Not One, Not Two, But Three Outstanding Encores From The Incomparable Cynthia Erivo!

Yes, you read that right; Cynthia Erivo delivered three outstanding encores to conclude her sold-out concert with The Florida Orchestra at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Cynthia Erivo performs at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Photo taken by Mya Jean.

Cynthia Erivo is an extraordinary talent in every imaginable aspect. You might know her from her various iconic roles, including Elphaba in Wicked, Harriet Tubman in Harriet, or her Broadway debut as Celie in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple. If Cynthia Erivo is not on your radar, you are undoubtedly missing out!

Cynthia Erivo is an exceptional English actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and author. Her tireless work ethic, perseverance, and incredible performances have led her to receive awards such as Grammy, Emmy, and Tony awards. She is also a nominee for the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and SAG awards, and is just one award away from achieving EGOT status, which she is anticipated to secure through her role as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, set to release on November 21st, 2025. 

Erivo began her career on London’s West End and has captivated audiences worldwide with her numerous performances in Broadway, film, and television. Beyond her successful acting career, Cynthia has headlined several sold-out concerts, released two albums, Ch.1 Vs. 1 and I Forgive You, established her own production company, Edith’s Daughter, and authored two books, Remember to Dream and Simply More (coming this fall). 

Despite the many accolades that Cynthia Erivo has received, she makes every concert she performs unique and personalized, and this one was certainly no exception. People of all ages were on the edge of their seats during her entire two and a half hour performance. 

As the lights dimmed and The Florida Orchestra, led by Music Director Michael Francis, began to play, I looked around at the packed audience. I spotted children dressed as Glinda and Elphaba, couples and friends holding hands in anticipation, and older individuals pulling out their tissues, but the one thing everyone shared was the beaming smiles on their faces. Little did I know that this would turn out to be the most incredible show, filled with the most positive energy I had ever witnessed. 

Before I knew it, Cynthia Erivo illuminated the stage with her presence, leading the audience to break into a five-minute standing ovation. Yes, a standing ovation before she even reached her microphone, but as soon as she did and began to sing, the entire audience fell silent in amazement. Every single person in the sold-out audience was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. From young children to older adults and everyone in between, they all focused intently on Erivo as she performed, followed by a lengthy standing ovation after each and every song. 

In moments between songs, the spotlights would transition from her to us, the audience, so she could “see each of us,” a remark she made known to us. Erivo, in between each song, also took a moment to acknowledge the “I love you” shouts, the heartfelt signs created by fans, and even made a young child’s night by allowing him to speak into her microphone. For a whole two and a half hours, Erivo made everyone in that audience feel like they were part of a family. 

One of the most remarkable songs she performed was “Alfie”. For those unfamiliar, Cynthia Erivo sang “Alfie” at a sold-out Kennedy Center Honors event in 2023 as a tribute to Dionne Warwick. The video of her rendition of “Alfie” on YouTube has gained immense popularity, racking up nearly seven million views, so experiencing it live was exceptionally memorable (definitely check it out on YouTube if you haven't seen it yet). Another iconic song Erivo performed was “Purple Rain” by Prince. She even got the audience to sing along with her, as she energetically ran up and down the stage and stairs, engaging the entire crowd, from the front row to the last. She also amazed us by singing without a microphone, yet the power of her voice filled the entire theater.

What elevates Cynthia Erivo’s concerts is the way the audience responds to her evident enjoyment, and vice versa. Her music director, Mark G. Meadows, was also in harmony with her, playing the piano in an extraordinarily beautiful way. Everything about this show, from the musical arrangements to the choice of songs and the audience’s energy, was simply a perfect match.

As the show drew to a close, Cynthia Erivo’s kindness radiated as she ensured that the musicians accompanying her from The Florida Orchestra, Michael Francis, and her music director, Mark G. Meadows, received their moment to bow and enjoy a standing ovation, which the audience wholeheartedly provided. The room was filled with applause, cheers, and exclamations of “thank you” and “one more,” which Erivo took as encouragement to treat us to another song. At the conclusion, it was met with even greater applause than before. Erivo then leaned in and whispered to Mark G. Meadows, and everyone, again, took their places as she graced us with one last performance, or so we thought. Once that song concluded, she bowed, accepted gifts from her fans, and she and Mark G. Meadows exited the stage. Yet, after a remarkable 10 minutes of applause, even after she had left the stage, Cynthia Erivo returned to deliver one last song for us. The final song took us by surprise as it was “Defying Gravity,” and the iconic Elphaba war cry was executed to perfection. At the conclusion of that song, naturally, the audience erupted into another standing ovation, eager for more, as anybody could enjoy Cynthia Erivo’s singing for hours on end, but her concert was over, and she exited the stage. However, she gave us a good laugh by saying “good night” and “go home” from her microphone backstage. Thus, when an icon like Cynthia Erivo gives you an order, you listen. 

In all seriousness, experiencing Cynthia Erivo perform live is a bucket list item, and I am thankful that I was able to check it off mine. I firmly believe that she will go down in history alongside the greats like Prince, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, and Whitney Houston, so if you have the chance to see her live, do not hesitate to take it.

Written by Mya Jean