Megan Hilty on the Future of Smash & Reuniting with Wicked Co-Stars for Her Live from Lincoln Center Concert

Megan Hilty has been doing concerts since the beginning of her career, and now fans will be able to experience her talent in a whole new way when her Live from Lincoln Center solo concert airs on PBS on May 24. "I was floored when I was added to the list of very prestigious people who have done this before me," Hilty said to Broadway.com. "When I started doing concerts, I was freaking out because I thought I had nothing to say. Once I realized that I could take the performance element out, my show should feel like you're in my living room and we’re having fun, but not in a super presentational way. I can't pull that off; I'm too goofy."

Tony-nominated for her turn in Noises Off, Hilty also appeared on Broadway in 9 to 5 and Wicked. "I knew I needed to have 'For Good' in the concert," she said. "That was really important because Wicked was such a huge part of my life and the women I worked with in that show are still a huge part of my life." During the concert, Hilty brings out former Wicked co-stars Shoshana Bean and Eden Espinosa to join her in singing the emotional song. "I've always had this dream of doing it as a trio with the two women I did [Wicked] the most with. Luckily, the three of us were in the same city at the same time. We didn’t even get to rehearse it until that day of the concert, but it was the perfect place to showcase the song in that way."

While only two of Hilty's Elphabas are represented in Live from Lincoln Center, she has big dreams for the future. "My next goal is do a concert with all the amazing ladies I’ve gotten to work with because they're such huge part of my carreer and who I am. I'm shaped by all these amazing powerhouse women around me. It was important to have this be part of the once in a lifetime opportunity."

When most people think of Hilty, they think of Smash, the short-lived TV musical drama that continues to have a massive fan base, even six years after its final episode. Would she like to do a reunion concert? "I would absolutely do it," Hilty said. "One of the highlights of my life was doing that show. I'm not exaggerating when I say every single day I am stopped by a stranger asking me about the future of the show. I love that people are still interested in it. When it went off the air, it found a whole new audience and people are invested in these characters and in these production numbers. I think it's really cool that after all this time people are still interested in seeing it continue in some fashion." What about starring in Bombshell? "I will always sing those songs as long as someone gives me a stage to sing them on."

While Live from Lincoln Center airs on May 24, there's another Hilty-led project to look forward to. The previously announced Patsy & Loretta TV movie features Hilty and fellow Broadway star Jessie Mueller as country music legends Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, respectively. "We finished filming a couple weeks ago, and it was a dream," Hilty said of the experience. "Not only was everyone remarkably talented, but they're incredibly kind people. We had such a good time that nobody wanted it to end. Jessie Mueller is stuck with me for life. I'm going to stalk her as a friend and fan forever."