Lopez graduated from Manhattan's H… Read Full Bio ↴Lopez was born in the Bronx, New York
Lopez graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts, where she majored in drama; her experience as a drama student are played out in the musical A Chorus Line. Had Tiffany's survived, it would have marked her debut on the Great White Way, but the production was plagued with so many problems that its creative team deemed it impossible to fix. From there she moved on to Henry, Sweet Henry, which lasted only two months at the end of 1967, when she was 19 years old. Her luck was no better the following year, when Her First Roman lasted a mere two weeks. Lopez also appeared on Broadway in the critically-acclaimed play Anna in the Tropics in 2003.
Lopez finally achieved critical and popular success as a replacement in two shows, Stephen Sondheim's Company (1970), followed by Pippin in 1972. Two years later, she was invited by director and choreographer Michael Bennett to participate in a series of tape-recorded group therapy-style sessions in which chorus boys and girls - AKA "Gypsies" - bared their souls and discussed their lives, dreams, and frustrations. From this emerged A Chorus Line (1975), and Lopez was invited to join the cast portraying Diana Morales, a character patterned very much after herself, and in which she introduced the hit song "What I Did for Love".[3]
In her next production, A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine (1980), Lopez stepped out of the ensemble and into the spotlight, utilizing both her comedic and vocal skills. The show had two acts, the first a mini-musical by Dick Vosburgh and Frank Lazarus with additional material by Jerry Herman about the early days of movie making, the second a send-up of the slapstick Marx Brothers movies, with Lopez in the role of Harpo. Both she and the show received rave reviews, and it ran nearly a year-and-a-half. And for this, she earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress. In 1982, Tommy Tune, with whom she had worked in Hollywood/Ukraine, hired her as his assistant on Nine, the musical version of the Federico Fellini film 8½. Midway through the run, she joined the cast as a performer. Currently she can be seen as Camilla in the Broadway production of "In the Heights" .
Nothing
Priscilla Lopez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm so excited because I'm gonna go to the High School of Performing
Arts, I mean I was dying to be a serious actress.
Anyway, it's our first day acting class and we're in the auditorium and
The teacher, Mr. Karp, puts us upon the stage with
Our legs around everybody, one in back of the other, and he says:
"Okay, we're gonna do improvisations...Now, you're on a
Bobsled and it's snowing out and it's cold... Okay, go!"Ev'ryday for a week we would try to feel the motion,Feel the motion down the hill.Ev'ry day for a week we would try to hear the wind rushHear the wind rush, feel the chillAnd I dug right down to the bottom of my soul To see what I had inside.Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul And I tried, I tried!And everybody goin' "Woosh... woosh ... I feel the snow, I feel the
Morales, what did you feel?"And I said... "Nothing, I'm feeling nothing,"And he says "Nothing could get a girl transferred."They all felt something, but I felt nothingExcept the feelin' that this bullshit was absurd!But I said to myself, "Hey, it's only the first week. Maybe it's
Genetic, They don't have bobsleds in San Juan!"Second week, more advanced, And we had to be a table, Be a sportscar,
Ice-cream cone.Mister Karp, he would say, "Very good, except Morales.Try, Morales, all alone."And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul To see how an ice cream
Felt... Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried to melt!The kids yelled, "Nothing!" They called me "Nothing"And Karp allowed it, which really makes me burn.They were so helpful, they called me "Hopeless",Until I really didn't know where else to turn.And Karp kept saying, "Morales, I think you should transfer to Girl's
High, You'll never be an actress, Never!" Jesus Christ!Went to church, praying, Santa Maria, Send me guidance,Send me guidance on my knees.Went to church praying, Santa Maria, Help me feel it,Help me feel it pretty please.And a voice from down at the bottom of my soulCame up to the top of my headAnd a voice from down at the bottom of my soul, Here is what it said:This man is nothing! This course is nothing!If you want something go find another class.And when you find one You'll be an actress.And I assure you that's what fin'lly came to pass.Six months later I heard that Karp had died.And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul And cried...'Cause I felt nothing.
The song "Nothing" by Priscilla Lopez tells the story of Diana Morales, a Hispanic teenager who attends the High School of Performing Arts in New York. The song is from the musical "A Chorus Line," which explores the lives and aspirations of young performers auditioning for a place in a Broadway show. In "Nothing," we witness Diana struggling to connect with her acting classes, feeling like she's the only one who can't sense the emotions and sensations demanded of her. She tries to dig "right down to the bottom of my soul" and find something within herself, but she keeps feeling nothing. Eventually, she prays for guidance and gets an epiphany that leads her to realize that her current acting class is not the right fit for her.
Although the song is primarily about Diana's experience, it also touches on broader themes related to the creative process, the pursuit of dreams, and the pressure and expectations that young artists face in their careers. By showcasing Diana's frustrations and doubts, the song exposes the vulnerability and humanity of those who aspire to perform on stage. At the same time, it celebrates the resilience and determination of those who keep searching for their calling despite setbacks and obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so excited because I'm gonna go to the High School of Performing Arts, I mean I was dying to be a serious actress.
Diana is thrilled to attend a performing arts high school and wants to become a serious actress.
Anyway, it's our first day acting class and we're in the auditorium and
The teacher, Mr. Karp, puts us upon the stage with
Our legs around everybody, one in back of the other, and he says:
"Okay, we're gonna do improvisations...Now, you're on a
Bobsled and it's snowing out and it's cold... Okay, go!"
On the first day of acting class, Mr. Karp instructs the students to do improvisations on feeling the motion of a bobsled on a snowy hill.
Ev'ryday for a week we would try to feel the motion,
Feel the motion down the hill.
Ev'ry day for a week we would try to hear the wind rush
Hear the wind rush, feel the chill
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see what I had inside.
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried, I tried!
For a week, Diana and her classmates tried to physically and mentally embody the bobsled experience, with Diana trying hard to do so.
And everybody goin' "Woosh... woosh ... I feel the snow, I feel the
Cold,
I feel the air..." And Mr. Karp turns to me and he says: "Okay,
Morales, what did you feel?"
As Diana's classmates express their experiences, Mr. Karp asks Diana to share her own.
And I said... "Nothing, I'm feeling nothing,"
And he says "Nothing could get a girl transferred."
Diana admits that she feels nothing, and Mr. Karp implies that her lack of emotional expression could result in her getting transferred from the school.
They all felt something, but I felt nothing
Except the feelin' that this bullshit was absurd!
Diana feels like she's the only one who cannot feel the bobsled experience, and she thinks the exercise is ridiculous.
But I said to myself, "Hey, it's only the first week. Maybe it's
Genetic, They don't have bobsleds in San Juan!"
Diana tries to reassure herself by blaming her lack of experience with bobsleds due to her origins in San Juan.
Second week, more advanced, And we had to be a table, Be a sportscar,
Ice-cream cone.
Mister Karp, he would say, "Very good, except Morales.
Try, Morales, all alone."
In the second week, the class advanced to embodying different objects, and Mr. Karp encourages Diana to try again.
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see how an ice cream
Felt... Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried to melt!
Despite her inability to feel the objects, Diana tries to embody an ice cream using her soul and imagines melting it.
The kids yelled, "Nothing!" They called me "Nothing"
And Karp allowed it, which really makes me burn.
The students taunted Diana and Mr. Karp allowed it to happen, which frustrates her.
They were so helpful, they called me "Hopeless",
Until I really didn't know where else to turn.
The students continue to ridicule Diana, which makes her feel hopeless and unsure of what to do.
And Karp kept saying, "Morales, I think you should transfer to Girl's
High,
You'll never be an actress, Never!" Jesus Christ!
Mr. Karp suggests that Diana transfer to a different school and tells her she'll never become an actress, which shocks her.
Went to church, praying, Santa Maria,
Send me guidance,
Send me guidance on my knees.
Went to church praying, Santa Maria,
Help me feel it,
Help me feel it pretty please.
Diana turns to prayer, asking Santa Maria for guidance and help feeling emotions.
And a voice from down at the bottom of my soul
Came up to the top of my head
And a voice from down at the bottom of my soul,
Here is what it said:
Diana hears a voice from within herself that rises to her consciousness.
This man is nothing! This course is nothing!
If you want something go find another class.
And when you find one
You'll be an actress.
And I assure you that's what fin'lly came to pass.
The voice tells Diana that the acting class and Mr. Karp are nothing, and to find a new class to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress. It assures her that she'll succeed.
Six months later I heard that Karp had died.
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And cried...
'Cause I felt nothing.
Six months later, Diana learns that Mr. Karp died and is saddened. She reflects on how she felt nothing during her time in his class.
Contributed by Dominic A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-dk8ds6hg1s
I've been listening to a bunch of different women doing this song. Many have great voices and are great actresses, but Priscilla Lopez has both and is the ONLY one who stays on key - everyone else goes flat at the high note in the verse ("we would try to FEEL the motion..."). Brava!
@karenspafard8841
Nobody can do this song as well as she does. She owns this!
@stevefreedman470
I was truly blessed when I had the chance to see the original company of A Chorus Line and will never forget her performance....Class Act!!😊👍🏿
@stevefreedman470
I saw the same original cast and it's so good to see Ms Lopez once again...truly iconic!
@stevefreedman470
Absolutely👍
@rr7firefly
Too bad Priscilla was not in the movie. She is absolutely wonderful.
@hubbardjill
I saw her sing this live on a city sponsored field trip for public high school students. As memorable, inspiring, and provoking today as it was way back then. And sung to perfection. Thank you Ms Lopez!
@Gallerygod
Priscilla OWNS this song !
@Melatina77
I just love this wonderful Puerto Rican talented lady from New York!
@aryastark575
The singer in the movie was a 1000 times better