Tony Award-winning Broadway star Beth Leavel shares her exceptional voice, infectious sense of humor and ability to make each audience member feel as if she’s singing to them alone to Live at the Orinda!, set for Nov. 8.
A phenomenal artist with a sparkling personality brightens Orinda this November, bringing with her another reason to be thankful this holiday season. The Tony Award-winning Broadway star Beth Leavel shares her dynamic voice and exceptional storytelling talents Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. at the Live at the Orinda! concert series.
Leavel doesn’t just sing a song, she becomes the song, whether she’s singing a role in a musical or in her cabaret act.
“That’s the only way to story-tell to me, truthfully. You need to relate to the song and be a part of it, not just sing it,” Leavel said. “I’ve been so lucky to do such great roles in shows like ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ and ‘The Prom’ that allow me to really become the characters.”
Surprisingly, Leavel didn’t do her first musical until she was a senior in high school in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“I don’t know how I’m an actor because no one in my family in North Carolina has done anything like that,” said Leavel. “But, following that high school role, I started auditioning at the Raleigh Little Theater, and it was like a light bulb went off for me. I had found my tribe.”
Leavel’s parents didn’t quite agree and hoped theater was just a passing fascination.
“My dad told me to take a typing class because that’s how I was going to make a living,” Leavel said.
Fortunately, she never had to worry about looking for work as a typist. When she completed her graduate theater degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1980, she also debuted on Broadway in “42nd Street.”
She went on to do 15 Broadway shows, winning a Tony Award for playing the title role in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” plus several Off-Broadway productions and a plethora of regional work, including Mama Rose in “Gypsy,” Dolly Levi in “Hello Dolly” and a wonderfully comic turn as Miss Hannigan in “Annie.”
Leavel and Meryl Streep must have a similar radar for finding fabulous roles. In 2019, Leavel starred as diva Dee Dee Allen in “The Prom” on Broadway with Meryl Streep playing the same part in the 2020 film. Then in 2022, Leavel starred as Miranda Priestly in the Chicago world premiere production of the musical “The Devil Wears Prada,” a part performed by Streep in the 2006 film version.
While musicals have always been her bread and butter, Leavel has also done several commercials, television shows/films and recently branched out to plays.
“I love doing plays and I’m glad people are willing to give me an opportunity to do something that doesn’t involve singing,” said Leavel. “But, conversely, it’s such a privilege to sing someone’s beautiful score. I’m just lucky to do both.”
In between doing two musicals and a new comedy this past summer, Leavel found time to workshop her new cabaret show, “As I Stumble Along – My Life in Theatre.”
Leavel credits her husband, actor Adam Heller (with whom she’s been sharing the stage recently) and her slightly overweight Tuxedo Kitty, Malcolm, with keeping her sane over the past few crazy years.
“Doing cabaret is one of the most personal, exciting and rewarding things that I have discovered late in my life,” Leavel said. “Orinda will be my test audience for parts of the new show, so please be kind. I’ll sing lots of songs and tell personal stories about my successes, but also the failures and what not to do at an audition if you want the role.”
“I’m really looking forward to coming to Orinda and getting out of New York,” Leavel said. “It’s been raining so much here that we’ve started to build Noah’s Ark.”
For tickets to Live at the Orinda!, go to orindamovies.com/live-at-orinda/.