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[0:00] Laura Benanti: I'm Laura Benanti and you're listening to And the Tony Goes To...

[0:22] Ilana Levine: Have you ever dreamed of winning a Tony Award? Did you ever practice your Tony acceptance speech in the bathroom mirror? Did you grow up watching the Tony Awards every year? Do you have a collection of Tony Award shows on VHS tape that you refuse to throw out? Well then this is the podcast for you. Every week I interview your favorite Tony Award winners and together we go down memory lane as my guests share intimate and never before shared details about their Tony experience. By the end of every episode you're going to feel like you just won a Tony. Welcome to And the Tony Goes To... I'm your host Ilana Levine. Welcome today's Tony winner Laura Benanti.

[1:08] Laura Benanti: And the American Theatre Wing's Tony Award goes to... Laura Benanti, Gypsy. Oh thank you so much. Hi Arthur, you're standing. I have never moved so quickly in my entire life. I almost knocked the camera guy over. Thank you so much. Thank you especially to Arthur Laurents not only for standing but for being the most amazing director in the entire world. I love you so much. Yay Arthur! Thank you to Patti LuPone and Boyd Gaines for being my family on stage and off. I am so honored to be in your company. Stephen Sondheim, I just worship you. There's no other words. Jay Binder and our incredible producers, thank you for taking a chance on me 10 years ago and never giving up. Innovative artists, my incredible manager and friend Emily Gerson Sainz and most importantly my family the Benantis who are here tonight.

I love you guys so much. You're my everything. My incredible beautiful husband Stephen Pasquale, I love being married to you so much and a very very special thank you to my mother, the anti-mama rose and the most amazing woman that I know. Thank you so much.

[2:30] Ilana Levine: Laura, are you there?

[2:31] Laura Benanti: I am.

[2:40] Ilana Levine: Have you heard that speech in recent history?

[2:41] Laura Benanti: I have not. It feels like a different person ago.

[2:49] Ilana Levine: Yeah. Do you remember the moment when you were in your seat and you heard your name?

[2:55] Laura Benanti: Yes, I do. Can you talk about that? I was like vibrating. I remember my body, it's like I felt like I was floating off of my seat with just vibration as they were saying all the names. And then I genuinely don't even remember getting up on the stage. I was like a lightning bolt. It was the pinnacle of all of my dreams. It's the only thing I ever dreamed of. We've talked about this. I was not like, well, I'll start on Broadway and then I'll be a TV star or a movie star. I was like, I will be on Broadway forever. And that's all I care about. So winning a Tony was my biggest dream. And it came true in that moment. It was one of the happiest moments of my life and will remain so. I truly believe.

Some of my guests have won a Tony because they were nominated for a Tony. You've been nominated for many Tony awards. And that in and of itself is such an extraordinary thing. And I wonder when you go from being at that night as a non-winner and just thrilled to be nominated to a winner. Did you go into the night thinking that you might win this time?

[4:27] Laura Benanti: I did. That's gross to say, but it's true. Just because all of the who will win, who should win were saying me. And so I thought, oh, maybe. And I had won the other awards leading up to it, the Outer Critics and the Drama Desk. So I would be lying if I said I didn't have a hope. You know, like my first nomination was Swing. And I was like, there's no way. Same with Into the Woods, because I missed so much because of my neck. And then this was my third time. And I, you know, I was hopeful. I was really hopeful. I wasn't overly confident. I wasn't like, I got this in the bag. But I certainly was hopeful. And look, it's a different experience. It's really nice to win. And anyone who's like, says differently is not telling you the truth.

[5:32] Ilana Levine: I want to talk about, like how Laura Benanti was first cast in Gypsy, you should know that in my Patti LuPone episode, you know, it might as well have been called the Laura Benanti Boy Gaines Love. It was just a love letter to both of you in so many ways, rightly so. So how did you get the role of Louise in Gypsy?

[5:48] Laura Benanti: I auditioned, you know, I, Jay Binder, who had always been a champion of mine, he's a, you know, wonderful casting director, he gave me my first job ever in the Sound of Music when I was 17, when I auditioned for him. And he championed me, and continues to champion me, but my entire career, if it weren't for him, I, you know, I certainly would not have the career that I have now. So Arthur didn't want to see me. He thought I was too old, and he'd heard bad things about me. He'd heard that I missed in Into the Woods. And you know, that was before the days of social media. So people, you know, not everybody knew that I'd broken my neck, people thought I was just like, difficult. So he didn't want to see me.

And Jay was like, I promise you, you will be happy if you see her. And I went in, and I could, I walked in, and I was like, oof, I could tell Arthur was like, not interested. And then I sang Little Lamb. And he was like, okay. And then I, I did the Gypsy stuff, you know, the segue, the turn into Gypsy Rose Lee. And I went up because I was so nervous. And he was like, ah, that, I'm not worried about you being Gypsy. Don't worry about that. You got that down. And I was like, oh, okay. And he asked me to do Little Lamb again. And he was like, I don't want you to think about being young. I don't want you to play a child. I just want you to know that you have no idea how old you are. And this is the saddest day of your life.

And I was like, and after I finished that song, I was like, I was done. And he went, yes. And I said, okay. And I just like got up. I was like in overalls and I got up and I was, as I was walking out, he was like, see, when she doesn't worry about being young, then she's good. And, um, and then I got the job. You know how when you go to an audition and a director gives you direction and you have no idea what language they've just spoken and you go, uh-huh. Yeah. Do it again. And they're like, that's amazing. Um, did you understand, it sounds like something happened to you in that moment.

[8:20] Laura Benanti: Yes. He basically was like, I see your tricks and I don't want them. And it was like tricks I had been using forever and simply stripping me of them and simply acknowledging that he saw them was enough to make me feel so vulnerable that I think it got me to the place that he was talking about. Right. You know, and where I was like, he's, this man sees through me and if I am acting at all, it's gonna, it's not going to be good. And so I just sort of allowed myself to be, which I didn't really do all the time before then. Cause it was too scary.

[9:07] Ilana Levine: Yeah. And this was for the encores production.

[9:15] Laura Benanti: Yes. Correct. So can you talk a little bit about, you know, those are such sort of, it's not.

[11:06] Laura Benanti: Like saying anything that we have not talked about. So I don't feel like I'm, you know, being whatever, inappropriate. But he was horrible. I mean, like I would start to say something and he'd be like, no, do it again. To the point where I would like go in the bathroom and sob. And finally, I guess it was like the end of the week, the second week, and I said, I don't, I don't, I'm not going to do this anymore. And he sort of...

[11:35] Ilana Levine: Do you mean you said that to yourself? Or you said that to him?

[11:37] Laura Benanti: No, to him.

[11:38] Ilana Levine: Okay. In front of everybody?

[11:40] Laura Benanti: No.

[11:41] Ilana Levine: Okay.

[11:41] Laura Benanti: No. I took him aside and I said, you don't want me here. And I don't need to be where someone doesn't want me. And I left and I went home. And he called me that night. And he said, I just had a conversation with Patty and I owe you an apology. And I was like, okay. Um, and he was like, I was under the impression that you are someone I need to break down. And Patty has spoken to me and I now realize that you are someone that I need to build up. And I was like, I don't know what would give you the impression that you needed to break me down, but I don't do well that way. You know, I want to please you so badly. I want to do what you want me to do. And I want to honor this character. But like, when you are just straight up mean to me, I completely shut down.

I can't do it. I'm, I'm, I can't. And, and he was like, I understand. And that from that moment forward, we had the most beautiful, honest relationship. We fought, we had really major disagreements, but it was always respectful. It always ended with, I love you. And, you know, I, I, I really cherish my relationship with him and he taught me how to be an actor and Patty and Boyd just working with them, but he learned to kindly point out to me when I was relying on something that had worked for me in the past, instead of just allowing myself to really be and allowing myself to fail. And we had to get to that place where I was like, if you're yelling at me, I am only going to be performing to get it right. And you're going to hate that. So don't yell at me. And then I will be brave. And we did it together.

[13:42] Ilana Levine: That's incredible. Yeah, because then you got to really, well, also you won the Tony, right? Think like, also, by the way, like for something to have started like that, and then to end with the speech that we listened to, which was him standing. Right. And you having this public love fest with each other, like during your most private moment to have it be so public and, and for us to get to see that dynamic and his respect, like that kind of, you know, Arthur Laurents doesn't stand up a lot.

[14:21] Laura Benanti: No, and he was like 92. So yes, all of it, like it was so meaningful, so meaningful. There are many things about that performance that I just remember going, how is how is this feeling like a documentary in terms of how real your ability to take this very broad, themed musical and make it feel so intimate and true. And there are a couple of moments that I wanted to ask you about. And if that's okay, like very specific moments. Okay. So one of the things that always just melted my heart, because I saw it more than once, was you during the scene with Tulsa.

[15:12] Laura Benanti: Oh, all I need is the girl. And he's doing this magical number. He so yes, Mr. Yazbek, congratulations on being amazing. But there is something going on for you where you are sort of watching with such yearning to be the girl in that number. Can you talk about building that scene?

[15:35] Laura Benanti: Yeah, I mean, it was such a beautiful number that, that, you know, that Tony performed. But Arthur and I talked a lot about this being the first time that we see her really want something, you know, and, and that thing that she wants is love. And to be seen, you know, that's we talked a lot about that, that she is invisible. You know, she starts out almost a ghost. And, you know, builds into being one of the most, you know, highly recognizable women in the world at that time. So, you know, starting out, with Little Lamb and people forgetting it's her birthday and, and then us seeing this sort of private yearning she has for this boy or this man. It was so important to build that in order for her sister leaving with Tulsa to, to make enough of an impact to really wound her, for it to be one of the many lacerations that leaves a scar, because ultimately, all the scars become Gypsy Rosalie. So we really, really worked on that, just like the unabashed, open hearted, wanting to be seen.

[17:07] Ilana Levine: And it's accomplished. I mean, it's so, it's so intimate. It's really watching like someone's inside heart, like rip out in front of you. And anyway, so that was one moment that, or moments that I just thought that's astonishing. This is a musical, like a huge musical. I'm not on stage with her. Like I'm far away. Right? Like I'm not, I mean, I would have liked to have been, I got a gimmick. Okay. So that is one, there's a way in which when you transition from the Louise that we have watched to this stripper, who is now Gypsy Rosalie, that unfolds in real time in front of us. Yet we're going through this flip book of emotion and growth and maturity, and it's all happening at once. And, you know, for the few people who, you know, who are watching this, and, you know, for the few people who saw the show having no idea what happened, I think their heads like fell off their bodies.

And, but if you even knew the story and you knew what was going to happen, it's why Louise had never been like a Tony winner before, until it was put into your hands and body and mind and heart and talent, because that transition is, I don't know that I've seen that before ever or before or again. So thank you. How do you do that?

[18:31] Laura Benanti: We, you know, that's something, again, Arthur and I talked about as, you know, that is the most important moment for my character, you know, for that character. And, you know, the, the, the ultimate, the betrayal of Rose to say, I will allow the daughter who I always ignored, who I will allow the daughter who stayed with me when the daughter that I showered with attention left me to say, go on stage and take your clothes off in front of a bunch of men. That was like, we discussed it. That was like the last laceration. That was the last wound. And so then all of a sudden to be out on stage in front of these men was so, so terrifying. And we picked, we chose a moment that I look into the audience and I imagined that this is the first time she's looking at a group of people and they are all looking back at her.

They're all paying attention just to her and to feel that, to feel that rush of power. And again, feeling seen for the absolute first time in your life. It's like she got hooked immediately. It's like heroin. It's like she took a drug. So, you know, to go from like a little girl in braids to this young woman in a dress, that's not hers, but she looks beautiful and looks like, you know, she's desirable in that moment to a lot of people. But to keep the innocence of her in that was the trick. You know, that it wasn't like, let me entertain you where all of a sudden it was like, oh, she's like also sexually desiring these people. Not at all. It really was more pure than that. It was like, oh, hi, you see me?

Hi. That's the feeling that we wanted to have. And then with each exit and entrance, we're seeing, like you said, the flip book, the time lapse of, of her growing into Gypsy Rose Lee. And the thing that we wanted to concentrate on ultimately in the end was her power and her anger. You know, that, that she grew into a very powerful woman who was in control through humor, through her body.

[21:12] Laura Benanti: And through, frankly, the disdain that she felt for these men. And through it all, she kept a relationship with her mother. So it was the thing we worked the longest on in rehearsals, but it was my absolute favorite moment to play because you would hear people in the audience gasping. They'd be like, they couldn't believe... It did feel like a magic trick. I'm not saying all my acting was so amazing, but the way that we did it, it did feel like you were witnessing something in real time that made people have a visceral response. Well, we're watching you in a cow suit, right? Right? It's not like... I said to the first act in cow pants in the bottom half of a cow outfit. Right. So to go from that to this unbelievably sexually confident, beautiful, in her body stripper.

Was that scary for you as a performer? Oh, totally. I related way more to Louise than Gypsy. And it's funny. Someone asked me one time when I came out of the stage door, why are you dressed like Louise? And it's because I was in big baggy clothes. I wasn't a sexually confident person or a confident person at all. So I really related more to Louise. Taking on the extreme confidence of Gypsy was the challenge for me. How did you do that? I mean, because I really didn't... At that point in the show, I'm glad it wasn't a movie. I'm glad that I got two and a half hours to grow into her or whatever it was. I just did it because I had to and she did it because she had to.

[23:18] Ilana Levine: So tell me about working, you and Patti and Boyd. I mean, the whole cast was glorious, but obviously that you were the trifecta, not just in terms of winning the Tonys that night, but in terms of winning the show together and going through that show together, which is a hard show. How did that relationship become just so wonderful for all of you?

[23:51] Laura Benanti: Because you have three actors who were not trying to steal a scene. You had three actors who were trying to build a scene together and that's rare. It's rare to have everyone in a scene dedicated toward making the scene the best it can be, not worried about their moment or this is my moment or are you upstaging me? Literally, at one point, Arthur was like, all three of you have your backs to the audience. What are you doing? But that was real. We were three people who were just really actively engaged in talking to each other. And Patti, most of all, I would have to be like, Patti, you're facing upstage because she's just so in the moment. So I think that because of that, we were united in a common goal and I don't know, we just loved each other. It's like, why does anyone fall in love? We fell in love with each other.

[25:01] Ilana Levine: Well, that is my question. Why does anyone fall in love?

[25:10] Laura Benanti: You know what? To that point, listening to me thank my ex-husband and telling him how much I love being married to him, I clearly don't know the answer to that question you just asked.

[25:24] Ilana Levine: That must be weird. I mean, it's all weird.

[25:27] Laura Benanti: It's, you know what it makes me feel sad about is like, oh man, okay, so when my daughter sees that for the first time, I'm going to also have to explain to her that I was married to somebody else. Daddy used to be named Stephen. It's so weird.

[25:43] Ilana Levine: So weird. Yeah, there's that. It's just life.

[25:49] Laura Benanti: It's just life. Life, baby, it's life.

[25:51] Ilana Levine: Yes, you mentioned Sondheim in your speech as well. Can you talk a little, obviously you've done Into the Woods together, which is just, you know, you got to do that play. You got to be Cinderella. I mean, it's incredible. Tell me a little bit about his involvement or lack thereof in this particular production and the cast recording, which also happened.

[26:18] Laura Benanti: Yeah, I mean, he and I, we'd done Into the Woods and A Little Night Music at the LA Opera. So I'd gotten an opportunity to work with him twice. He also is the reason why I wanted to be in musical theater. I remember "Sky" was my favorite song as a five-year-old child. That's how popular I was. But, you know, so for me, even hearing myself so inarticulately express my love, my deep love for him when I won the Tony. I didn't write a speech like an idiot. So I wish I had because in listening to it, I feel like I am a more articulate person than the person who spoke. That said, you know, I worship him and I still do. I just think he is our premier musical theater creator. He's remarkable. So he was involved a bit. He was not involved in a major way. As always, his notes were incredibly helpful. In my experiences with him, his notes were few to me, but very specific and very helpful.

[27:37] Ilana Levine: Do you have a specific memory of a note regarding your role in Gypsy?

[27:41] Laura Benanti: Not in Gypsy because I didn't really sing very much in Gypsy. Yeah. But he said some really, really beautiful things to me about my performance in Gypsy. But like in Into the Woods, he told me, he said, it's not something you never knew. It's something you never knew. And I was like, okay. And that's literally the only note he gave me. But I was like, yes. And you better believe that liquid you was on point. Yes. But that kind of specificity, like my God, the way your mind works, you're like, oh, that just opened up. Got it. That's a key. Thank you. Yeah. Totally. Yeah. No, he is a remarkable man, but he was not involved very much. I think he and Arthur had a complicated relationship, as so many creators of that generation did.

[28:36] Ilana Levine: Yeah. Yeah. And geniuses.

[28:41] Laura Benanti: A lot of geniuses. I mean, I know that the story goes, and maybe you can tell me if it's apocryphal or not, but that he had wanted to do the music and lyrics for Gypsy, but he was young. And so they, Arthur was like, we need Jewel Stein. And so that may have been part of why Gypsy was something he was less involved in on the daily. Maybe.

[28:59] Ilana Levine: Yes, that makes sense. Yeah. That makes a lot of sense to me.

[29:03] Ilana Levine: I wonder if you can tell me a couple of things. This is sort of like a lightning round of questions and answers. First of all, before I do these questions that I close out every episode with, is there anything else that you want to say, unprovoked by me, about the show, about the memory, the experience that just comes into your mind, because this is an opportunity to share it?

[29:28] Laura Benanti: You know, really, it was the most remarkable theatrical experience I've ever had. And it might remain so, you know, and it's just, it's an experience I treasure for so many reasons. But yeah, I think we touched on everything. You're very good at this.

[29:59] Ilana Levine: I treasure you, but you know that.

[30:03] Laura Benanti: So Laura Benanti. Yes.

[30:06] Ilana Levine: Who presented your award to you?

[30:10] Laura Benanti: Kristin Chenoweth.

[30:10] Ilana Levine: Who did you bring that night?

[30:17] Laura Benanti: My ex-husband and my mom and dad and my sister.

[30:17] Ilana Levine: What did you wear?

[30:23] Laura Benanti: I wore a Mark Bauer, red sequined, one-shouldered dress.

[30:30] Ilana Levine: Where is your Tony now?

[30:30] Laura Benanti: On top of my piano.

[30:35] Ilana Levine: What if you were like, under my pillow?

[30:39] Laura Benanti: Around my neck.

[30:39] Ilana Levine: Laura Benanti, you are a magical person. You are my David Copperfield and all the others. I treasure you as a human. I treasure everything you bring to the world with your heart and your activism. And your talent is astonishing. And I'm so honored to have had some time with you today on And the Tony Goes To. Did my heart good. I love you. Thank you for this.

[31:06] Laura Benanti: Of course.

[31:11] Ilana Levine: And the Tony Goes To is produced by Alan Seals for the Broadway Podcast Network. The music and lyrics for the theme song were written by Georgia Femusa. Theme song orchestration by Alexander Sage Oyen. Episodes are edited by Derek Gunther. Thank you to Parody Bill for the graphics. And please don't forget to go to the iTunes show page and rate and review the show. Thanks for listening. Excerpt from the Tony Awards used with permission of Tony Awards Productions.