Broadway veteran (& Kip's BFF) Betsy Werbel gives her "hot takes" on our 2024-2025 Season

 

As you all know we announced our “Stellar” 2024-2025 Season last week. I thought it would be interesting to get an unbiased opinion about our new season from someone outside of BTL. Cue Broadway veteran Betsy Werbel, who also works for Broadway Plus: The world’s first and only Broadway experience company, connecting you to the magic of theater through custom experiences that go above and beyond the ticket. For more information on Broadway Plus: www.broadwayplus.com

In full transparency, Betsy and I have been best buddies for over 20 years and were roommates for a long time during our Les Misérables touring days. In fact, she also played Huntsville with me when the show was here in 2004. How serendipitous is that?!

Before I ask for Ms. Werbel’s opinion on our new season, here a little information about her:

Betsy spent nine years in “Oz” as the Madame Morrible understudy/ensemble in Wicked on Broadway and on the National tour. Prior to Wicked, she performed for seven years in Les Misérables on Broadway and on the tour as well. Betsy made her Carnegie Hall debut in Jerry Springer: The Opera. Proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Now let’s move on to Betsy’s “hot takes” on our newly announced season!

Hello BETSIA (my nickname for Betsy)! I’m going to force myself to stay on topic here, otherwise our readers will get really bored listening to us digress into a million inside jokes that we have developed over the past 22 years. So… Our first show of the season is Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. Give me your quick hot take on it.

I absolutely loved it! I saw Tina on March 11, 2020, literally the night before Broadway shut down for 18 months. Which is still unbelievable to think that happened. Such a strange time. I was so invested in her story. If you’re a Tina Turner fan you must go and see this show. This music is the best of the best!

Excellent! I can’t wait to see it myself. Ok next, we have Clue – A New Comedy. I know you see everything, but this is a brand-new tour that hasn’t played NYC yet, so have you even seen it?

Not yet but I hear it’s hilarious! There was a very successful production at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2022, and the tour will be a re-mount of this staging with the same director and some of the same actors. I know Mark Price who played Wadsworth at Paper Mill and will be reprising his role on the tour. Also, my friend Joanna Glushak plays Mrs. Peacock. We were in Les Misérables together on Broadway. I really want to see it!

Next, we have the much anticipated Six: The Musical. Yay or Nay?

YAY of course! The awesome music, cool costumes, and the talent up on that stage… it’s like going to the best rock concert. It’s the Spice Girls meets Beyoncé. 90-minutes with no intermission of your adrenaline pumping, perfect! Besides the beheadings it’s great fun.

In our 4^th slot we have Mamma Mia! Are you an ABBA fan?

I mean, who isn’t? It’s the 25^th Anniversary tour and this cast is spectacular. My co-worker’s husband was involved in the casting process and reports they hired a very high caliber Broadway company of actors. And our dear friend Victor Wallace from Les Misérables plays the male lead, Sam. In fact, he was the final Sam on Broadway.

YES! I’m so excited that he will be playing here in Huntsville with the show. Victor and I have been friends since 1996. There are so many stories! Ok, got to refocus again. Ha!

Next, we have the family classic Peter Pan flying into Huntsville. Thoughts?

I’m a HUGE fan of this show! It’s the first show I was ever in when I was a child. Peter Pan was the show that inspired me to do theater for the rest of my life. I love its beautiful message: Imagination! Fascination! Hope! I could see this show over and over again. You must bring your children to see this one because it might give them the same inspiration it gave me all those years ago. It was life-changing for me.

And finally, we are closing out our season with Les Misérables. Personally, when I think of Les Mis, and the history you and I have with the show, together and separately, my mind is literally flooded with a million wonderful and profound memories. What about you?

I spent seven years of my life with Les Mis. And those were also seven, very formative years for me as an actor and more importantly as a person. I have taken many life-long friendships with me from my Les Mis days. Especially including yours – I love you Kipley! And Jim Athens of course! People ask me all the time, Les Misérables or Wicked? Which is your favorite? Well, they both changed my life so much and I deeply love them both. But there will always be an extra special place in my heart for Les Misérables.

Thank you BETSIA for sharing your insights and your unique perspective about our 2024-2025 Season. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go lock myself in my office and cry some happy/sad tears about how much Les Misérables has shaped my entire damn life. Haha.

Betsy - far left pointing; Kip - under Enjolras' right arm holding gun; "One Day More"

Betsy front & center - "Lovely Ladies"

Betsy & Kip in Sedona, AZ