The cure to Ben Platt's anxiety? The controlled chaos of performing

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Ben Platt describes himself as a highly anxious person, but there is one place that keeps his nerves at bay: the stage.That might sound counterintuitive to most people, but Platt grew up in the spotlight, and finds the immersive immediacy of live performance soothing.

His mind can’t spin a web of worry when he’s belting out “Maybe This Time” by Kander and Ebb, or “Ease My Mind” from his debut studio album, “Sing to Me Instead.”“I love having a directive, and also the suspension of time when you’re performing and you’re forced to be present,” Platt says during a recent interview.“It’s like my favorite thing.

It’s kind of a drug.”Platt will be in his sweet spot, beginning Friday, for a 10-day engagement at the Ahmanson Theater.The concert series, directed by Tony winner Michael Arden, is a West Coast extension of Platt’s 2024 residency at Broadway’s Palace Theatre, which featured an impressive array of guest stars, including Cynthia Erivo, Kacey Musgraves, Kristin Chenoweth and Leslie Odom Jr.

The L.A.shows, which feel like a homecoming to Platt, will also include special duets, but Platt is staying mum on just who will join him onstage.

The surprise is part of the fun.Platt cites Judy Garland and her 1960s CBS variety show as his inspiration “in terms of the way that she would share herself in her solo shows, and how she had so many famous collaborations and moments that she created with bringing in other singers she admired.”While the Palace show was highly tailored to Platt’s third studio album, “Honeymind,” which was released that same year, his Ahmanson gig is more holistic, showcasing the total breadth of his career, including all three of his albums, his hit Broadway musicals like “Dear Evan Hansen” and his Netflix series “The Politician.” Entertainment & Arts Ben Platt embraces the ‘discomfort and anx...