Farewell, Carole! Tony Winner Jessie Mueller Looks Back on Her Wonderful Run in Broadway's Beautiful

In the corporate world, employees leaving a job are often asked to sit through an “exit interview” with HR about their time at the company. Although that concept doesn’t exist for Broadway performers, we love checking in with stars as they finish up a successful run. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical headliner Jessie Mueller will say farewell to her Broadway friends on March 6, when she plays her final performance as Carole King in the hit musical at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Below, the Tony-winner reflects on her “some kind of wonderful” time starring in Beautiful.

How did you feel when you first got this job?
Excited and honored but a little freaked out. I knew I had quite a task ahead of me.

How do you feel now that you’re leaving?
Proud. I am very proud of this show and the work that I've done. I've grown as a person, I think, because of the work. But it's bittersweet. This project has been the biggest of my life. It's been such a huge part of my being and my every day for a year and a half. Not to mention all the people I have met and the cast and crew who've become my wonderful crazy family for the past year. But they're family now, so they'll have to deal with the fact that I'll still be calling them. But mostly just Kevin Duda, to ask him for money.

What are three words you would use to describe your experience at the job?
Challenging, eye-opening, humbling.

What was the easiest thing about the job?
Singing that awesome music every night.

What was the hardest thing?
Doing eight shows a week.

What was the highlight of your time at this job?
Seeing Carole walk out from stage right in April, and watching all of my friends' faces as we "met our maker," so to speak.

What skills do you think are required for future job applicants?
Job applicants?! That just sounds funny.

What advice would you give to future employees in your job position?
Oh I get it now...it's like a REAL exit interview. See, us gypsies don't do this much. I have two words for you: foam roller. Use it. Love it. Stretch those pecs.

How do you think you’ve grown?
Still growing...learning about patience, forgiveness, steadfastness, stamina, so many things. Ask me again in a six months and maybe I'll have a clearer picture.

Why are you leaving?
I wanted to end my time here before I got burnt out. The show deserves that. Carole deserves that. I wanted to go out with a bang, with a freshness. I've never done a show this long. I hope I've succeeded in that. That, and I have to go stretch my pecs.

What will you miss the most?
Those moments onstage when I got lost in it all with my fellow cast members. This story is very special. It gets to people. And there were moments when that was palpable.