By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
Ever since making the transition from the Broadway stage, actor, dancer and singer Dulé Hill has been one of those rare performers who has not been without a television show in the last 25 years.
After coming into prominence opposite Savion Glover and Jeffrey Wright in the George C. Wolfe-directed “Bring in ’Da Noise, Bring in ’Da Funk,” the Orange, New Jersey native was cast in “The West Wing,” to be followed by lead roles on “Psych,” “Ballers,” “Suits,” “Black Monday” and “The Wonder Years” redux.
“I am very blessed that when one door closes another opens,” he told Tasty Clips at the time. “I give God the thanks. There are numerous talents out there but not everyone gets the opportunity.”
With that in mind, “The Express Way with Dulé Hill” (PBS.org) was created with help from wife Jazmyn Simon (“Raising Dion”) and L.A.’s Emmy-winning director Danny Lee (“30 For 30: Friedman’s Shoes,” “Who Is Stan Smith?”).
The series captures diverse artists’ stories from across America, celebrating community, humanity and the transformative.
Along his journey, Hill travels to California, the Appalachian region, Texas and Chicago to connect with local visionaries, activists, change makers and pioneers who are using their artistic passions to foster connection, deepen empathy and create meaningful change within their communities.
Among his subjects are those not usually within the zeitgeist of publicity like Fairfax’s deaf dancer Shaheem Sanchez, blind painter John Bramblitt and the Grant Avenue Follies, an elder burlesque group.
Of the latter, he says they show “I don’t have to stay at home and be a grandma. I can still dance. You can’t just wash me away in the midst of all of the gentrification happening and all that.”
“I love being a tap dancer,” he said. “That’s my expression. That’s the root. Everything I’ve done in the show business lane starts there and to take that along and meet other artists was a rejuvenating thing for me. It filled me up that they are inspired and rejuvenated.”
According to Hill: “Too often in the television/social media landscape, we don’t celebrate. It has to be flashy, but there are so many people doing good work just by engaging in their gift. They deserve to be highlighted.
“We all have our unique thing that is our own,” he added. “Doing this show, I realize when we do open ourselves to releasing it, that’s how we connect to each other in this space and time of this place Earth.
“There’s a connection here when you get out the micro and go to macro,” he continued with an eye on Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Geechee Gullah culture, and The Dakotas next.
“We need a deeper dive into indigenous people and how they express themselves,” he said. “It is such a vast country. Oftentimes, the technology and media can make us feel like we’re not the same. That we’re not connected. We should see them and what we don’t understand and try to understand it. We don’t do enough.”
“We’re not all positive,” Hill admitted. “We do be on some bulls–t. All people, all races. People who do good in the world and some who do not. I now know the majority of us are doing good things in this world and so I have to tell this story.”
Currently featured in Peacock’s “Bel-Air” and as the voice of Dr. Vaughn in the animated Disney+ children’s series “RoboGobo,” he will next be joining Traci Thoms, Josh Andrés Rivera, Mark Hamill, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bernadette Peters, Jesse Eisenberg and more in a virtual, live, one night only reading of “An American Tail” on Sept. 10. Every ticket at circle.org supports the Workers Circle’s 125-year mission to defend civil liberties, protect immigrants, empower voters, and advance justice.
“I’ve been able to go from one job, one show to another,” Hill confessed. “I look forward to seeing what’s going next. I’m open to new experiences. When you do that, you can be inspired and encouraged along the way.”
For more than 12 years, Bill Vaughan has kept Wave readers up to date with the latest news in entertainment. To contact Vaughan, visit his social media pages on Facebook and Instagram or @tasty_clips, on X @tastyclips, and on LinkedIn to William Vaughan.
