Photo Exclusive: One Night in Miami… Star Nik Walker Shares the 37 Steps it Takes to Tackle a First Preview as Sam Cooke | Playbill

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Photo Exclusive: One Night in Miami… Star Nik Walker Shares the 37 Steps it Takes to Tackle a First Preview as Sam Cooke

Step 1- Wake the hell up, no matter how good that dream was. — Photo Exclusive: One Night in Miami… Star Nik Walker Shares the 37 Steps it Takes to Tackle a First Preview as Sam Cooke

Denver Center for the Performing Arts is presenting Kemp Powers' One Night in Miami…, a new play that imagines what occurred the night of Cassius Clay's historic win Sonny Liston and an after-fight celebration that included Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown. Nik Walker, who plays famed singer Cooke, tells Playbill.com just what it takes to prepare for a first preview.
44 PHOTOS

Step 1- Wake the hell up, no matter how good that dream was. — Step 1- Wake the hell up, no matter how good that dream was.

Nik Walker

Step 2- Thank your humidifier for protecting you from the high altitude dryness all night. — Step 2- Thank your humidifier for protecting you from the high altitude dryness all night.

Nik Walker

Step 3- Don’t leave your bed till you’ve emailed your fiancée… — Step 3- Don’t leave your bed till you’ve emailed your fiancée…

Nik Walker

…and watched your morning movie. — …and watched your morning movie.

Nik Walker

Step 4- Pair your light breakfast with some educational reading. — Step 4- Pair your light breakfast with some educational reading.

Nik Walker

Next Slide

Step 5: Don’t overlook the beauty of your apartment’s lobby — Step 5: Don’t overlook the beauty of your apartment’s lobby

Nik Walker

Step 6- Bring your notepad for notes. — Step 6- Bring your notepad for notes.

Nik Walker

Step 7- Listen to every word that director Carl Cofield and stage manager Rachel Ducat tell you. — Step 7- Listen to every word that director Carl Cofield and stage manager Rachel Ducat tell you.

Nik Walker

Step 8- Don’t get distracted by how comfy William Oliver Watkins (Kareem) and Morocco Omari (Jim Brown) look sitting in those chairs… — Step 8- Don’t get distracted by how comfy William Oliver Watkins (Kareem) and Morocco Omari (Jim Brown) look sitting in those chairs…

Nik Walker

…or whatever Colby Lewis (Cassius Clay) is laughing at… — …or whatever Colby Lewis (Cassius Clay) is laughing at…

Nik Walker

…or how isolated in his time out corner Jason Delane (Malcolm X) is. — …or how isolated in his time out corner Jason Delane (Malcolm X) is.

Nik Walker

Step 9- If York Walker (Jamaal) has any questions, try to explain it to him as best you can. — Step 9- If York Walker (Jamaal) has any questions, try to explain it to him as best you can.

Nik Walker

Step 10- Remember how awesome your SM Phoebe Sacks is. — Step 10- Remember how awesome your SM Phoebe Sacks is.

Nik Walker

Step 11- Never turn down some chillage with the boys. — Step 11- Never turn down some chillage with the boys.

Nik Walker

Step 12- Absorb that Vitamin D whenever possible. — Step 12- Absorb that Vitamin D whenever possible.

Nik Walker

Step 13- Resist the temptation to indulge in all the wonderful things that are legal in Denver...at least not now, you got a show to do. — Step 13- Resist the temptation to indulge in all the wonderful things that are legal in Denver...at least not now, you got a show to do.

Nik Walker

Step 14- Acknowledge how cool it is to have your show up on a digital billboard — Step 14- Acknowledge how cool it is to have your show up on a digital billboard

Nik Walker

Step 15- Try some good, clean organic food from a local restaurant. Love the taste, but miss NYC pizza immediately afterwards. — Step 15- Try some good, clean organic food from a local restaurant. Love the taste, but miss NYC pizza immediately afterwards.

Nik Walker

Step 16- Take a midday nap while revisiting one of your old standby shows. — Step 16- Take a midday nap while revisiting one of your old standby shows.

Nik Walker

Step 17- Get up, get back to the theater, and recall that no matter how far west you’ve gone… — Step 17- Get up, get back to the theater, and recall that no matter how far west you’ve gone…

Nik Walker

…home is never that far away. — …home is never that far away.

Nik Walker

Step 18- Take some time to become one with your set. — Step 18- Take some time to become one with your set.

Nik Walker

Step 19- Don’t be afraid to get a little dressed up…. — Step 19- Don’t be afraid to get a little dressed up….

Nik Walker

…and go to the pre-show talkback. Always good to get them on your side before the show. — …and go to the pre-show talkback. Always good to get them on your side before the show.

Nik Walker

Step 20- Don’t be scared of the love note an audience member left you from the night before. They’re just being…friendly…. — Step 20- Don’t be scared of the love note an audience member left you from the night before. They’re just being…friendly….

Nik Walker

Step 21- Design your dressing room station just the way you like it. — Step 21- Design your dressing room station just the way you like it.

Nik Walker

Step 22- Bask in the badassness of your props. — Step 22- Bask in the badassness of your props.

Nik Walker

Step 23- Give those new shoes a spin before you step onstage. — Step 23- Give those new shoes a spin before you step onstage.

Nik Walker

Step 24- Admire Colby for all the research he’s done. — Step 24- Admire Colby for all the research he’s done.

Nik Walker

Shave yo’ face. — Shave yo’ face.

Nik Walker

Give your dresser the respect he deserves, dude works hard. — Give your dresser the respect he deserves, dude works hard.

Nik Walker

Step 27- Don’t punch Colby, even when he picks up props that aren’t his. — Step 27- Don’t punch Colby, even when he picks up props that aren’t his.

Nik Walker

Step 28- Have a staring contest with Will…. — Step 28- Have a staring contest with Will….

Nik Walker

…or follow Morocco around for a while. Whatever loosens you up. — …or follow Morocco around for a while. Whatever loosens you up.

Nik Walker

Step 29- Make sure you bother Natalie the intern. — Step 29- Make sure you bother Natalie the intern.

Nik Walker

Step 30- Appreciate the fake scar she put on her hand. — Step 30- Appreciate the fake scar she put on her hand.

Nik Walker

Step 31- Get in the zone with your pump-up tunes…. — Step 31- Get in the zone with your pump-up tunes….

Nik Walker

…then step into Jocelyn’s den of hair awesomeness to get all wigged up! — …then step into Jocelyn’s den of hair awesomeness to get all wigged up!

Nik Walker

Step 32- Wig on, cigarette in- look how ready you are. — Step 32- Wig on, cigarette in- look how ready you are.

Nik Walker

Step 33- Take one last look at the Denver night- almost show time. — Step 33- Take one last look at the Denver night- almost show time.

Nik Walker

Step 34- Don’t disrupt Jason while he’s talking to himself. — Step 34- Don’t disrupt Jason while he’s talking to himself.

Nik Walker

Step 35- Read your comics. Get your steam on. — Step 35- Read your comics. Get your steam on.

Nik Walker

Step 36- Don’t worry. You’re ready for this. Miami awaits. — Step 36- Don’t worry. You’re ready for this. Miami awaits.

Nik Walker

Step 37- When relaxing after the show, punch Colby for being so damn creepy. — Step 37- When relaxing after the show, punch Colby for being so damn creepy.

Nik Walker

Step 1- Wake the hell up, no matter how good that dream was.

Step 1- Wake the hell up, no matter how good that dream was.

Step 2- Thank your humidifier for protecting you from the high altitude dryness all night.

Step 3- Don’t leave your bed till you’ve emailed your fiancée…

…and watched your morning movie.

Step 4- Pair your light breakfast with some educational reading.

Step 5: Don’t overlook the beauty of your apartment’s lobby

Step 6- Bring your notepad for notes.

Step 7- Listen to every word that director Carl Cofield and stage manager Rachel Ducat tell you.

Step 8- Don’t get distracted by how comfy William Oliver Watkins (Kareem) and Morocco Omari (Jim Brown) look sitting in those chairs…

…or whatever Colby Lewis (Cassius Clay) is laughing at…

…or how isolated in his time out corner Jason Delane (Malcolm X) is.

Step 9- If York Walker (Jamaal) has any questions, try to explain it to him as best you can.

Step 10- Remember how awesome your SM Phoebe Sacks is.

Step 11- Never turn down some chillage with the boys.

Step 12- Absorb that Vitamin D whenever possible.

Step 13- Resist the temptation to indulge in all the wonderful things that are legal in Denver...at least not now, you got a show to do.

Step 14- Acknowledge how cool it is to have your show up on a digital billboard

Step 15- Try some good, clean organic food from a local restaurant. Love the taste, but miss NYC pizza immediately afterwards.

Step 16- Take a midday nap while revisiting one of your old standby shows.

Step 17- Get up, get back to the theater, and recall that no matter how far west you’ve gone…

…home is never that far away.

Step 18- Take some time to become one with your set.

Step 19- Don’t be afraid to get a little dressed up….

…and go to the pre-show talkback. Always good to get them on your side before the show.

Step 20- Don’t be scared of the love note an audience member left you from the night before. They’re just being…friendly….

Step 21- Design your dressing room station just the way you like it.

Step 22- Bask in the badassness of your props.

Step 23- Give those new shoes a spin before you step onstage.

Step 24- Admire Colby for all the research he’s done.

Shave yo’ face.

Give your dresser the respect he deserves, dude works hard.

Step 27- Don’t punch Colby, even when he picks up props that aren’t his.

Step 28- Have a staring contest with Will….

…or follow Morocco around for a while. Whatever loosens you up.

Step 29- Make sure you bother Natalie the intern.

Step 30- Appreciate the fake scar she put on her hand.

Step 31- Get in the zone with your pump-up tunes….

…then step into Jocelyn’s den of hair awesomeness to get all wigged up!

Step 32- Wig on, cigarette in- look how ready you are.

Step 33- Take one last look at the Denver night- almost show time.

Step 34- Don’t disrupt Jason while he’s talking to himself.

Step 35- Read your comics. Get your steam on.

Step 36- Don’t worry. You’re ready for this. Miami awaits.

Step 37- When relaxing after the show, punch Colby for being so damn creepy.

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