Interview with Shoshana Bean!

So, If you know me at all, you know that I am the biggest Shoshana Bean fan. And I’m so excited to finally post my interview with her that she so generously agreed to do! (I honestly just nagged the poor woman to death.) If you’re not familiar with Shoshana Bean first, SHAME ON YOU. And second, she is an actress, singer, and songwriter. She's a Broadway veteran who is primarily known for shows such as Hairspray and Wicked, Beaches and Funny Girl. She also has 3 amazing solo albums. (Sho, thank God I’m not your publicist because wow I suck at promoting your work). I would argue that she is one of the most versatile performers out there today because of her desire to simply GIVE you something. To move you. Whether it’s live or recorded, you can hear/feel the honesty in every word she sings. Not to mention the fact that she can riff to the point where I question if she’s human. Aside from that, her level of commitment, inspiration, and transparency in every thing she does is something that we as young female performers can learn from. Alriiiiight enough gushing! Here’s the interview:

1) Often the media portrays women viscously trying to one up each other in their careers to gain success. However, the reality of it all can be quite different. What are some of your own experiences with women supporting the growth of your career and with learning how to support other women in their’s?

THAT HASN'T BEEN MY EXPERIENCE AT ALL. WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY ALLIES AND GREATEST SUPPORTERS, IN AND OUT OF THE BUSINESS. STARTING WITH UNDERSTUDYING MARISSA JARET WINOKUR IN HAIRSPRAY AND THEN STANDING BY FOR IDINA BEFORE I TOOK OVER FOR HER IN WICKED. THEY BOTH SUPPORTED AND ENCOURAGED AND SHARED VALUABLE INFORMATION, ADVICE AND LESSONS. MY CLOSEST FEMALE FRIENDS ARE ALL PERFORMERS, SINGERS, ARTISTS BY TRADE, AND WE ARE FIERCELY SUPPORTIVE OF ONE ANOTHER. BEING VULNERABLE WITH MY FELLOW FEMALE PERFORMERS, SHARING OUR TRIUMPHS AND OUR STRUGGLES OPENLY AND HONESTLY, HAS OPENED THE DOOR FOR A WHOLE WORLD OF NEW FRIENDSHIPS. WHEN YOU SHARE LIKE THAT YOU SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE, THAT THE EXPERIENCE IS SHARED AND IT CAN BE NOT ONLY COMFORTING BUT EMPOWERING. WE STRENGTHEN ONE ANOTHER.

2) During your time creating your own record label and working in the music business, how do you think women can be more supportive of each other in that industry?

IN MY EXPERIENCE I HAVE FOUND WOMEN TO BE THE MOST SUPPORTIVE IN THE INDUSTRY. I THINK IF WOMEN AREN'T SUPPORTIVE AND ARE RATHER COMPETITIVE, THEN THERE IS A SENSE OF A THREAT PRESENT FOR THEM. AND TO THEM I SAY, THERE IS NO COMPETITION. IN THIS GREAT BIG WORLD AND GREAT BIG INDUSTRY THERE IS ROOM FOR EVERYONE AS NO TWO PEOPLE ARE ALIKE AND NO TWO PEOPLE HAVE THE EXACT SAME THING TO SAY OR WAY IN WHICH TO SAY IT. EVERY ARTIST IS IMPORTANT AND MATTERS AND WILL RECEIVE THEIR TIME AND PLACE. I WOULD ALSO SAY THE SOONER YOU CAN GENUINELY BE HAPPY FOR OTHERS AND SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR ENDEAVORS, THE SOONER YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OWN SUCCESS. GENEROSITY IS THE MAGICAL KEY. A HIGH TIDE THAT RAISES ALL BOATS.

3) What character have you played that has challenged you the most creatively? In what ways have you grown from that experience?

I SUPPOSE FANNY BRICE. HARNESSING BOTH HUMOR AND HEART, CULTIVATING AND MAINTAINING THE ENERGY AND STRENGTH. . .I PRESSED MYSELF BEYOND MY OWN FEARS AND SELF-DOUBT, BEYOND JUDGEMENT AND CONTROL AND FOUND THE NEW CENTER OF MY ART. A CENTER THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY FOUND IN MY OWN MUSIC BUT HAD, AS YET, BEEN UNABLE TO FIND WITHIN THE CONFINES OF A MUSICAL. I GREW AND EXPANDED IN MY ABILITY TO BE FREE AND IMPERFECT, TO BE BRAVE AND EXPERIMENTAL IN MY PROCESS, TO BE FOCUSED AND STRATEGIC IN MY PREPARATION, AND TO BE A GENEROUS AND PROFESSIONAL LEADER WITHIN MY COMPANY.

4) You have a very distinctive voice and you are so confident in being authentically yourself vocally. What advice do you have for young performers who are trying to find their own sense of voice.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXPERIMENT WITH ALL STYLES AND NOT BE TOO RIGID IN YOUR CHOICES OR STAY TOO LOCKED IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE. I NEVER HAD ANY INTENTION OF BEING AN OPERA SINGER BUT STUDYING CLASSICAL VOICE WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE A HUGE PART OF MY ARTISTRY AS A VOCALIST. LIFE WILL GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE WHO YOU ARE, IT'S UP TO YOU TO STAY PRESENT AND AWARE AND ACCEPT YOURSELF. . .NOT TRY TO BE LIKE ANYONE ELSE BUT REALLY EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS.

5) The question that literally everyone wants the answer to: How do you produce whistle tones?

I DON'T HAVE A TECHNIQUE FOR IT, IT'S JUST KIND OF A FLUKE. . .SOMETIMES IT'S THERE SOMETIMES IT ISN'T. I DISCOVERED IT BY ACCIDENT JUST MESSING AROUND AND PUSHING MY RANGE FURTHER AND FURTHER, IT WAS NEVER A TECHNICAL CHOICE.

For more information on all upcoming performances, links to social medias, and purchasing of her albums, visit Shoshana's website here.