Starting Tuesday, gregarious talk-show host Wendy Williams kicks off a seven-week run in “Chicago” as the keeper of the keys, Matron Mama Morton. Williams, 48, rose to fame as a radio “shock jockette” before breaking out with her saucy syndicated talk show, “The Wendy Williams Show,” and she also appeared on season 12 of “Dancing With the Stars.” Ahead of her big Broadway debut, which runs until Aug. 11, The Post sat down with Williams backstage at the Ambassador Theatre to chat about singing in the shower, her two left feet and prepping for the Great White Way:
How nervous are you to take the stage?
I’m not nervous, although people tell me the nervousness will hit me opening night when I actually am able to peek and know that people are out there, and the orchestra is up and Leslie [Stifleman, the music director] is no longer my coach.
Do you remember the first time you saw ‘Chicago’?
The first time I saw it on Broadway was about a month ago. I saw the movie with [Catherine] Zeta-Jones and [Queen] Latifah, so when they asked me to play Mama, I knew exactly what the role was. I said, “Oh, my gosh.” But although she started out as a rapstress, Latifah is a singer and an actress.
So she’s got experience.
And upon researching the role, I saw Sofia Vergara did it. And Lynda Carter did it. And Kelly Osbourne did it in London. I said, “I don’t know that these people are singers either.” And then upon talking about this role of Mama with the people here at “Chicago,” they said the role is more about talking-singing, sass and attitude than anything else. I said, “Well, I got that.”
Have any Broadway divas or legends inspired you?
There are so many people I respect, from Audra McDonald to Harvey Fierstein. But no, there is no specific person. The honchos here [said], “Anything you know about other people who have played this role, wipe it out of your mind.” And I was like, “Oh, perfect.”
Done.
Yes! They said, “We want you to make it your own.”
How’s the memorization coming? Are you used to it for your talk show?
No! I am not used to memorizing things that aren’t natural to me. It’s not natural to me to say “ain’t” and talk like a ’30s broad. Not that I speak the king’s English — but “ain’t”? And who calls women “broads” and “chickies”?
What have you been doing in terms of vocal prep?
From now until Aug. 11, I plan on saying absolutely nothing to anybody in loud tones. My son already gets it. [I’ll say], “I’m not screaming at you. If you don’t do your homework, you’re going to get it — on Aug. 12.” I do believe in the vocal rest, which is a very convenient excuse. Because normally it would be, “I don’t feel like talking to you right now.” Instead, I say, “I’m on vocal rest.”
What about the dancing? Do you think you’ve come a ways since “Dancing With the Stars”?
How dare you, Gregory? How dare you bring that up?
I thought you were amazing.
I had a fun time and I did give it my all. I was born with two left feet and knocked knees, though. Hopefully they understand here that I can’t do a split.
What does your family think of you being in the show?
My son’s very excited — as excited as a 12-year-old can be. You have to understand, hormones are raging and eyeballs are rolling. But he loved the role, and he thought I’d do a really good job with it. My husband — all he knows is he hears me singing while I’m in the bathroom, he hears me singing while I’m making dinner and he hears me running my lines.
So are you practicing “When You’re Good to Mama” in the shower?
That and “Class” are No. 1 and 2.
Do you have any other shower songs?
No, because I’m a really efficient shower-taker. I read years ago that Jennifer Aniston takes a two-and-a-half-to-three-minute shower. You get in, you do what you have to do, you get out. I was like, oh my gosh, I used to be embarrassed to even say that. But you know what, I’m a two-and-a-half-to-three-minute shower girl also.
You just don’t like them?
I have other things to do!
gregorymiller@nypost.com