Backstage Pass: Ben Platt Shares His Tour Must-Haves, From Uncrustables to Martinis
What do Ben Platt and Travis Kelce have in common? A love of Uncrustables, for one.
“I always have Uncrustables in my dressing room because: (a) peanut butter has a lot of protein, and (b) it's a really comforting snack and makes all these unfamiliar places on the road feel very homey,” Platt, 30, reveals exclusively in his Backstage Pass feature in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
As for Kelce, 34, the NFL star shared his love for the pre-packaged PB&Js from Smucker’s on an episode of his and brother Jason Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights.”
“I eat an Uncrustables probably more than I eat anything else in the world,” Kelce said.
In addition to the nostalgic snack, Platt shared all of his tour must-haves and craziest backstage stories with Us as he wrapped up his Honeymind tour, which took him across the country this summer, singing his album of the same name.
The star-studded tour featured guest appearances by massive artists, from Sam Smith and Jennifer Hudson to Platt’s Pitch Perfect co-star and on-screen roommate, Skylar Astin.
“Thank you for letting me sing and perform and play my own music, it brings me the ultimate joy,” Platt wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 28, the day after his last show.
Keep scrolling for more exclusive backstage details from Platt:
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What’s your pre-show ritual?
“I do a FaceTime warm up with my vocal teacher, Lisa Kaplan, which is part stretch and part vocal warm-up,” Platt told Us. “Then I steam a little bit, put on some beautiful oil so my nails look shiny on stage, drink a lot of water and go on!”
What was your craziest concert or tour experience?
“I played Madison Square Garden in the past, which was amazing, and the Hollywood Bowl, which is where I had my first job, so that was a full circle moment to headline there,” Platt shared. “But on this tour, playing the Ryman — which is the mother church of country music, and especially being in Nashville, where I wrote my album — brought it back home to where the music was born. Getting to perform two nights at the Ryman was just amazing.”
Platt continued: “[It was] a vote of confidence for the music that I was trying to make, and it pays homage to music that I really respect and songwriters that I respect. There are a lot of good ghosts in there!”
What’s your favorite song to play live? What new song from your new album are you excited to play live?
“I think my favorite song to play live from this album is probably ‘All American Queen,’ just because it's so joyful and celebratory,” Platt told Us. “I think that queer people deserve the opportunity to just celebrate their specialness.”
The singer added that singing Joni Mitchell’s song “River” — which he sang as Payton Hobart on Netflix’s The Politician in 2019 — was another special moment for him.
“I get to sing Joni Mitchell on this tour, which I really love to do,” he said. “[‘River’] is another favorite to sing because it’s a very quiet pin-drop moment.”
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What’s your ideal afterparty?
“Panda Express! And either just Noah [Galvin, his partner] and I there, or three to five people who I’m very close with because I’m a very introverted person. And a vodka martini,” Platt told Us.
