-- On March 14, Chilina Kennedy celebrated her 1000th performance playing music superstar
Carole King in the Broadway smash beautiful to toast its remarkable
milestone. Qe invited the Canadian charmer to stop by and talk about her
some kind of wonderful three-year run.
--Thank you for coming in so good
to see you you.
--Oh it's my pleasure. Thanks for having me.
--You just hit like a crazy milestone we have to talk about this. You
played Carole King 1,000 times. --Apparently.
--More now that was like that already passed.
--That was last week. Now it's like 1004, 1005. --That's crazy. Did you
see that number coming? Were you aware that it was a thing?
---- I was aware
that it was in the vicinity. I couldn't member when it actually was. I think my
father and my mother were very you know big on keeping track, but I was
completely surprised, like the cast brought out balloons and flowers and
they you know at the end of the show they made a big like Evan made a big
speech, and I was I was so touched, it was really really sweet.
--I mean you're like a
like a Carol Channing. You're like one of those like iconic things now, like you
know people people come to New York they see the Statue of Liberty, they see the
Empire State Building, they see you as Carole King, I mean.
What does it mean to you as an actor to find a role like this and obviously it
gives you great joy and it sort of fills you up, but what does it mean to find
something that's clicked like this for you?
--I just feel incredibly grateful and
lucky. I mean I don't think I've ever found a role that A I've loved so much
and B that I could sustain for such a long period of time. I mean I think the
longest run I ever did was Mamma Mia for two and a half years on tour, but I
didn't play the same role the entire time. And this one it just it feels it
feels perfect. It feels great. It like you said it feels it fills me up, and the
audience's love it and it's got a really positive message, and I love my cast. I
love everything about it.
--I wonder I'm sure when you first got the
role you were sort of like amazing to get to sort of really you know dig into
this music that everybody knows and loves and sort of to pick your own
sort of spin on it, but what is it like years into it to to get to sing these
songs and do they still sort of live with you offstage or have they sort of
are they less special now, are they more of like your job, or do you still find
moments in the music?
--No I still find lots of moments in the music. and you
know listen going back and listening I don't do it as often now because I'm
it's it's so much more in my body, but I love going back and listening to Carol's
different recordings of certain songs that I do in the show because I hear
them differently now and especially when I give it a little bit of space and I
move away from it a little bit and then I come back and I listen to you know one
of her like her legendary demos, it changes it all. And then I hear somebody
else singing one of her songs and I hear a new you know way to phrase it or
whatever. It's just it's fascinating. I always I liken it to to a yoga practice,
I say this a lot, but I really do believe it. It's sort of like you know practicing
any kind of yoga or thing that you do every day like a meditation. You're a
different person every time you come to the mat. It's the same group of poses, but
you're a different human being you have a different you know set of you know
ideas and perspectives on the world and on yourself and on your body, and so I
think when you play a role this long you you know it's just like a practice.
--So, you're here. I'd love to hear you sing. We have a piano. Would you mind singing
us a Carole King's standard today?
--I sure will. --What are we gonna get?
--Natural Woman.
--Oh --Imagine you were like no.
--No that's the onw
I want! Let's do that. Let's do that.
--It's my favorite.
--Thank you so much. --Thanks.
--[singing "Natural Woman" by Carole King] Looking out on the morning rain,
I used to feel uninspired.
And
when I knew I'd have to face another day, Lord it made me feel so tired.
Before the day I met you,
life was so unkind. Your love was the key to
my peace of mind.
Cuase you make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel like a natural woman.
When my soul was in the lost
and found, you came along
to claim it.
I didn't know just what was wrong with me,
til your kiss helped me name it.
Now I'm no longer doubtful of
what I'm living for
cause if if I make you happy I don't need to do more
You make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel like a
natural woman. [Music]
Oh, baby, what you done to me?
You make me feel so good inside.
and I just want to be
close to you. You make me feel
so alive! You make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel like a natural
natural woman.
You make me
feel, you know you make me
feel, you make me
feel like a natural woman
[Music]
Natural wo-o-man..