Jane Lynch Jane Lynch has been to a number of different places in her career, from playing Sue Sylvester on Fox’s mega-hit “Glee” to Charlie Sheen’s therapist on “Two and a Half Men.”
But where’s one place the Chicago native hasn’t yet been? The Jersey Shore.
“I’ve heard about Bruce Springsteen,” she said. “That’s about it.”
Lynch will finally get a taste of the Shore on April 23 when she brings her cabaret show, “See Jane Sing: Broadway With a Twist” to the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank for a night of music and comedy.
Fresh off starring on “Glee” for six seasons — the role that earned her an Emmy and a Golden Globe — Lynch is ready for the next stage of her career, and audiences can be there to witness the transition in person.
“ ‘Glee’ is behind me, and I’m stepping into something brandnew, and it’s very exciting,” Lynch said. “[A cabaret show] isn’t something I planned to do; I didn’t have it on my bucket list. And yet, when it showed itself, I was like, ‘Well, this is perfect.’ ”
Lynch describes the show as a fast-paced hour filled with songs she loves but that the audience may not necessarily recognize. And even the songs they do recognize have been reimagined and turned on their head, Lynch said.
Performing alongside Lynch are actress Kate Flannery, best known for playing Meredith on “The Office,” and Tim Davis, the vocal arranger on “Glee.” “It’s just one of those things where we have a smile on our faces the whole time,” Lynch said. “We’re having a blast, and usually the audience does too, so we look forward to doing that for New Jersey.”
“I think if you’ve seen ‘Glee,’ you know I love to sing. And I guess maybe even [if some audience members] don’t even know who the hell I am that they’ll come out and have a good time.”
She comes into her show with a strong background in musical theater, having earned an MFA in theater from Cornell University.
And although she turned in a number of memorable performances on “Glee,” such as “Vogue” by Madonna or “The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA, her singing and dancing were never routinely displayed on the show, which Lynch said never bothered her.
“I’m glad they didn’t have me dance very much,” Lynch said with a laugh. “I’m not a great dancer.
“But I thought it was perfect; one of the things about Sue Sylvester is I think they used me very wisely. She’s good in measured doses.”
In 2013, Lynch made her Broadway debut as Miss Hannigan in the revival of “Annie,” which she said reinvigorated her love for the stage.
“I had a blast,” Lynch said. “I love being a part of a theater family. I love the hours. I love the focus of just that show that day — that’s all you have to worry about in your life. It’s kind of a funk-like existence. … And I love being in front of an audience where they’re actually an entity and are contributing to what’s going on onstage. I adore it.”
Now that “Glee” has taken its final bow, Lynch reflected on the show that shaped her career and introduced her to millions of viewers.
“I am a different person inside,” Lynch said. “I have much more confidence. Man, I feel like I’ve grown creatively. I get recognized all the time, and that’s lovely. But also, this show actually made kids feel OK about who they are — whether they’re gay or straight, in a wheelchair, Asian, insecure, can’t dance. Whatever your gig is, you had somebody to identify with in this show.”
Lynch’s next TV project is a leading role on the CBS comedy pilot, “Angel From Hell,” where Lynch plays a woman who claims to be a guardian angel.
“I’m very excited for it, and it kind of feels like the natural next thing,” Lynch said. “Let’s hope that CBS agrees and that we make a good pilot. If not, then I’ll just keep on singing.”
For more information on Lynch’s appearance at the Count Basie Theatre, visit countbasietheatre.org.