Tony Winner Beth Leavel pays a visit to Behind the Awards to chat all things Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends. Beth talks about working with Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga and what to expect at the Samuel J Friedman theater. Beth also talk about working on The Prom. Drowsy Chaperone and Gypsy. She also gives an answer to the burning question do you go the Yankee game or see Angela Lansbury in Mame when you visit NYC at age 11.
Also in this episode Angela Lansbury Tony win for Blithe Spirit and a review of Boop!
Beth Leavel is a Tony Award-winning stage and screen actor, who was last seen on Broadway as The Baroness in Lempicka.
For her performance as the title character in The Drowsy Chaperone, she received Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and LA Drama Critics Awards. She also received Tony, New York Outer Critics Circle and other nominations for her roles as Dee Dee Allen in The Prom and Florence Greenberg in Baby, It’s You.
On Broadway, Beth also originated the roles of June Adams in Bandstand, Emily in Elf, Mrs. Bixby in The Civil War and Tess in Crazy For You. Other Broadway credits include Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia!, Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Dorothy Brock in the revival of 42nd Street, Ellie in Hal Prince’s Show Boat, and Anytime Annie (her Broadway debut) in 42nd Street.
Other New York credits include starring as Lucille in the New York City Center Encores! production of No, No, Nanette, as well as the off-Broadway productions of Lone Star Love and Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays.
Regionally, Beth has performed some of the most iconic roles in musical theatre – from Mama Rose in Gypsy at The Muny and Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly at Cape Playhouse and The Muny, to Sally Adams in Call Me Madam at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, the Witch in Into the Woods at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, and Miss Hannigan in Annie at the Paper Mill Playhouse.
She also starred as Miranda Priestly in the Chicago premiere of the new musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, directed by Anna Shapiro and featuring music by Sir Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub and a book by Kate Wetherhead.
Beth has dazzled and delighted sold-out audiences with her cabaret act, which she has taken from 54 Below in New York City to other venues across the United States.
You might also recognize Beth from numerous commercials and TV shows/films, including Ghosts of Christmas Always, The Bite, Walking Dead: World Beyond and the final episode of ER.
She holds an MFA and an honorary PhD from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
Of all the roles she has played, on stage and off, Beth is most proud of being T.J. and Sam’s mom. She is helplessly in love with her husband, Adam Heller, and grateful to their cat, Malcolm, for keeping her sane over the past few crazy years!
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