Laura Benanti on Gypsy and Life

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:06pm

"The bad place," lol.
I really enjoyed the interview, she's so talented. I might just have to make a trip back to GYPSY to see her again.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:15pm

Yes, Laura, please do NOT visit the bad place, ever. You're not reading this, but don't do it.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:28pm

Great interview

"How about Patti LuPone?

Patti is the sweetest, gooiest, most exciting, most exuberant, least egomaniacal person I know. She is undeniably brilliant but she's also fun to be around. Her enthusiasm is amazing. She starts everything from a positive. Even a problem is a positive, because the problem can be fixed."

Wow. That was very nice of her to say.

[haddaddy3]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 5:00pm

She was so wonderfully truthful! And sweet, especially about Patti and her husband. Very nice! Thanks for sharing!

My Broadway Blog

Updated On: 3/31/08 at 05:00 PM

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 5:24pm

That was great. After much thought, and despite the fact that doesn't care, I now forgive her for that previous interview.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 6:33pm

What other interview?

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 6:36pm

After reading some stuff that obviously upset her, she was asked about internet message boards, and basically told everyone to get a life.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:22pm

Haha. Who could forget the "get a life." I love her now. and do believe it truly hurt her.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:30pm

I truly love this girl.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:34pm

I too agree that the message boards did hurt her. It is hard enough for an actor to avoid looking at places like this. When they know that they are going to be talked about. It is doubly hard for the person to read this and see bad things about them. I am not talking about Bananti alone. I am just talking about Broadway actors/actresses in general.

For her it must have been hard to read time and time again the constant theme of no one would want to hire you because you get injured in every show. That one must have stung.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:04pm

If you can't take the criticism, this ain't the business for you.

ETA: When nobody's announcing why someone is perpetually absent, what do they expect everyone to think? Updated On: 3/31/08 at 08:04 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:12pm

Wow, Yankee.

I thought you were a new fan of hers.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:17pm

Yes Yankee. But, there is a difference between taking the criticism and having no one believe what they are being told.

In other words, there were just as many people who had said that she was out with vocal problems in the wedding singer as there were people who had said that she was just out because she just wanted to be.

I remember reading the same similar things for nine and Into the Woods.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:38pm

In other words, there were just as many people who had said that she was out with vocal problems in the wedding singer

I was one of them. I CONSTANTLY spoke about her situation being misdiagnosed and how everything was linked to one injury.

Most responses mocked me and everyone was convinced that Laura was lazy and a "diva."

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:42pm

Does anyone have a link to her "get a life" comments??

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 9:00pm

Here you go:
http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18531289&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=569330&rfi=6

[winston89]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 9:26pm

FOAnatic, exactly.

The point that I was trying to make and it looks like I did successfully was that there were just as many people mocking her for being out sick as there were people who said that she was out for a good reason. That reason being the one major injury.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 10:36pm

I'm very much a fan of hers, and I do believe that her performance in GYPSY is an extraordinary, career-defining high that deserves every accolade which it will hopefully receive.

But the fact remains...her medical history was not reported until after everything had settled down. Until that point, there were no reports about whether or not she was ill or just slacking off (but the woman is a consummate professional, so anyone with even 1/4 of a brain who knows her knows it wasn't that.)

It's exactly the same as the Donna Murphy controversy. Murphy is a consummate professional, as well. EVERYONE knows that. Yet her medical problems were not reported, on the advisement of the producers who claimed that it would be better off in the long run if nothing was said.

Did they, they being the people in question and their advisors, not see backlash coming 4 miles away? Harsh? Extremely. But it's common sense.

And regarding my comment "if you can't take it..." that goes for every actor. If you can't take criticism, you're in the wrong business.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 12:17am

I love her and she's absolutely right: This IS a bad place and we SHOULD get lives.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 12:54am

What a wonderful interview. I saw Steven at a reading of Michael Arden's musical, EASTER RISING, and he does have a gorgeous voice. I look forward to seeing him on stage when his TV series ends.