&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy \/ Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sustaining those horror screams alongside deep emotional intimacy requires immense vocal discipline, Cymone explains.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPreparation-wise, something I tell myself before every show is just: start at the beginning,\u201d she shares. \u201cFor Patty, this is all a new experience. She\u2019s never gone through this before. Obviously Ayana has, like 500 times, but Patty hasn\u2019t! So I just tell myself to start at the beginning, listen and respond, and buckle up and go on the ride. I do a lot of screaming in the show. True horror screams, so that was something that I had to really prep and prepare for through trial and error, and figure out how can I sustain this for eight shows a week, keep it scary, but healthy for me [without] ruining my voice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED CONTENT: <a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1678880\/runako-campbell-outsiders-broadway\/\">\u2018The Power Of Possibility\u2019 \u2014 Broadway Star Runako Campbell On Reimagining \u2018The Outsiders\u2019 Through A Black Woman\u2019s Lens [Exclusive]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"5\">\n<h3 id=\"h-taking-up-space\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Taking Up Space<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ultimate power of Cymone\u2019s trajectory is a directive for an entire generation of Black women artists. In spaces that frequently socialize Black women to shrink, moderate their tone, or apologize for their presence, Cymone\u2019s journey insists on ownership of one\u2019s room.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supported by weekly calls with her family back home in Virginia and grounded by a strong network of peers, she finds strength in the sisterhood of Black artists actively reshaping American theater.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve been to the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blackwomenonbroadway.org\/\">Black Women on Broadway<\/a> event for the past two years, and even just going to events like that and being surrounded by literally hundreds of Black women from both on and off stage is a dream,\u201d Cymone shares. \u201cMy community has just been there for me, period. They\u2019ve taught me to stay humble, stay grateful, and stay open to new experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked what wisdom she would pass down to young Black girls watching her from the audience, Cymone\u2019s advice is deeply empowering.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"440\" width=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?w=660&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Two people, a woman and a man, standing in front of red lockers and conversing.\" class=\"wp-image-1685021\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?strip=all&amp;quality=80 8006w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=153%2C102&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 153w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=378%2C252&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 378w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 768w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=660%2C440&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 660w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1536w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2048w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=180%2C120&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 180w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=150%2C100&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 150w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 300w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=75%2C50&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 75w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=720%2C480&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 720w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=900%2C600&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 900w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 1200w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=450%2C300&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 450w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=600%2C400&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 600w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=250%2C167&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 250w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=220%2C147&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 220w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=245%2C163&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 245w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=129%2C86&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 129w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=144%2C96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 144w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608325785.jpeg?resize=50%2C33&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy \/ Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYour journey is not anyone else\u2019s,\u201d Cymone says. \u201cComparison is the thief of joy. You have to take up space, because no one else is going to do it for you. You have to open those doors and make those connections, because again, no one is going to do it for you. It\u2019s so hard, because I think we as Black women are conditioned to be quiet, don\u2019t do too much, don\u2019t come across angry, don\u2019t do this, don\u2019t do that. But no\u2014f*** that. Do everything. Step into your power, step into your beauty. Surround yourself with other Black women, because those are the people that I always truly find myself leaning on. Everything happens for a reason, and your time will come when it\u2019s meant to come.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As <em>Stranger Things: The First Shadow<\/em> continues its historic run at the Marquis Theatre through early 2027, Ayana Cymone shows us that taking up space on Broadway is about holding the door wide open for everyone waiting in the wings for their turn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED CONTENT: <a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1440591\/jasmine-amy-rogers-betty-boop-broadway-history\/\">Jasmine Amy Rogers Is Redefining Betty Boop On Broadway<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Source: Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy \/ Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy In the terrifying and deeply nostalgic universe of Stranger Things, the presence of Henry Creel\u2014the troubled boy who eventually becomes the monstrous Vecna\u2014has horrified millions of viewers worldwide. On the stage of the Marquis Theatre, inside Broadway\u2019s Tony-winning production Stranger Things: The First&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/08\/17860608722807.jpeg?quality=80&strip=all&w=1680&crop=0,0,100,960px","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32424"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32424\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}