Last night I had the opportunity to speak with Jerry Ford, whose one-man show "HOPE" opens this evening at the Producers Club following a successful run at Lincoln Center. We spoke about planting seeds, discipline, martial arts, and his upcoming book, "One Road to the Next".  Jerry Ford doesn't stop working, training every morning, showing up on set, writing daily, and going out in the public to promote his show that both inspires and plants the seeds for success.

StageBuddy: Tell us about "HOPE".

Jerry Ford: It's a one-man show about my life growing up in Detroit, coming from the struggles, watching my brother and my best friend pass away; to becoming a four time gold medalist in the Junior Olympics in martial arts; to graduating from high school, being accepted into an Ivy League college, going to London Shakespeare's Globe, graduating college and becoming a working actor in New York.

Why now?

It's a lot of stuff going on in the world, a lot of tragedy, and I feel like it's time to start planting seeds.  This show isn't just for kids in the ghetto, although it's about my life growing up in the ghetto.  It's geared for everyone.  The theme of the show is no matter what your dark path is, there is always light shining at the end of dark road.  A lot of kids struggle with inner demons.  Sometimes people never see what kids struggle through, a lot of kids are looking for answers.  I wanted to share my testimony and give kids something to relate to.

Who's on your team?

My brother, he's a rapper, the Fatt Father.  He walks me through every single thing, he's always challenging me.  He asked me "How are ticket sales? What are you doing to bring people to you, so people can see how big your heart is?" I hung up the phone because I didn't want to hear that and said "wow," but that's when I came up with the idea that I wanted to buy food and give back.  Clara Williams handles all the finances, all of the tickets.  She does a lot.  My best friend Mat Leonard opens the play, he's out there with me; he's also writing the forward for my book.  Carlos Batista, another one of my good friends, anything I need, the guy is always there.  I definitely want to thank my stage manager, Reginald Tucker.  Of course my director, Turron Kofi Alleyne, he has so much faith in the show.  He turned down a national commercial for tech.  I can honestly say I've been very lucky with the team that I have.

As a producer, what do you know now that you didn't know from your first swing at the show?

I didn't know how much marketing cost.  Marketing is so expensive.  It can be as expensive as you want it to be.  It depends on how many people you want to reach.  The marketing to just reach the people is the hardest thing to do.  What's the point of having a brilliant show if people don't see it?  I want people to see it, I want to plant the seeds. I want to change the world.

What advice would you give someone attempting to produce their own show?

Go hard or don't do it at all. Not being a celebrity in any place, you producing a show, it's hard to get people out because people don't know you.  At one point I had to realize, I can't be offended if the same people don't want to see my show because they've seen it a million times. Don't take anything personal.  Don't listen to anyone who's got negative energy. Take in some criticism.  Let some bypass.

How does martial arts influence your craft? 

Martial arts is such an art in discipline.  I encourage everyone to put their kids in martial arts.  Martial arts opens so many doors for people.  Even now I look at the show, I think: I got to have the discipline to get up every Sunday to go out and promote the show.  I got to have the discipline to sit down and focus and not get sidetracked.

What keeps you going? 

My brother Sam.  He was murdered when I was 14.  No matter what we did.  He never let me quit.  Every time I do something, I can hear him saying "Go, Go, Go."  That alone keeps me going.

Listen to the full interview here: