Ain't Too Proud Tony Nominee Derrick Baskin on Otis Williams and Oprah Being His 'Uncle O and Auntie O' & More

Derrick Baskin is currently giving a Tony-nominated performance as Otis Williams, the sole living original member of hit Motown group The Temptations, in Ain't Too Proud, which received 12 total Tony nominations, including Best Musical. "As an artist, to be recognized for the work that you do there's no greater compliment," Baskin said to Beth Stevens in a recent interview on Broadway.com's #LiveAtFive. "We don't do theater to get recognition; to do the show is its own reward. To be recognized for this particular work means the world to me because I've never had to do this amount of work to make a role successful. I've never had to memorize so much dialogue, I've never carried a show, I've never lead in the show. This is all new territory and it required me to really study and to stay grounded. It just feels really good."

Due to Baskin portraying a living member of The Temptations, he has had the opportunity to meet and continue to learn from the man who started it all. "He'll text or call maybe every couple of weeks to make sure that I'm healthy and doing all right," said Baskin of his relationship with Williams. "There's just nothing like getting to know the real Otis Williams. He's such a warm guy, and he's very proud of what The Temptations have accomplished. He always visits and and every time he comes he has a new story to tell and and I'll put those into the show. It's an honor to tell this story."

Audiences can't resist flocking to the Imperial Theatre to see the songs and dance moves of The Temptations, and sometimes those audiences include A-List celebrities like Oprah Winfrey. "We were told to stay after the show and as I walk on stage, Oprah Winfrey walks right towards me from the other side," Baskin said. "I had no idea she was there. they tell us that someone’s coming but I never like to know who. All of us would have freaked out and been stuttering on stage if we knew it was her. She just really loved the show, she called us superb and she loved the entire production and cast. That kind of support from someone like Oprah is good stuff. I got my own picture with Oprah. This was the opportunity and i took it. I call Otis 'Uncle O,' and Oprah is like my favorite auntie so I called her 'Auntie O'. All the extended family."

Landing his first Tony nomination had Baskin reminiscing about his Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, in which he appeared with fellow Tony nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger of To Kill a Mockingbird. "We saw each other at a press junket the day after all the nominations came out and we we found each other and just gave each other the biggest hug," Baskin said of reuniting with Keenan-Bolger. "Jesse [Tyler] Ferguson, who was also in Spelling Bee, came to the show, too. Spelling Bee really truly was an ensemble show. It's kind of similar to the five of us Temptations because we have to be a unit like we were a unit in Spelling Bee. Much more dancing, less spelling."

Be sure to see Baskin in Ain't Too Proud, playing at the Imperial Theatre.

Watch the full #LiveAtFive interview below!