Interview: Solea Pfeiffer Talks An ALMOST FAMOUS Broadway Run, Her Upcoming Solo Concert With Audible & More

Solea Pfeiffer is a performer whose star seems to shine brighter with every role she takes. Pfeiffer was shot out of the career cannon in 2016, landing her first major gig as Maria in the Hollywood Bowl performance of West Side Story, before going on to star as Eliza in the first national tour of Hamilton, originating the role of Penny Lane in the world premiere musical adaptation of Almost Famous at The Old Globe, starring as Eva Peron in New York City Center's production of Evita, and more.

Up next for Pfeiffer is a solo concert with Audible, You Are Here: An Evening with Solea Pfieffer, at the Minetta Lane Theatre from November 4- November 6, with the show being recorded as an Audible Original and released to a global audience. She also recently wrapped filming Tyler Perry's film A Jazzman's Blues, coming to Netflix in 2022.

For tickets to her concert at the Minetta Lane Theatre, CLICK HERE!

Pfeiffer spoke with BroadwayWorld about putting together her upcoming solo concert, whether audiences can expect to see her in a Broadway run of Almost Famous, and more!

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You have so many exciting projects in the works! Let's talk about the one coming up first, which is your solo concert at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Is this your first concert back in New York since live performances have returned to the city?

It is, yes! This is my first time performing in New York since, I think, Evita, which is a crazy thought. It feels like a homecoming in a lot of ways, but in a totally New Medium for me. Being a part of a production is one thing, but when it's your own show it's a whole different ball game. It's exciting, I couldn't have asked for a better way to come home.

How did this concert come about, and what can audiences expect to see with your solo show?

I feel really lucky that someone over at Audible must have seen me in a show and liked me enough to pitch me to the team over there. The Audible Theater down at the Minetta Lane, they've been doing plays and concerts and cabarets with various people for some time. And they reached out and I was like, "Absolutely." The cool thing about Audible and this whole opportunity is that I'm penning this, I'm writing this whole show. And I'm making this a show about finding yourself and finding your identity. I'm hoping to create a show that creates a space for people like me, who grew up feeling like they didn't quite fit in anywhere. I've lived in a lot of places, and I think this homecoming to New York is one of the first times that I've really felt like, "Oh my gosh, I'm coming home," in a long time.

I've got some of the songs that people are going to expect to be in there, some of the crowd-pleasers, so to speak. But I've also got some songs from my childhood, songs in my life that I just love. But it's all leading into a story about my life, that I wrote. So, I'm really proud of it and I'm really excited to share it!

You also recently wrapped filming on Tyler Perry's upcoming film A Jazzman's Blues. Has this project made you think about what you want to do on screen next?

It opened up my eyes to the box that I put myself in, that I think a lot of artists put themselves in. Like, "This is the medium that I work in." I know a lot of people who are told to be in that mindset, or have that kind of imposter syndrome traversing a New Medium. And why would you ever limit yourself? Why say no to yourself before the opportunity even comes? Theatre is my love, life with music every day, nothing can really beat it in my opinion, but I think film is a kind of work that fills you up in a different way. It's a different kind of intensity as far as schedule goes, as far as lifestyle goes, there's something really awesome about being on a film set. But there are also things that I really missed about theatre.

Right now I have my sights set on a life where I can keep on working on projects that excite me and fulfill me artistically within any medium. At this point, I feel like should I be so lucky to keep on getting opportunities like this one, I'll be the happiest artist ever. My hope now is that I get to continue to work with people who make me better. And honestly, there is something really exciting about having opportunities that scare you silly. There's always something to be gained.

I agree, you've got to do things that scare you! On the topic of theatre, a few months before the pandemic, you originated the role of Penny Lane in the musical adaptation of Almost Famous. There's been talk of a Broadway run, can you talk about that at all? Would you like to reprise your role if it came to Broadway?

Oh my gosh, yes! I have been attached to that show for a few years now, and that cast is really a family. I can't say anything about specific dates as of right now, but I think fans of the show will be pretty happy in 2022, I think they can go ahead and plan for a trip to New York. I think Almost Famous is a show that is really going to be a lovely moment of escape and celebration that we all need right now. It's a love letter to music, it's a love letter to a time when coming together and being together wasn't dangerous, and I think that we couldn't have possibly known over the course of developing the show that so many of the themes of the show would take on a whole new meaning. And so, I'm really excited to jump back into that world.

There is nothing quite like being Penny Lane, I have to admit. Bringing her to life is one of the coolest things that I've gotten to do, getting to meet Joni Mitchell and getting into that rock and roll was, you know, who gets to do that for work? All of that to say, I am very excited for people to see it. And I don't want to speak too soon, but I think people can look forward to seeing it in the coming months.

That's so exciting! Do you have any advice that you'd like to give to performers, or really anyone, as we're slowly inching back into life? Anything you've learned from the last two years that you'd like to share?

I think, to be totally honest, right before the pandemic hit, I was doing a surge of work where at the end I felt really proud of this body of work, but I felt really tired. And I think that there is a don't stop till you drop mentality when it comes to hustling as performers. I spent a lot of time thinking, "Cultivate career, cultivate career," and I think this past year really taught me, the biggest project in your life is your life. You've got to cultivate your wellbeing, you've got to cultivate your mental health, and you've got to cultivate your creativity with just as much vigor and excitement as you cultivate the actual act of being at work. There is so much more to life than being at work. And I think that's what I discovered. As much as I pour myself into the work side of things, I have to pour myself into myself, and you cannot pour from an empty cup.

We have the most fun job in the world. When it feels like it is harmful, for whatever reason, I think that's when it's time to take a step away and just recognize that there is a sense of urgency within ourselves that doesn't have to be there. When you need to take a breath you can take a breath. This business is not going anywhere. People are always going to want to hear people sing, people are always going to want to watch movies and TV shows. There is so much work out there, so take a beat and love yourself as much as you want to love your resume, because at the end of the day you've got to live your life and every job ends. Cultivate it all.

Photo credit: Ted Ely