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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 13 June 2018
'Supergirl' Melissa Benoist is 'coming home' to Broadway

By MARK KENNEDY allegations were made
NEW YORK (AP) — To get against him. He has denied
ready to play legendary any wrongdoing.
songwriter Carole King on Benoist calls the new
Broadway, Melissa Benoist set environment "really
had to learn her lines conducive to equality and
and complicated stage everyone has a say and
directions. Lyrics, not so that is something that I felt
much. change and going in the
The actress, who stars on right direction," she said.
the CW series "Supergirl," She added that the
has been listening to King "Supergirl" family is careful
since she was a kid, fed to discuss "what we're
a steady diet of classics saying to young girls, what
such as "So Far Away" and effect it's going to have on
"It's Too Late" from the them, what it means."
landmark album "Tapestry" "So the fact that that's a
by her parents. part of the conversation
"We would take road trips a every day makes me really
lot as a family when I was happy," she said.
a kid and each member of While she's hopeful that
the family got to pick the "Supergirl" and Carole King
music for an hour. My mom fans will come out and see
always put on Carole King her sing at the Stephen
or Linda Ronstadt or Joni Sondheim Theatre, Benoist
Mitchell but mostly Carole is a little worried about one
King. So I definitely had a person possibly showing up.
relationship," said Benoist. That would be Carole King
"Needless to say I didn't herself.
have any memorizing to do "I wouldn't want to know
when it came to learning In this June 10, 2018 file photo, Melissa Benoist introduces a performance by the cast of "Once on until afterward because I
the songs." This Island" at the 72nd annual Tony Awards in New York. wouldn't be able to sing for
Benoist will take all the help Associated Press her," said Benoist. "I can't
she can get as she makes imagine singing for her —
her Broadway debut wanted to come back to," Warner Bros. suspended show runner of "Supergirl," her own music, especially.
Tuesday in "Beautiful: The she said. "So I almost feel Andrew Kreisberg, an after sexual harassment But I hope I get to meet her.
Carole King Musical," which like I'm coming home in a executive producer and and misconduct I would love that."q
concentrates on King's way."
early years. The role Benoist Benoist actually accepted
is stepping into earned the offer of spending two
Jessie Mueller a Tony months on Broadway
Award. without first seeing the
"It's like a roller-coaster musical she was joining.
every day because I'll have She sought advice from
moments — high highs Broadway veteran and
where I'm like, 'I got this!'" "Supergirl" cast member
she said. "And then I have Jeremy Jordan, and trusted
other moments where I'm her ears.
watching someone else do "Who else could you say
it because I've been trailing yes without seeing it but
backstage or I'm looking Carole King? You KNOW
at the script and I think the music," said Benoist,
to myself, 'Why did I ever laughing. "I would never
agree? Why did I ever put forgive myself if I didn't say
myself in this position?'" yes."
Benoist is closing a circle in Producers Paul Blake and
a way. She grew up doing Mike Bosner said in an email
musical theater in Denver that they were "absolutely
and sang during the last ecstatic" to invite Benoist to
two seasons of "Glee." lead their show. "Then we
She got the offer to join saw her first performance
"Beautiful" while finishing and were completely
up Season 3 of "Supergirl" in blown away! She lights up
Vancouver. the stage whenever she
"I never expected to be walks on."
wearing a cape and in Benoist's stint on Broadway
a flying rig and playing a is limited since she's due
superhero. That was just not to return to film Season 4
on my radar. But I never, of "Supergirl," but Benoist
at the same time, gave up said she'll go back to a far
the idea of theater. It was different set environment
always something that I than a year or so ago.