Tony Awards
Shoshana Bean admits that playing a mother in the Star Wars films was a challenge “on an ego level”. Hell's Kitchen
Bean is nominated for a 2024 Tony Award for best supporting actress for her performance in Alicia Keys' jukebox musical.
Shoshana Bean
Heather Gershonowitz
Two-time Tony nominee Shoshana Bean was nominated for Best Featured Actress at this year's ceremony for her performance as Jersey. Hell's KitchenThe accomplished actor has been performing on Broadway since 2000, but says acting in an Alicia Keys musical was no easy task.
“This role really challenged me in a lot of ways,” Bean says. “I think initially it challenged me on an ego level. [play] All of a sudden, I'm a mother. I've just played someone's child. So it's a really strange moment as a woman of a certain age to transition into a mother role. I've managed my whole life without ever playing someone's mother…. And playing supporting roles is always hard because I'm used to being on the train and driving all the time. You suddenly appear and disappear as a supporting character, and that creates a whole other level of difficulty.”
Bean made his Broadway debut as a performer in a one-night-only tribute concert. Dream First: A Tribute to Couragewho performed in the 2001 ensemble. Dream Girl The following year, she appeared in a concert. The actor has become a fan favorite in famous Broadway productions such as Elphaba. Evil And Jenna waitressShe played the role of Susan Young in the musical, for which she received her first Tony Award nomination. Mr. Saturday Night.
Bean was the first to play Jersey. Hell's Kitchenis set to premiere Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in 2023. Bean said that as the musical has developed over time, he has become more and more comfortable with his role.
“I've doubted myself as an artist, and I've wondered at times if I was the right person to be in this role and be in the show,” Bean says, “and once I got started on Broadway, everything started to feel so good and so right, and it all started to make sense. Everything just…I say effortless, and I say that not because it wasn't effortless, but because it was effortless. It just started to settle in, and it just metabolized a little bit. Once previews started and we started moving and opening night started, I just felt really proud of what I was doing onstage…The nomination feels like a lovely acknowledgement of that, but the most gratifying thing for me is knowing that I already felt it on the inside and now it's just an acknowledgement of it on the outside. For me, that's what makes it fulfilling.”
Read: Shoshana Bean and Maleah Joy Moon boldly lead Alicia Keys musical
The winners will be announced at the 77th Annual Tony Awards ceremony, which will be held at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on June 16. Tony Awards: Act Iand will be available to stream for free on Pluto TV. More details to be announced at a later date. 77th Tony Awards The show will air live on CBS at 8 PM ET (check local listings) and will stream live on Paramount+ (for Premium level subscribers). All Paramount+ subscribers will be able to watch the show on demand beginning June 17. Star of stage and screen Ariana DeBose will host for the third consecutive year.
For more information, visit Playbill.com/Tonys.
