Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is a Tony and Emmy award-winning America… Read Full Bio ↴Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is a Tony and Emmy award-winning American singer and actress.

The Brooklyn, New York native made her Broadway debut in Barnum in 1981. She understudied the role of Effie in the original 1981 production of Dreamgirls and played the part in the 1987 revival. Ms. White has appeared on Broadway in Cats as Grizabella, Rock'N'Roll! The First 5000 Years, the ill-fated Carrie as the standby for Miss Gardner, Once on This Island as Asaka, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as Miss Jones (a role rewritten for Ms. White), Chicago as Matron Mama Morton, and benefit concert versions of Funny Girl (in which she sang the role of Fanny Brice), Hair, and Dreamgirls, reprising her role as Effie, for which she won the Drama League Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Perhaps her most notable role was in Cy Coleman's The Life, for which she won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her portrayal of a world-weary, no-nonsense, streetwise hooker named Sonja. Her performance of "The Oldest Profession", a song in which Sonja bemoans the life of a prostitute, was a tour de force and received standing ovations nightly.

White's off-Broadway credits include the Public Theater production of the William Finn musical Romance in Hard Times, for which she won the Obie Award, Dinah Was, in which she portrayed the legendary blues and jazz singer Dinah Washington, The Vagina Monologues, and Crowns, for which she won the AUDELCO Award. Her national tours include Ain't Misbehavin' and The Wiz.

White performed with the Brooklyn Philharmonic in a concert of works by Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and George Gershwin and his brother Ira, celebrating the orchestra's 50th anniversary. She has also appeared in concert at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center and has toured internationally with her one-woman show From Brooklyn to Broadway. She is heard on the 1991 Madonna recording "Rescue Me". White later appeared on the PBS series Sesame Street including the 1997 VHS release "Elmo Says Boo".

White's television appearances include a regular role on Sesame Street (for which she won an Emmy Award), Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and NYPD Blue. She performed the role of Bloody Mary in the PBS Great Performances presentation of South Pacific. Her screen credits include voiceover work in Disney's Hercules and Anastasia. Film credits include Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Game 6, Pieces of April and Then She Found Me.

Ms. White will appear in the upcoming Broadway musical FELA! in the role of Funmilayo. FELA! begins previews at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on October 19, 2009. Opening Night is November 23, 2009.

http://www.lilliaswhite.com

Aquarius
Lillias White Lyrics

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When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius! Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or decisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation

And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lillias White's song "Aquarius" speak of a time of great social and spiritual upheaval. The opening lines of the song refer to an astrological event known as the "Age of Aquarius," which is said to occur when the moon is in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligns with Mars. The implication is that these cosmic events will bring about a new era of peace and love, in which the planets will be guided by the forces of harmony and understanding.

The rest of the lyrics expand upon this idea of a new age of enlightenment, in which falsehoods and derisions are replaced by sympathy and trust. The lyrics speak of "golden living dreams of visions" and a "mystic crystal revelation," suggesting a new era of heightened spirituality and consciousness. The phrase "the mind's true liberation" further emphasizes this theme of personal and social transformation, suggesting that the Age of Aquarius will not only bring about external changes in the world, but also a deeper sense of self-awareness and personal growth.

Overall, the lyrics to "Aquarius" are a powerful expression of hope and optimism, suggesting that even in times of great social and political upheaval, there is always room for growth and transformation.

Line by Line Meaning

When the moon is in the Seventh House
When the cosmic energy aligns with the concept of home and security

And Jupiter aligns with Mars
And the planet directing innovation, Jupiter, aligns with the planet of action and progress, Mars

Then peace will guide the planets
Then harmony and tranquility will direct the universe

And love will steer the stars
And affection will lead to positive changes in cosmic bodies

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
This is the beginning of the time when human evolution will shift towards new discoveries and idealism

The Age of Aquarius
The epoch of innovation and creativity, as characterized by the sign of Aquarius

Aquarius! Aquarius!
The uniqueness and vitality of the Aquarian Age

Harmony and understanding
Peace and complete comprehension of unique individuals

Sympathy and trust abounding
Compassion and confidence being present in abundance in society

No more falsehoods or derisions
Lies and mockery are left in the past

Golden living dreams of visions
The priceless, lively fantasies of imagination coming to fruition

Mystic crystal revelation
Deep revelation and meaningful knowledge being obtained from spiritual practices

And the mind's true liberation
And the ultimate freedom of thought being achieved