Ben Platt (Honeymind) and Justin talk about Ben's upbringing in musical theater, the intense pressure and preparation he endured to star in Broadway's "Dear Evan Hansen," and what inspired his latest solo album, "Honeymind." Listen to Life is Short on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ on the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/justin-long now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Wondrous.
The first real play I ever did, I was ever cast in was called into the Woods.
And I didn't make any of the main parts.
I didn't get any of the speaking roles.
But they had created a chorus for all the kids who weren't good enough to get speaking roles.
And they called them woodland nymphs.
And they were just kind of like magical woodland fairies who flitted in and out between the trees and the scenery.
And sometimes we would sing some of the songs that involved like a whole big chorus so our voices would get drowned out by the other more talented kids.
In between scenes, we would have to move scenery around.
I took it very seriously.
I was very excited to be in the play.
I just was excited to be around girls.
Yeah, that's okay.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the embarrassing part of it for me wasn't that I wasn't part of the main cast or that I didn't have any lines or that even that I was moving scenery around.
It was that my costume was just basically a unitard.
I had to wear a very tight form fitting unitard.
And I was, I think 14 or 15 at the time.
But I was a late bloomer and I hadn't yet gone through puberty.
I don't even think I had totally begun puberty.
Maybe it had just started.