Jane Lynch Talks GLEE, Theatre & Upcoming Concert Tour Plans

Multi-award-winning stage and screen performer Jane Lynch currently continues her reign as one of TV's most beloved villains as part of FOX's hit musical dramedy series GLEE and the actress discusses her iconic role on the show as well as her theatre roots and upcoming concert tour plans as part of a new interview with Michigan Avenue Magazine.

In remarking upon her theatre background, Lynch comments, "When I was doing all that stuff in Chicago, I didn't look at it as paying my dues - I was doing exactly what I wanted to do and was thrilled every time I got a job, or every time someone asked me to be in a play, and I did it for free a lot. How it prepared me, well, I'll tell you what the wardrobe person on Glee said: "I always know an actor is from Chicago if they hang up their clothes." After I meet somebody and we'll speak for a while, they'll say, "Where are you from?" I'll say Chicago, and they'll say, "I knew it." There's kind of an openness and willingness to experiment - a team player kind of vibe - that would describe the Chicago theater scene, both Equity and Non-Equity. It's really an actor's town and a creative town, and we do it for the love of doing it; we don't just open theaters- we create ensembles like Steppenwolf, which is of course the one that's most famous, but there are ensembles all over Chicago. I was a member of a couple of them, and that's the way to go. It's like a creative family. We have each other's backs, which is why I love Glee, because that's exactly the way Glee is, too."

Additionally, Lynch states of her increased popularity due to the success of the series, "My recognition factor has gone up in terms of the public, so my life has changed in that way, for good and sometimes annoying. But creatively - playing the same character for nearly 100 episodes, I'm still enjoying it. There are moments when I'll look at an episode and go, "Oh come on, can't I do something else other than destroy the glee club?" Then of course they always give me something just stellar and fun, and this season I'm having the best time."

Furthermore, Lynch astutely asserts, "Professionally, I don't think I would have been just handed the role of Miss Hannigan in Annie on Broadway if I hadn't been cast as Sue Sylvester-I don't think that would have happened-so I am deeply indebted, because that was the best experience of my life. Doing Miss Hannigan on Broadway and working with all those wonderful people and doing eight shows a week, it very much brought me back to why I do this and why I was bitten by the need to be on stage. Whatever inspired me back when I was a kid seeing that play at the local high school, that came alive again."

As for future goals and hiatus plans, Lynch says more theatre and live performing is on the schedule. "I want to do more theatre for sure, and I wouldn't mind spending more time in New York doing that. I'm going to talk to a friend about doing a series of concerts - I want to get a little band together and do some singin'... that sounds like a lot of fun to do on my hiatus," she says.

For more information, visit the official Michigan Avenue Magazine website here.