Britney Coleman on Oprah, energy bars, travel agents, and getting back to Boston
The original Tony Award-winning musical “Company” opened on Broadway in 1970, and the revival launched there in 2021. Now, the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth musical comedy is enjoying a national tour — a tour that has landed in Boston at Citizen’s Bank Opera House through April 14. Britney Coleman, who plays the lead character of Bobbie, said that even though “Company” debuted more than 60 years ago, it has been updated with a “modern setting” and costumes and a set design that are “really contemporary.” The most significant change is that the lead character was a male in the original production and is now played by a female. The story takes place on Bobbie’s 35th birthday, with all of her friends asking why she isn’t getting married and starting a family. That, said Coleman — who happens to be 35 — hits very close to home. “I feel like I’m living out real-life conversations when I’m on stage, and so do some of the other cast members,” she said in a recent phone call from Washington, D.C., where “Company” was being performed. “It’s kind of like holding a mirror up to our real lives.” Coleman said that audiences love the musical’s score, which includes “The Ladies Who Lunch,”
“Side by Side by Side,” and the iconic “Being Alive,” which is her favorite song to sing, because, she said, “It takes an entire show to get there, to earn that moment.” She added that women in their mid- to late30s often come up to her after shows and say, “Wow, I didn’t think I would see so much of my whole life in this show.” Coleman said that while she is looking forward to returning to Boston (she was here last year in “Beetlejuice,” and in 2015 in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”), but said that on this tour, she “has to be a bit of a monk” to preserve her energy since, except for one number, she is on stage the entire time. We caught up with the Ann Arbor, Mich., native, who lives in Brooklyn, to talk about all things travel.
If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go? Southeast Asia. Perhaps start in Singapore and work my way Northeast up through Japan. I’ve never vacationed in Asia and it’s absolutely on my list.
Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own? I like to book my own. I actually don’t know a lot of folks my age — in the millennial age group — who use travel agents. To me it seems slightly dated. I know they’re out there and work incredibly hard. Probably the closest thing to a travel agent is going through social media accounts — especially those of people who look like me, women of color.
Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation? I think it’s necessary. Sure, capture some key moments on your phone, but if you’re seeing your entire vacation experience through a screen, why spend the time and money to travel in the first place?
What has been your worst vacation experience? I can always find a silver lining in a travel situation.
What is your favorite childhood travel memory? My grandfather had a condo on the beach in Margate, N.J., so we would actually drive from Michigan to Jersey every summer. I have a lot of wonderful core memories from those trips.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all? All of the above. I do have a habit of over-planning some vacations — especially if it’s in more of a metropolitan area. Walking 10 miles a day might not be a vacation to some, but for me it’s an adventure to see everything I want to see.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation? “Erasure” by Percival Everett. I loved “American Fiction.”
If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be? Oprah. Good eats, good conversation, and a heck of a lot of resources.
What is the best gift to give a traveler? I really like small travel journals, either to take notes or [as] something to put some souvenirs in afterward.
What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip? I like GoMacro bars. Delicious, filling, and easy to travel.
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation? I collect magnets, so any magnet that stands out from the bunch — especially if it’s 3-D. My fridge has very little real estate for magnets these days.
What is your favorite app/website for travel? I like Travel Noire and The Points Guy.
What has travel taught you? I’ve learned that regardless of language and location, the human experience is actually quite similar across the world. We’re all curious creatures who want to eat well, make connections, and maybe learn a thing or two.
What is your best travel tip? Do your research before going somewhere new, but always allow a free day in your schedule to wander. You’ll always get surprised by what you end up seeing or doing that day.