BWW Q&A: Jodi Benson on GYPSY at OFC Creations Theatre Center

Gypsy continues OFC’s 2024-2025 Broadway In Brighton Series with a focus on bringing beloved shows and stories of heroes of generations to the stage, many that are not typically performed in Rochester. The series also includes Anything Goes and closing out the 2024-2025 season will be the hugely popular Jersey Boys, produced locally for the first time.

OFC Creations has been a fixture of the Rochester, NY performing arts scene since 2005. After opening the 260-seat OFC Creations Theatre Center in 2020, OFC has continued to expand with the largest educational theater program for young actors in New York State, opening an immersive theatrical restaurant and cabaret performance venue in 2022. The 2024-2025 season marks the second year of the Broadway in Brighton Series, a professional regional theater season guaranteeing theatrical excellence for audiences.

Gypsy runs January 30-February 16, 2025 at OFC Creations Theatre in Rochester, NY.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.ofccreations.com/gypsy.

Jodi Benson is best known for providing the voice of Ariel in Disney's 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid, as well as many other Disney works. Benson also filled in for Paige O'Hara as the voice of Belle in House of Mouse and voiced the character Barbie in the second and third films of the Toy Story franchise (1999-2010), and in the Toy Story Toons short Hawaiian Vacation (2011). For her contributions to Disney, Benson was named a Disney Legend in 2011.

Benson gave voice to the spirited "Weebo" in Disney's live action Flubber, starring Robin Williams. For Warner Bros., she did the voice of the title character in Thumbelina in 1994, a Don Bluth animated feature film with songs by Barry Manilow. Her other projects include Secret of the Wings, Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure, Balto: Wolf Quest, and Balto III: Wings of Change. She appeared as Patrick Dempsey's assistant Sam in Disney's live-action feature film Enchanted. While being a Disney Legend, she also voiced Jane Doe and Patsy Smiles in Cartoon Network's Camp Lazlo. She also voiced the character Tula in Hanna-Barbera's animated series The Pirates of Dark Water.

Ms. Benson received a Tony Award and a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for creating the starring role of Polly Baker in the Tony Award winning Broadway Gershwin musical Crazy For You. Jodi was thrilled to recently star as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! at Steinmetz Hall in Orlando and as Rose in Gypsy with the Gulf Coast Symphony playing opposite her daughter, Delaney, starring as Louise. 

Other Broadway credits include: creating the starring role of Doria Hudson in the Howard Ashman/Marvin Hamlisch musical Smile, Betty Bursteter in Cy Coleman’s Welcome To The Club, and Virginia in Kenny Ortega’s Marilyn: An American Fable. Internationally, Ms. Benson has had the honor of sharing the stage with her husband Ray Benson in the European Premiere of Gershwin’s My One and Only, starring as Miss Edythe Herbert.

On the concert stage, Benson has performed as a concert soloist with symphonies all over the world, including The Boston Pops, The Philly Pops (conductor: Peter Nero), The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (conductor: John Mauceri), The National Symphony (conductor: Marvin Hamlisch), Cleveland, Dallas, Tokyo, and the San Francisco and Chicago Symphonies. She starred in the Kennedy Center Honors for Ginger Rogers, and in Disney's Premiere in Central Park with Pocahontas, The Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Spectacular and Disney's 100 Years of Magic. Benson is the resident guest soloist for the Walt Disney Company/Disney Cruise Line and ambassador for feature animation.

What draws you to the character of Rose Havoc in Gypsy?

I love Rose’s heart, drive & passion for her daughters and their futures. Rose is such an incredibly complex character and a very challenging role to tackle. There’s a heartbroken little child that lives inside of her that has never been healed and that greatly affects how she interacts with her daughters, Herbie and others.

How do you approach reprising a role you've played before, like Rose in a new production?

I’m so thankful to have another opportunity to delve into the character of Rose. I’m grateful to have 2.5 weeks of rehearsal to really dig into the scene work with Delaney and the rest of the cast. In our previous production, we only had 5 days to block the entire show and learn all of the staging and choreography! So I'm really excited to have another chance at telling Rose’s story.

What is it like sharing the stage with your daughter, Delaney, in Gypsy?

Sharing the stage once again with Delaney is truly a dream come true! She is the ultimate professional. Delaney is so incredibly talented, so kind, giving, supportive and creative. I feel so safe on stage with her. I have total freedom as we work together to let go and take chances, to take risks. The whole process of creating together in rehearsals and on stage is so life giving to me, so encouraging and comfortable. I am so very excited & thankful to work with Delaney again.

How have your experiences as a voice actor influenced your performances on stage?

For me, whether I’m in the recording studio, singing at The Hollywood Bowl in front of 18,000 people or on stage in a musical - I am fully committed to being a storyteller and to connect with the material in every way. I love all aspects of storytelling and every experience is so fulfilling. As a voice-over actress, conveying all of your emotions just through your voice can be challenging at times, and that skill is helpful when I’m on stage if physical movement is limited.

What are some of the challenges and rewards of working in both animation and live theater?

I mentioned the challenge of communicating every feeling and thought just through your voice in the recording studio can be difficult at times, but very rewarding when you finally get that truthful, solid take. A fun reward in the voice over world is that you don’t have to worry about your hair, makeup or clothing, and I love that! I can go to work in a baseball cap and braids-yay! The challenge for me in live theater and on the concert stage is grasping onto that same freedom that I have in the recording studio. The freedom to fail and make mistakes. I can make a ton of mistakes in the recording studio and land on great work, but I can’t do that on stage. So finding freedom on stage without making mistakes is the goal!

What can audiences expect from the upcoming production of Gypsy?

My hope is for audiences to join us for a night to get away from their daily responsibilities and pressures and let this incredible story, iconic music and amazing cast carry them into our wondrous world.

How does it feel to be part of OFC Creations Theatre Center's 2024-2025 Broadway In Brighton Series?

I am so excited to join OFC Creations Broadway in Brighton Series and share the stage with my daughter Delaney and the rest of the talented cast, to work with Eric & Hunter, the wonderful creative team and crew and share this iconic musical, Gypsy with the audiences! This is such a role of a lifetime and I’m very honored and grateful to have this opportunity!

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