Interview: Laura Osnes Reflects on Her Journey to Broadway Ahead of Feinstein's/54 Below Show THE PATHS NOT TAKEN, and Why THE BANDSTAND is More Relevant Than Ever

Laura Osnes' journey to Broadway was anything but ordinary. Having competed on the reality series GREASE: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT, she went on to win and make her Great White Way debut as a brunette Sandy in 2007. She proceeded to make craterous impressions on Broadway, replacing Kelli O'Hara in Lincoln Center's SOUTH PACIFIC, as well as originating the role of Bonnie in BONNIE & CLYDE, earning the first of her Tony nominations, followed by the titular Cinderella in Broadway's first production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, for which she earned her second.

Osnes will return to Feinstein's/54 Below on November 27, kicking off a string of four shows in which she travels down the roads that might have been, performing songs from roles she nearly booked but, for one reason or another, never came to be. BroadwayWorld chatted with the sweet-as-pie multi-talent about why her forthcoming Broadway gig, THE BANDSTAND, is a vital piece of theater, her co-star Corey Cott, and the inspiration for her unusual cabaret premise (here's a spoiler: Osnes keeps a literal binder in her closet labeled "Songs I Learned for Auditions").

This interview has been edited for content and length.

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You're returning to Feinstein's/54 Below with an updated version of your show, THE PATHS NOT TAKEN. What can audiences expect this time around?

I loved the idea of this show. I did it almost two years ago, so it's been a while. All songs from roles that I almost got to do in my career but I never did. Either I made it to final callbacks and didn't get the role, or perhaps I got an offer for it but decided to do something else instead, so it was a path not taken on my journey. What's really fun is that I learned all of those songs, and then I never got the chance to show them to anybody. It's fun for me to get to imagine what might have been or, if I had chosen a different path, bring the audience on that journey with me. Obviously, in the past two years, there have been new things that I didn't get, or other decisions I had to make, so we've added things [to the show] that have happened in the last two years. Plus, my music director Fred Lassen and I are working on some new arrangements of some of the songs. Last time, we pretty much did the songs verbatim of how you might see them in the show, and we're kind of playing around with if we could be a little more creative with the arrangements.

That's such a unique concept for a show. Where did the idea come from?

I had done two solo shows prior to this one, and I did the kind of autobiographical one at the [Café] Carlyle, of songs I like to sing and sharing my stories. This [idea] came up because I literally have a binder in my closet of songs I learned for auditions. I was like, "I wonder if this could ever be turned into something." And again, it's things I never got to see through in performance. It's things I sang in an audition room and imagined myself possibly becoming, that never happened. So that's literally what inspired this. I have a binder of music in my closet that's songs I learned for auditions--- that's literally what it's called. I have it labeled!

You've performed solo many times, but even now, is the notion of performing as yourself and not as a character still intimidating?

Yes, it is. I'm starting to get more comfortable at doing it. I haven't actually been in a show in a while now. BANDSTAND closed at Paper Mill Playhouse last year at this time. So I have basically been doing concerts all year. I'm starting to feel more at home in that scenario and doing this genre of performance, but it's definitely still tricky because you're so vulnerable. You're just yourself, and even if you're with an orchestra---and that's also intimidating for what it is because you're singing with this gigantic orchestra---or if you're in a cabaret setting, it's all stripped down. You have nothing to hide behind. You have no theatrical elements to really help assist you in your entertainment value. It's trusting that you're enough and that people are interested in coming to see you in a stripped down and intimate setting where they can be close to you and they want to see you for you and hear your stories and not see you as a character. I've definitely learned that. I'm still learning that. It's an ongoing learning process, but it's what I've been doing the last year and a half or two years, more so than theater.

What are the major differences between performing with an orchestra somewhere like Carnegie Hall and performing in a cabaret setting like Feinstein's/54 Below?

I love them both, to be honest. There's something so special about getting to sing with a full orchestra. We don't get that opportunity often. To have 50, 60, 70 instruments in these orchestras, it's amazing. And to get to play those historic venues like Carnegie Hall and various outdoor band shells, it's super exciting and really special. But then the cabaret venue is so fun because your audience is right there. It's a chance to have this intimate interaction with people and it's a chance to affect people in a little bit different and more personal way. The cabaret thing is really fun because you do get to show a lot of personality and my music director and I have conversations and we can be ourselves to the point where we can kind of be off the cuff because we know each other that well. It's really fun whereas the orchestral stuff is usually a little more professional---you have a gown on---which is really fun for what it is, but cabaret, there's something really fun about the intimacy and the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants aspect of it.

You clearly do many different things in theater. Is it intentional for you to have a diverse role within the community?

Yes, it definitely is for me. And I think as a musical theater performer, the more diverse you can be, the better. That's what's great about the cabaret concerts. I'm doing legit soprano stuff, I'm doing belty stuff, I'm doing folky/pop stuff. I get to show all the sides to me and my voice, and that's absolutely goal. I want to be able to go, "Hey, I can do Disney, I can do belty--- whatever you want, I got it!" As musical theater performers, that's kind of what's demanded of us. To be versatile and an expert of all trades is helpful to have a successful career, and the cabaret setting is a fun arena to get to display that.

You are also the PopsEd ambassador, which is wonderful. Can you talk about your involvement and why it's an important cause?

Yes! I was so honored to be asked. The New York Pops has a PopsEd education program that's been running since 1991 so this is the 25th anniversary of, specifically, the Kids in the Balcony program, which gives 100 tickets to each New York Pops subscription concert performance at Carnegie Hall to kids across the five boroughs of New York, which is absolutely incredible. It's such a great opportunity for kids to get to come and experience music at a young age, kids who may not get that opportunity otherwise. The Kids in the Balcony program is part of the PopsEd education that New York Pops does and they asked me to be spokesperson for the 25th anniversary of Kids in the Balcony. We're just trying to spread awareness about it because over the past 25 years more than 37,000 students have attended the concerts free of charge. It's a cause I can absolutely get behind. I remember seeing my first theater show, my first concert in Minnesota where I grew up. My dad took me a couple times to see orchestral concerts and I think the gift of music is something everyone should be able to experience. Seeing those concerts at a young age, for me, definitely inspired a love of music in me, so to be able to pass that on to this generation of kids is really vital.

Moving on to THE BANDSTAND, which has announced a Broadway transfer this spring after a run at the Paper Mill Playhouse last year. For those who may not know, can you describe a bit about the show and who you play?

I am so extremely excited. I believe in the story and the show so much. I can't wait to finally share it with the world on Broadway. The show takes place in 1945 post-World War II. This group of vets returns from the war and form a swing band to compete in a radio broadcast competition. My character is a war widow, my husband died in battle and Corey Cott's character was best friends with my husband overseas. He's charged with checking in on the wife, and I get roped into being the singer of the band. This story follows their relationship with each other, and with the music, essentially growing to heal them. Yes, it's a happy-go-lucky swing musical, but it's not just that. It's really deep and deals with issues of PTSD and how these soldiers were really messed up from what they experienced. They were treated as heroes when they got back, and they felt the furthest from that. It's still such an important story. It's still incredibly relevant. I think we all know someone in our lives who has had to be a part of war or who is in the Army or Navy or Air Force. It has something for everybody and it's a heart-wrenching piece, for sure.

And it's an entirely original musical.

Brand new! It's based on no book, no movie, it's a completely original score and completely original characters. It's obviously based on real events--- World War II happened in our history, but it's completely original which is so exciting and fulfilling as an artist to get to create this role from nothing and be a part of it from the beginning.

Is it important for you to try and work on original musicals?

I think, as an actress, that's the most exciting thing to do. Obviously revivals are great and, yes, I have dream roles from shows that already exist, but the coolest thing is to get to create the role. Having done that with Bonnie [in BONNIE & CLYDE] and doing all the readings and going out of town, to finally see that to Broadway was incredible. I wouldn't change that for the world. I got to originate that role. I am the voice on the [cast recording] that everyone will listen to for Bonnie. Cinderella felt kind of like a new musical because it was the first time it was being done on Broadway and our script was rewritten, but there have been many Cinderellas. The musical has been around for 50, 60 years. Something like this, it's completely original and, again, I will get to be the voice of Julia Trojan 'til the end of time. That's really cool.

How has it been working with your BANDSTAND costar, Corey Cott?

Oh my gosh, I love Corey so much. We've been friends for several years so to get to finally do a show together is really fun. I just saw him yesterday and we got together with Andy Blankenbuehler, our director, and just brainstormed and talked about the show and it was really exciting. I respect Corey so much. He's obviously such an amazing talent, but he's also an amazing person and he's a great leader of our company and he's also super passionate about the show. It's an incredible vehicle for him. His fans are going to be blown away by him in this show. He gets to show new colors and talents that people haven't seen from him yet.

As you said, in THE BANDSTAND you will be originating a role and, of course, you have recreated iconic roles. Can you talk about what's challenging and what's rewarding about both creating and stepping into roles?

Each of them comes with their own challenges and different exciting things to get to tackle. Doing an iconic role like Sandy in GREASE, at the end of the day you have to bring yourself to the role and be truthful to what's on the page. I know that I'm not Olivia Newton-John, and everyone has that vision in their brain. I think what kind of helped break that and the expectation to live up to that was, well, first of all, I got to be brunette Sandy. I think people were like, "What? Okay, my view of this character has to be shattered for the whole rest of the show because she's going to be brunette." Part of it was fun because I did that reality show, so people were coming to see Laura Osnes as Sandy anyway, hopefully not expecting Olivia Newton-John. Shattering expectations and realizing at the end of the day that, if you're giving a truthful performance, that's what's more important than what a character looks like or even acts like. I've done Dorothy in THE WIZARD OF OZ and, again, no one can be Judy Garland. It's knowing that performance and paying homage in a way but knowing you can't replicate it and shouldn't replicate it! We're artists. That's the fun part of being creative.

And replacing is a whole other thing. I got to replace Kelli O'Hara in SOUTH PACIFIC and that was another thing where I was like, I don't want to reinvent the role, she was nominated for a Tony Award, she must be doing something right with this role. So, again, I'm going to honor her performance and honor the piece, as best as I know how, but obviously bring myself to the role. And then again, getting to create is just so cool because the role feels like it's being written around you, opposed to you coming into a role that already exists and formulating a relationship with that character. Getting to originate feels like the role is being written more around you. There's a unique sense of ownership over roles that you get to create.

The last question I want to ask is cliché but I am still going to ask: Looking back at your time in the business, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

What I always say, and I think the lesson I had to learn was, be patient. For instance, I didn't get Sandy at community theater when I was in high school and I was so upset about it. Who would have thought that, four years later, I would win a national competition to play the role on Broadway? Little did I know! Yes, I faced rejection at a young age and I didn't get all the roles I dreamed of and wanted and learning to handle that with humility and with grace was a lesson that I think all actors have to learn, to be honest. Rejection is part of the business. Learning that at a young age and learning to handle that and still dream big and believe in the gifts that I have been given and the things I want to do with my life, I feel like it came full circle. That gift was given to me, it just wasn't the right time. That's what I would say: Kids who are not getting the lead in their high school show or they're not cast in their college show and they have to work on the set, things like that, learn all you can. Take every opportunity and experience. Be in the ensemble. Work backstage. Be an understudy. I'm so glad I had all of those experiences growing up. That prepared me to be a leading lady on Broadway!

Be patient and I always say---this sounds cliché, too--- be true to yourself. We spend our whole lives as actors trying to be what people want us to be. At the end of the day, you'll be the most genuine and most believable and most compelling performer if you're trying to be your best self and you're bringing yourself to everything, opposed to trying to be what people want you to be.

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Laura Osnes plays THE PATHS NOT TAKEN at Feinstein's/54 Below through November 30. For tickets and reservations, visit www.54below.com.