Lisa Nichols From Motivating the Masses to a Broadway Breakthrough

How many lives can you touch in just one night?

If you’re Lisa Nichols, the answer is an infinite number. When Nichols does anything, she does it big and the ripples of her impact reach far and wide.

Lisa Nichols is a world-renowned motivational speaker, best-selling author, and transformational coach whose work has empowered millions. As the founder and CEO of Motivating the Masses, she has dedicated her career to helping individuals and businesses achieve their fullest potential.

Nichols has shared her message on global platforms, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Dr. Phil, and more. Many fans know her from her work in The Secret, that is still popular today. She is also a celebrated author, with books like No Matter What! and Abundance Now, where she provides practical strategies for overcoming adversity and embracing success.

Broadway’s Newest Voice: When My Soul Speaks

Deciding to push herself out of her comfort zone and share parts of her story that were crucial moments but still held shadows, Lisa set her sights on Broadway. On December 9, 2024, Lisa Nichols took center stage with When My Soul Speaks, her powerful one-woman Broadway show at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater. The night of the show, there was palpable energy in the air, a magical sense that we were about to witness history unfolding. We eagerly took our seats in anticipation of Lisa Nichols’ long-awaited theatrical debut. As the curtain rose, the electricity of anticipation crackled through the theatre.

This one-night-only performance captivated us with an inspiring blend of storytelling, spoken word, and song, offering a raw and deeply personal glimpse into her life. Everyone present knew that we were experiencing something extraordinary and as the evening unfolded, our expectations were exceeded beyond imagination. After a few comments and introduction by Nick Nanton, the show opened with a poem by Jade B. Coleman, a spoken word artist, performer and poet. Coleman is a 17 year-old high school student in Houston, Texas.

Onstage, Nichols did it all as she transitioned from scene to scene, changing costumes while still keeping her audience immersed. She told stories as she reconfigured the set, moved furniture, and artfully used props. Nichols depicted salient scenes from her life including a childhood audition for Charlie’s Angels and the first time she felt discrimination, to what she learned in her high school swim meets, to reenacting a fight for her life in a scene where her ex nearly killed her in a domestic violence attack.

A Privilege to Witness

The skillful and adept way she conveyed her truth through story was so powerful, it felt like walking hand in hand with her through her intimate moments. The audience was with her for every breath as we glimpsed her untold stories; a privilege to see behind the curtain of her success to her private doubts and fears. Rolling through her emotional ups and downs allowed the audience to feel completely emersed in the journey with her and to glimpse ourselves in different moments of her story. Mandy Harvey performed “This Little Light of Mine” during the show, anchoring the joy and triumph we all had experienced by the end of the performance.

The Stories That Shaped Lisa: Triumph Over Life’s Toughest Battles

Lisa Nichols held nothing back as she brought to the stage some of the most challenging and transformative moments of her life. Themes within the show that she expertly wove together within this compelling narrative included:

• Confronting Racism and Discrimination – From childhood to college, Lisa shared moments that tested her self-worth and resilience.
• Love, Heartbreak, and Survival – She recounted deeply personal stories of romantic relationships, including surviving and escaping domestic violence.
• The Struggles of a Single Mother – Lisa opened up about raising her son alone while fighting for her dreams.
• Overcoming Self-Doubt – She personified her inner critic as Shady Sadie, the voice of fear and insecurity she had to silence.
• Financial Struggles and the Hustle for Success – She shared her trials of battling extreme economic hardship to writing checks to herself labeled Funding My Dreams over several years, and how that changed her life.
• Health Challenges and Perseverance – She revealed health battles that stretched over years, even as she continued to inspire audiences worldwide.

Bringing the Vision to Life: The Team Behind the Show

Lisa Nichols’ theatrical debut was made possible by a huge team of talented individuals, executive producers (including a record number of women producers) and more, and was crafted through the collaboration of two powerhouse creators, Nick Nanton and Riaz Patel.

Nick Nanton: The Award-Winning Storyteller

Nick Nanton, a 22-Time Emmy Award Winning Documentary Film & Broadway Director/Producer, Nick Nanton, has become known for telling stories that connect. As the co-founder and CEO of DNA Films, he has directed and produced numerous documentary films, including Dickie V, Operation Toussaint, and Rudy Ruettiger: The Walk On. His work often highlights inspirational figures, making him a natural fit to direct Nichols’ Broadway debut. In fact, according to the late and great Larry King, “Nick Nanton is America’s Biographer. He is the voice of a new generation.”

Riaz Patel

Riaz Patel is an Emmy and NAACP-nominated executive producer and writer, well-regarded for his ability to create impactful and thought-provoking content. He co-wrote When My Soul Speaks alongside Nichols, helping bring deeply personal and previously untold stories from her life to the stage. Patel’s expertise in crafting authentic and emotionally resonant narratives played a crucial role in shaping the show’s storytelling.

Together, Nanton and Patel helped transform Nichols’ life journey into an unforgettable stage experience and allowed her message to resonate on a new and profound level.

A Theatrical Experience Unlike Any Other

This dynamic one-woman show was a spectacular amalgamation of storytelling, poetry, drama, song, and visuals, exemplifying Lisa’s signature “transfotainment”—a fusion of transformation and entertainment. Members of the audience were moved by different aspects of Nichols’ storytelling—some by her accounts of personal triumph, others by the sheer vulnerability she displayed on stage. The performance was not just a show; it was an immersive, deeply personal journey that stayed with us long after the final curtain fell.

From Broadway to the Big Screen: Expanding Lisa’s Reach

The impact of When My Soul Speaks will extend far beyond its Broadway debut. The show was captured by the Emmy® Award-winning team at Astonish Entertainment and DNA Films, with the intention of bringing Nichols’ story to the big screen. This collaboration ensures that audiences worldwide will have the opportunity to experience the magic and inspiration of Nichols’ Broadway performance.

Continued Impact

Lisa Nichols has long been a transformational force, helping people break through barriers and step into their full potential. With When My Soul Speaks, she solidified her place as not just a speaker and coach, but also as a performer and storyteller. By bringing her life story to Broadway and soon to a global audience, she continues her mission of motivating the masses, proving that personal stories of triumph over adversity can serve as powerful catalysts for change. Sources close to Nichols say that the recording of this performance could potentially end up turning into another opportunity for more fans to witness her story. It’s no wonder, with all the buzz she continues to generate, and we can’t wait to see what comes next in her story.