'Dear Evan Hansen' Broadway star Ben Platt heads to Austin with Honeymind concert tour
We live in an age when we watch Broadway stars grow up before our very eyes.
And before we know it, they turn into the kind of adept TV, movie, concert and recording artists whose early accomplishments seem like mere promises of the full-throated triumphs to come.
Ben Platt, who brings his "Honeymind Tour" concert to Bass Concert Hall on July 12, belongs among those rarefied ranks, which includes Lea Michele ("Les Misérables" to "Funny Girl") and Jonathan Groff ("Spring Awakening" to "Merrily We Roll Along").
Platt is a special case.
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He started very early — before age 10 — playing youngsters in big stagings of classics such as "The Music Man" and "The Sound of Music," and then moved on to portraying youths in "The Book of Mormon" and the Broadway premiere of "Dear Evan Hansen," which rocketed him to fame and earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical in his early 20s.
He followed that staggering success with more stage work (such as the well-received revival of "Parade") and movies (including the transfer of "Dear Evan Hansen"), as well as television appearances, songwriting and recordings. (Interscope Records recently released "Honeymind," the titular album for his current tour.)
How do you top that? This year, Platt did so with a three-week, blow-out series of concerts at New York City's legendary Palace Theatre, home to greats such as Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Will Rogers, Harry Belafonte, Shirley MacLaine and Diana Ross.
Then on to tour the country, including Austin.
In the midst of all this madness, Platt answered a few of our questions. This interview was edited for clarity.
'The formula is there is no formula'
American-Statesman: As a performer who achieved major success at an early age, what advice do you give to young aspirants, such as Langston Lee, the Austin-area student from Rouse High School who won the national Jimmy Award in 2023? (Platt spoke at the awards.) Is there a formula for surviving all that with your mental and emotional health intact?
Ben Platt: The formula is that there is no formula. Stay in touch with your own individuality.
People are investing in what it is that makes them different. I think it's very easy when we're talking about musicals. There are preconceived roles to try to fit into, you know, lanes that have worked before. I think that can sort of diminish people.
That extends to all parts of the industry, to, you know, being a songwriter or an artist or being in film. When you walk into an audition room, the more that you can home in on what it is that you're going to bring energetically that no one else is going to bring.
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If we're talking about being a singer, you can't sing without your instrument, so it has to be a priority to take care of your voice and hydrate and eat well. Take supplements and don't put yourself in a position where you're going to be misused. That can be a lifelong commitment.
Always prioritize your well-being.
'There's no finish line'
Since you came out at a relatively young age to your family, then to your fans, what do you say to kids who are figuring out who they are?
Be yourself. There's no finish line, and you need to be constantly figuring things out. Try to surround yourself with people who support your individuality and your queer identity.
On the concert tour
What can audiences expect on your new tour and on July 12 at Bass Concert Hall?
What's fun about this tour is that I can now be slightly more focused on myself and my work, but I've kept a couple of musical theater covers. And a couple of covers from James Taylor and Joni Mitchell.
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The audience can expect a band that's been working together now for almost two months, so we're all very synergistic. And we've got the "Honeymind" song from the new album and some from first two albums. And then of course, the musicals, you want to cap it off with those.
On 'Merrily We Roll Along'
Can you give us any insights into Austin-based Richard Linklater’s multiyear project “Merrily We Roll Along,” which I understand has already started filming? Does it help or hurt to have the imprint of the hit Broadway revival of the once-failed Sondheim show on the minds of viewers, or will they have put that aside by the time the Linklater project is done?
I think it's totally irrelevant, because the film won't come out for another 15 years. I don't know, there will probably be another (revival) by the time this movie comes out.
It's very uncharted territory, so I don't really know what it will feel like. It's interesting to see what comes of it. I feel just lucky to be involved with this one-of-a-kind piece, because I love it.
'Ben Platt: The Honeymind Tour'
When: 8 p.m. July 12
Where: Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas Campus
Tickets: Start at $39.50
Info: texasperformingarts.org
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ben Platt tells us what to expect at his 'Honeymind' concert in Austin
