Show People with Paul Wontorek: Beth Leavel of THE PROM

Рет қаралды 11,933

5 жыл бұрын

Get Tickets to THE PROM: www.broadway.com/shows/prom/
Tony winner Beth Leavel talks THE PROM, her incredible career and more.
Here are some of the must-read highlights:
ON HER CHARACTER DEE DEE ALLEN
“I hope [she haunts me for the rest of my life]. Somebody said, ‘What's the difference between Dee Dee and Beth?’ I said, ‘Dee Dee carries her Tony Awards in her purse, and I do not.’ She's a diva. She kind of leads with her ego and her narcissism. So in that way, she's a little different than I am. She's had an amazing career of being a star, whereas I feel like I've had this fabulous career of being a worker bee.”
ON BIRTHING A NEW MUSICAL
“About seven years ago, Casey called me up and went, 'What are you doing this morning?' I'm like, 'Nothing,' and I came into his studio. Around the table was Brooks [Ashmanskas], Chris [Sieber], Angie [Schworer] and I, and we read the first version of The Prom. It's such a privilege to have an original musical come your way that is written for you. There's nothing like it. It's spectacular, and this one is so good. It's so special, and it speaks to me. I just couldn't be happier.”
ON HER UNEXPECTED THEATER BUG
“No one in my family was into show business at all. We never saw theater. We didn't really go to movies. So I have no idea really where this all came from. I remember doing a play in sixth grade and getting a big laugh. I thought that was so pleasing. I didn't do another musical until my senior year in high school, Brigadoon. I was always the class clown. I remember a lot of, 'Beth, can you can you step outside?' I'm a good Southern girl. So I was trying to conform to that, and yet I had this inner clown in me that really loved and needed the laughs.”
ON THE PROM'S FRESH TALENTS
“There's 13 Broadway debuts in the show. Sometimes we just sit back, and I'm so curious how they do it. Because Casey and his assistant John MacInnis, they're not kidding around. They are all triple threats. They work really hard, and it is amazing to be around them. No matter how hard they work, they still love it so much. They're never like, 'Oh gosh, I don't want to do it again.' It's like, 'Yes, let's make it better!' I just love them.”
ON ADVICE FOR PERFORMERS
“The good news about show business is that you never know what's coming up next. The bad news about show business is that you never know what's coming next. Like Drowsy Chaperone. I auditioned. I didn't get the part. And then, four months later, the phone rings, and my agent goes, 'Oh, I have an offer for you.' I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' Because this was kind of a low point where it was like, ‘Oh, my God, maybe I should teach more or something?’ And he said, 'Yes, you've been offered Beatrice Stockwell in The Drowsy Chaperone.' And I said, 'No, no, no. I didn't get it. I think you have that information incorrect.' So I made him call again. And he called me back and he went, 'No. You leave for Los Angeles in two weeks for a three month out-of-town tryout.' And look what happened. You never know when that phone is going to ring.”

Пікірлер: 10

@angelskye719 5 жыл бұрын

Ugh she is absolutely amazing! In person too! I was so happy when I was able to meet her and sing and perform a monologue for her to critique/ help me out on!

@marykatekowalsky3151 5 жыл бұрын

yes i just met her after one of the shows last week and she was so nice!! She signed my playbill and took a picture with me. A class act!