Ben Platt is known for his powerful musical theatre roles in films like Pitch Perfect, musicals like The Book of Mormon and Dear Evan Hansen and his Netflix show, The Politician. Though the singer is quick to portray his characters’ vulnerabilities and complexities in a meaningful way, his fans don’t usually get to see his own come to light.
Now, Netflix has released a film of his performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and audiences now have the chance to not only watch his incredible performance, but to also gain some insight into Platt’s stage persona when he’s simply being himself.
Ben Platt: Live From Radio City Music Hall features the performance of his 2019 debut studio album, Sing To Me Instead, and a few other hits from the artist.
The show is nothing but an hour and 25 minutes of pure bliss, listening to Platt do what he does best: showcase emotion through song.
The show features a mix of soothing and intimate performances like “Grow As You Go” and upbeat and exciting performances like “New.” Platt even covers one of his favorite songs, “The Joke” by Brandi Carlile.
Platt expressed his want to make the set feel warm and welcoming, so he and his team created a simplistic living room type of feel and focused on embellishing complex lighting cues for his songs.
In keeping with the comfortable living room style theme, Platt danced like no one was watching. He owned the stage in a way that expressed his true freedom with no regard for what the audience would think. The only part of the performance that didn’t feel like a relaxing night in Platt’s living room was his iconic wardrobe, complete with blue high-waisted pants and a loose-fitting floral shirt.
The performance was also complete with Platt’s creation of a connection with the audience. He told intimate stories to give them some insight into his personal life and even honestly expressed his overwhelming feeling to cry while performing because of how special it felt.
The audience loved Platt, giving him several standing ovations and even screaming “I love yous” when there was a moment of quiet. It’s inspiring to see the overwhelming amount of support from the audience, including some of Platt’s celebrity friends like Anna Kendrick and Elizabeth Lail.
Undoubtedly the most prominent beacon of support for Platt stemmed from his family, who were all watching in the audience. Platt expressed his gratitude and love for his family several times throughout the performance, even performing ”Older,” the song he wrote about his parents, as his encore.
Ben Platt: Live From Radio City Music Hall shows him in his true element, being brilliantly himself on stage. It gives the audience a chance to peek into his life, not only during the performance, but with the clips of him getting ready for the show and interacting with his family after the show.
