Ain't Too Proud Tony Nominee Ephraim Sykes on David Ruffin Being His 'Alter-Ego' & Living on a Prayer and Coconut Water

Ephraim Sykes is spinning, splitting and singing his heart out as David Ruffin in Ain't Too Proud, something that he's been doing since the show's 2017 premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Now a Tony nominee for his turn as the famous Temptations singer, Sykes is reflecting on how far he has come and where he wants to go next. "With God and coconut water by your side, you can do anything," Sykes said to Ryan Lee Gilbert in a recent interview on Broadway.com's #LiveAtFive. "This is a dream that's too big to dream. The audience gives so much and I get to portray one of my favorite people in the whole world. It means so much to our community, it's such a blessing."

In Ain't Too Proud, Sykes stands in the spotlight as Ruffin but also must shine a light into the shadows of singer's real life. "It's weird to kind of play the antihero and realize you have more in common with this person than you may have wanted to," Sykes said. "[Ruffin] grew up in the church, as did I. His father was a preacher, as is mine. To marry that experience of being under the microscope of the Black gospel church to then make your way into your secular music is tough. That was my through-line to how he acted and over-sexualized and abused drugs and began to self-destruct. He truly was in the universe by himself with no one to look after him."

With all the pain that comes with playing Ruffin, there is also great energy and joy. "My life has always been based on music," Sykes said. "The first thing I do [at the theatre] is turn on my Beats pill. For me, being David is my alter-ego. His confidence is through the roof and for me, my go-to is to hide in the corner. I put on music that makes me feel good so I can walk on stage with some swag and energy on me."

Although Ain't Too Proud marks Sykes' sixth Broadway show, musical theater wasn't in his vision when he first moved to New York. "I was going to go through Alvin Ailey," he said. "I joined Alvin Ailey II and I was going to join the first company like my idols and turn into a choreographer like Ailey himself. Just going to do the whole bougie high-art dance thing, but doors just kept closing in my face. I got a call from James Brown III, who choreographed me in Ailey II, telling me to come down and audition for The Little Mermaid. I never had my sight set on it at all."

Thankfully musical theater had its eyes set on Sykes, who has continued to make waves both on stage and on screen. "I'm just getting started," he said. "After Hairspray Live!, everyone was like, 'Hey, stay here!' But I needed to come back and do this on Broadway. I definitely look forward to doing more on-screen. I’ve been really inspired by everyone around me who are creating and writing and producing, too. That’s huge in my mind right. What else can I create? The stories and whose telling the stories are diverse and colorful and rich. I would love to be part of that."

Catch Sykes in Ain't Too Proud, playing at the Imperial Theatre.

Watch the full #LiveAtFive episode below!