--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I played Lady Day, I took Aba…" description: "\"When I played Lady Day, I took Aba onstage with me as a joke. He started singing-in tune!-and the audience loved it.\" — Eartha Kitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/eartha-kitt-4073_audience_when-i-played-lady-day-i-took-aba-onstag_1925188.jpg" --- # When I played Lady Day, I took Aba onstage with me as a… ![“When I played Lady Day, I took Aba onstage with me as a joke. He started singing-in tune!-and the audience loved it.” quote by Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/eartha-kitt-4073_audience_when-i-played-lady-day-i-took-aba-onstag_1925188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/eartha-kitt-4073_audience_when-i-played-lady-day-i-took-aba-onstag_1925188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/eartha-kitt-4073_audience_when-i-played-lady-day-i-took-aba-onstag_1925188.jpg) > “When I played Lady Day, I took Aba onstage with me as a joke. He started singing-in tune!-and the audience loved it.” [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The performer humorously involved a friend on stage, creating spontaneous joy that resonated with the audience. **In simple terms:** A joke on stage sparked audience delight. Key Takeaway Invite spontaneity to energize performances. Themes creativity spontaneity audience connection humor Mood joyful playful Type performance anecdotal When to use this quote - live music - theater - public speaking Key Concepts performance art improvisation Questions to Reflect On - When does improvisation risk alienating an audience? - How can you gauge audience mood? A Different Perspective Not all jokes land with every crowd. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aba Onstage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aba-onstage-2980404/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-loved-2078413/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Dog training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog-training/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Onstage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onstage/) [Onstage Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onstage-joke-2980405/) [Played Lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-lady-2275992/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Tunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tunes/) ## Related quotes > [“When I played Lady Day, I took Aba onstage with me as a joke. He started singing—in tune!—and the audience loved it. Eartha Kitt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/when-i-played-lady-day-i-took-aba-onstage-with-me-as-a-joke-he-2/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Not only did I cross-dress at 10, playing Rosalind in 'As You Like It,' I also found myself in a cross-dressed part at 60,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyles-brandreth/not-only-did-i-cross-dress-at-10-playing-rosalind-in-as-you-like-it-i/) [Gyles Brandreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyles-brandreth/) > [As long as the actor is able to maintain an emotional relatability with the audience, he or she will be loved by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/as-long-as-the-actor-is-able-to-maintain-an-emotional-relatability/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) > [My family went to see a pantomime called 'Give a Dog a Bone' when I was about five. My aunt was the stage manager…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-fitzgerald/my-family-went-to-see-a-pantomime-called-give-a-dog-a-bone-when-i-was/) [Tara Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-fitzgerald/) > [The audience loved 'Aashiqui 2'. We are happy we could bring back the time of romance in Bollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhushan-kumar/the-audience-loved-aashiqui-2-we-are-happy-we-could-bring-back-the/) [Bhushan Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhushan-kumar/) > [When Surender Reddy told me that I should play a serious role, I was quite confused; however, a lot of people told me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/when-surender-reddy-told-me-that-i-should-play-a-serious-role-i-was/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [The Russian male audience, they loved 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door,' and they like my comedies, but the Russian male audience is action, action, action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/til-schweiger/the-russian-male-audience-they-loved-knockin-on-heaven-s-door-and/) [Til Schweiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/til-schweiger/) > [“Imagine you live on a planet where the dominant species is far more intellectually sophisticated than human beings but often keeps humans as companion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-donaldson/imagine-you-live-on-a-planet-where-the-dominant-species-is-far-more/) [Jean Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-donaldson/) > [Our dogs will love and admire the meanest of us, and feed our colossal vanity with their uncritical homage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/our-dogs-will-love-and-admire-the-meanest-of-us-and-feed-our-colossal/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/he-is-your-friend-your-partner-your-defender-your-dog-you-are-his/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“Aggression in a dog is similar to aggression in a human. We re both scared of what we don't understand, and our need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gatling/aggression-in-a-dog-is-similar-to-aggression-in-a-human-we-re-both/) [Andre Gatling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gatling/) > [“Occasionally, a dog will be presented as some training method for having a baby. "My girlfriend and I got a dog. We are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/occasionally-a-dog-will-be-presented-as-some-training-method-for/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“In dog culture, when someone calls you, you should absolutely not come if that results in the ending of something you like or initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-donaldson/in-dog-culture-when-someone-calls-you-you-should-absolutely-not-come/) [Jean Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-donaldson/) > [Most owners are at length able to teach themselves to obey their dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morley/most-owners-are-at-length-able-to-teach-themselves-to-obey-their-dog/) [Robert Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morley/) > [Guests are people who come to your home to see you whine at the table, bark loudly, jump on women wearing pantyhose, and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-kehret/guests-are-people-who-come-to-your-home-to-see-you-whine-at-the-table/) [Peg Kehret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-kehret/) ## More by Eartha Kitt > [I don't have to have the biggest house or the biggest car or the longest mink, but quality of life is really glamorous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-don-t-have-to-have-the-biggest-house-or-the-biggest-car-or-the/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I fight for other people better than I fight for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-fight-for-other-people-better-than-i-fight-for-myself/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [When the Batman TV series was taken to the silver screen, one of America's favourite sweethearts would don the mask and claws of Catwoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/when-the-batman-tv-series-was-taken-to-the-silver-screen-one-of/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I said to the president's wife, Vietnam is the main reason we are having trouble with the youth of America. It is a war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-said-to-the-president-s-wife-vietnam-is-the-main-reason-we-are/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [The children of America are not rebelling for no reason. They are not hippies for no reason at all. We don’t have what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-children-of-america-are-not-rebelling-for-no-reason-they-are-not/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Eartha Mae is very shy. She's scared to be seen, scared of rejection and even afraid of affection. Relationships can be rather uncomfortable for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/eartha-mae-is-very-shy-she-s-scared-to-be-seen-scared-of-rejection/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [The boys that were running away from America because they didn't want to get involved with the Vietnam War had come to me. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-boys-that-were-running-away-from-america-because-they-didn-t-want/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I was trying to find out who my father was. They say that at that time, that if you are illegitimate, the father doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-was-trying-to-find-out-who-my-father-was-they-say-that-at-that-time/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Sometimes it's good to fall down to see who will pick you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/sometimes-it-s-good-to-fall-down-to-see-who-will-pick-you-up/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [The river is constantly turning and bending and you never know where it's going to go and where you'll wind up. Following the bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-river-is-constantly-turning-and-bending-and-you-never-know-where/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Live theater to me is much more free than the movies or television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/live-theater-to-me-is-much-more-free-than-the-movies-or-television/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I fall in love with myself, and I want someone to share it with me. And I want someone to share me, with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-fall-in-love-with-myself-and-i-want-someone-to-share-it-with-me-and/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I thought Britney Spears was absolutely marvelous in the beginning. But now I think she's gone off the deep end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-thought-britney-spears-was-absolutely-marvelous-in-the-beginning/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Generally the whole entertainment business now is bland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/generally-the-whole-entertainment-business-now-is-bland/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Explore all 116 Eartha Kitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I played Lady Day, I took Aba onstage with me as a joke. 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