Interview: Mother/Daughter Jodi Benson and Delaney Benson Connect Over Gypsy

Here they are, world!

Jodi Benson, whose voice is known to millions as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, is joining forces with her daughter, Delaney Benson, to play Rose and Louise in the OFC Creations Theatre Center production of Gypsy in Rochester, New York.

Mother and daughter first played the roles for two nights back in a 2023 staging with the Gulf Coast Symphony, but this fully staged run, January 30-February 16, allow the pair to really sink their teeth into their roles. After all, the last time Jodi did a full book musical, it was Crazy For You back in 1992, almost a full decade before Delaney, a rising star in her own right, was even born. But they’re just so thrilled to do this together, and are glad to mutually admire each other’s talent.

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

To start out, Jodi, do you see yourself as a Rose?
Jodi Benson: Yeah, I do. I do. It was quite a feat to tackle it two years ago when I hadn’t been in a book musical in 22 years. It was a little crazy to jump out of the gate with this beast of a role. Last time, we did the entire show in five days, so it was as very stressful. This time around, it’s a nice deep breath because we have an incredible creative team, and I can just focus on my role. That’s a huge treat for me. The theater up here is lovely, the cast is so talented, and the creative team is fantastic. We found this little gem in Rochester, and it’s been fun to discover this new regional theatre.

Delaney, is your mom a Rose?
Delaney Benson: You know, the first time that we hit some of the dramatic scenes towards the end of the show, she startled me. I had a visceral reaction, welling up with tears. I was kind of scared and sad. I’ve never really heard her raise her voice in that way. It’s an out-of-body experience to see her do this character and know that she’s my mom, playing my mom. I kind of just have to go, “This is just pretend.” Like, she’s really believable and sometimes I have to give her a hug. It’s a lot to decompress.

How do you balance the on stage/off stage dynamic?
Jodi: I’ve watched all the great Roses through the decades, and I’m able to bring who I am to her, but having the relationship with Delaney makes it extra special. Working with her is a dream come true. It’s fun to have the two hats, as a professional working with a professional, and as a mom sitting back and watching her rehearse. She is everything that you want in a scene partner. I feel safe with her on stage, so I can take chances and risks and not have to take care of her. She doesn’t need anything from me. We’re roommates, we’re coworkers, and I’m her mom. It’s a really unique situation.

Delaney played Ariel in the stage version of The Little Mermaid last summer. Jodi, what was that like for you to experience, and Delaney, how was it for you to play her?
Jodi: She made that character her own, and it was beautiful to watch. There’s no comparison.

Delaney: But the comparison would be there no matter what. There did come a point where I was like “I’m not going to touch this role. This is hers.” When the opportunity for The Little Mermaid came up this past summer, I felt like I was in a good place to accept the joys and uncertainties and see how to navigate that. Honestly, it was amazing. There were a lot of little kids that I got to bring joy to, and it was cool to embody the persona that Ariel has. There were some inflections and breaths that I couldn’t help but do since she’s been singing these songs ever since I was born.

Jodi: When she says the inflections, the breath, the nuance, the pronunciation, those were Howard Ashman’s. What she did is everything that Howard taught me; they weren’t my things. What Howard created she translated so beautifully on the stage.

Delaney: And then to have our family watch her watch me…You had to be there.

Jodi: it was pretty magical. It was kind of once-in-a-lifetime for our family and friends.

Do you have other mother-daughter roles that you’d want to do?
Delaney: Mamma Mia!‘s on tour.

Jodi: Mamma Mia! would be awesome to do, and I must do it soon, before I get too old. I’m an older mother. We waited a long time before we started a family and then had challenges, so there are certain things that are going to time out eventually.

Delaney: We’ve also talked about doing a Peggy Sawyer/Dorothy Brock in 42^nd Street, because they have a lot of stuff together.

Jodi: There may be an opportunity in the future to do an Into the Woods, a Witch/Cinderella. Personally, I would love to do Crazy for You, with Delaney as Polly. I’d love to be the mother and then double as Mrs. Fodor. Those I won’t age out of!