Laura Benanti

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Laura Benanti (born July 15, 1979 in Kinnelon, New Jersey) is an American musical theatre actress who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre productions. She lived in New York until she was three years old, and was then raised in New Jersey. The daughter of actors Martin Vidnovic and Linda Benanti, she grew up in the world of theater. Her stepfather, Sal Benanti, is a psychologist. Her mother is currently her vocal coach.

Her Broadway debut was in the 1998 revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound Of Music, as a postulant and understudy for Maria. She eventually took over the role of Maria and at the age of nineteen was starring on Broadway opposite Richard Chamberlain. She next appeared in the revue Swing!. Benanti then joined the cast of the 2002 revival of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, starring as Cinderella. While in the process of preparing for Into the Woods, Benanti stated she would like to eventually go back to college and focus on women's studies to empower young women. Since then, subsequent productions include Nine (as Claudia) and The Wedding Singer (as Julia Sullivan, opposite Stephen Lynch). Off-Broadway, she starred in Time and Again. In addition to stage roles, Benanti has appeared on the FX Networks sitcom "Starved". Currently, she is recording an album.

Benanti has been nominated for two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, for her performances in Swing! and Into The Woods; the latter also earned her a nomination for a Drama Desk Award - Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

She was replaced in Into the Woods by Erin Dilly after breaking her neck as a result of a disastrous pratfall. She was misdiagnosed, and later had spinal surgery that saved her life.

In August 2006 it was announced that Benanti would be taking a four to six week medical leave from The Wedding Singer. Her standby, Tina Maddigan, temporarily replaced her. Benanti returned to the show on October 3, 2006, and it was announced at the end of that month that the show would close on December 31, 2006. [1]

She played the role of the love-sick studio assistant to Antonio Banderas (her former co-star in the Broadway production of Nine) in the feature film Take the Lead.

She has been cast in Eli Stone, a projected ABC series for the 2007-2008 season, and will play the mother of a child with autism.



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