Jackie Burns on Being Mistaken for Idina, Learning to Love Blazers & Taking Center Stage in If/Then

If/Then’s “blazing supernova” Idina Menzel is taking a few well-deserved days off this week—wait, don’t break out the tissues and start sobbing just yet! Menzel’s stellar standby Jackie Burns is stepping out of the wings and taking center stage November 11 through 13, playing Elizabeth in the hit musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Broadway.com chatted with the Wicked and Hair alum about her favorite things to do backstage, the (sometimes weird) stuff fans say to her at the stage door and her newfound love of blazers.

As a standby, you get to hang out in the theater every night. What are your favorite things to do while passing the time?
I do a seven-minute workout with a bunch of the guys in the ensemble, that’s my workout for the day and it’s very fun. It’s funny, I thought I would get all this stuff done—learn a new language or something. But you hear the show the whole time so you can’t really concentrate!

What’s more challenging: Starring in Wicked every night, or never knowing when you’re going to go on in If/Then?
It’s like tossing a coin—playing Elphaba, I lived like a nun. I couldn’t go out and have late nights partying or drinking with my friends. With If/Then, that’s not the case. I can go out and have a drink and I have more energy during the day. I’m redecorating my apartment because I have the time and energy now to do so. But as a standby, you don’t have that rehearsal process—you’re sitting in the corner writing down notes. It’s hard when you don’t have that attention that you’re used to having. It’s definitely a much harder job in that respect.

Did you get any interior design tips from Liz/Beth's apartment?
I’m very light and airy and beachy so it’s not really my style, but her wardrobe has rubbed off on me. It’s reintroduced me to blazers, I love a good blazer! I never used to think that you could dress up jeans with a blazer, and that’s such a great piece that you can incorporate.

How many times have you played the role so far?
12 and a half.

Tell me about that first half performance you did—you went on in a rush, right?
It was the very first time I ever went on. Idina’s a rock star and she never calls out. But right after we’d opened, we hadn’t started rehearsals yet for understudy and standbys, so I hadn’t had a rehearsal of my own put-in. But Wednesday night she was so sick, and she pulled through the first act, but then the second act was even worse and she just couldn’t do it. So I went on the second act, never having sung those songs on a stage before, and the next thing you know I'm doing it with the actors that do it every night in front of thousands of people, with the orchestra and the lights and the sound, and I had never heard or seen any of them before! [Laughs.] It was so nerve-wracking.

Has anyone said anything rude to you about the fact that you’re not Idina Menzel?
Absolutely. One time I was on for a matinee and I didn’t know if I was going to be on for the evening yet, and there were some people at the stage door from London. They were like, “Oh God, I really hope you’re not on, I’m gonna be so mad if you’re on. I came all the way from London to see Idina and it’s gonna ruin my whole vacation if you’re on.” I understand, I would be upset if I traveled to see a star, but sometimes I think people forget that I have to have the thankless job of going on and being that disappointment. [Laughs.] This job has definitely been a very humbling and skin-thickening experience.

You have to admit, you and Idina do look alike. Does anyone ever think you're her?
It’s funny, there are people at the stage door that have seen the show with me in it and we’ll have a whole conversation where they’re like, “Oh, you’re so wonderful, I love you so much.” And then at the end of the conversation, this one guy was like, “You were so cute on Jimmy Fallon the other night.” Even after I told him, he still couldn’t believe I wasn’t her!

See Jackie Burns in If/Then November 11 through 13 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.