Chilina Kennedy on Why Her Beautiful Debut Is Like Mountain Climbing (with Only One Bathroom Break)

Stepping into a headlining role in a hit musical is tough—just ask Canadian actress and Broadway alum Chilina Kennedy, who is succeeding Tony winner Jessie Mueller in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on March 7. But try doing it with a five-month-old baby. And 15 costume changes. And only one pee break (which we learned from Mueller is during “The Locomotion”). Broadway.com checked in with Kennedy right before her debut to find out if she's ready to become the Great White Way's new "Natural Woman."

Well?! Are you ready for Saturday night?
I will be! I don’t think I could ever feel truly ready, but I’m ready to jump in with an open heart.

Carole barely leaves the stage and has about 5 million costume changes—how are you navigating it all?
When I first saw the show, I was overwhelmed. If she’s not onstage, she’s probably doing a quick-change. There’s one bathroom break in the entire show, and that’s it. So you really have to be focused. But when you’re looking at a mountain, you can’t think of it as a mountain. You climb a mountain one step at a time. You don’t take over the whole mountain at once, right?

Who's coming to cheer you on at your first show?
My wonderful partner [actor Jacob James], who I’ve known for over 20 years. We’re getting a babysitter so that’ll be fun. And his godmother, who just turned 80 yesterday, is flying all the way in from Canada.

You were pregnant during your Beautiful audition. Is it tougher to sing when you’re expecting?
It was harder to sing earlier than it was later on, ironically. I worked all the way through my pregnancy—I was a pregnant Nellie Forbush in South Pacific [at the Huron Country Playhouse in Ontario] in a bathing suit! But Carole has a five-month-old in the show, and I have a five-month-old now. It’s funny how it works out that way.

How’s your son doing?
His name is Henry Benjamin Kennedy James. We thought he could be a writer...or whatever he wants to be. We had all these rock star names picked out, but then he was so quiet when he was born! He’s a contemplative little boy.

So he’s a quiet kid...
[Henry crying.] He’s hungry, but he’s usually quiet! I love being a mom. Truly, being a mom is the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s my favorite role.

How else do you identify with Carole?
I’m also a singer-songwriter and I have my very first album coming out next month, What You Find in a Bottle. Carole King is such a gifted songwriter and such a big influence on me. And I’ve been married and divorced, so I can relate to some of the troubles she’s been through.

Carole King came to the opening night of Beautiful in the West End a few weeks ago—what if she comes on Saturday?
I haven’t heard if she is and thank god, because I think I might fall down [laughs]. Oh gosh, if she does show up, meeting her would be at the top of my list. I just hope I don’t know about it until later!

Let’s say you’re onstage and spot her in the audience, what’s your plan?
Once when I was on tour with Mamma Mia!, Tom Cruise was in the front row with his two bodyguards—it was really obvious it was him, there was no one else in the whole row! I had a butterfly moment, but then I caught my breath and just continued. So if Carole came, I’d probably just have a little heart attack and then keep going.

See Chilina Kennedy in Beautiful at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.