Laura Benanti

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Laura Benanti
Born Laura Benanti
July 15, 1979 (1979-07-15) (age 28)
Kinnelon, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation Actor, Singer
Spouse(s) Steven Pasquale

Laura Benanti (born July 15, 1979) is an American musical theatre actress, who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre productions.

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[edit] Early life

Benanti grew up in Kinnelon, New Jersey.[1] She is the daughter of Linda Benanti who is also her vocal coach. Laura's biological father is actor Martin Vidnovic but she was raised by her step-father Dr. Salvatore Benanti and refers to him as her dad. She has said in many interviews that she does not like the term step-father as it implies that he is somehow a step removed.

[edit] Musical theatre

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! for which she received her first Tony nomination.

Benanti then joined the cast of the 2002 revival of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, starring as Cinderella for which she received her second Tony nomination. 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.

Benanti has been nominated for three Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, for her performances in Swing!, Gypsy' and Into The Woods; the latter two 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 enabled her to continue most normal movement.

She is married to actor Steven Pasquale (of theatre and Rescue Me success), who was also in the 'dream cast' of the World AIDS Day concert of The Secret Garden in 2005 with her (a benefit for the Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation). She also appeared in the World AIDS Day concerts of Pippin and Children of Eden. These concerts were co-founded by her best friend, Jamie McGonnigal and former Miss America Kate Shindle.

In July 2007, she played in a three-week limited run of the musical Gypsy at the New York City Center as Louise, alongside Patti LuPone as Mama Rose and Boyd Gaines as Herbie. She is currently reprising role on Broadway to great critical acclaim, and received her third Tony Award nomination as Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Benanti also won the Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for this role.

[edit] Television & Film

In addition to stage roles, Benanti has appeared on the ABC telivison show Eli Stone and FX Networks sitcom Starved. 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 also played Princess Alexandra in the indie film Falling for Grace.


[edit] Recordings

Laura appears on the original cast albums of each of her Broadway roles, as well as compilation albums of Stephen Schwartz and Maury Yeston. She also appears as a guest artist on the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC's live album, "The Songs of Hammerstien & Sondheim". She will be next heard on the cast album of Gypsy, due in August from Time/Life Records. She is currently recording an album of her own.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Nash, Margo. "THEATER; To Recreate Ridgefield, It's All in the Local Detail", The New York Times, April 16, 2006. Accessed March 28, 2008. "Laura Benanti, who grew up in Kinnelon, recalls thinking that New Jersey was the epicenter of the 80's, at least the Willowbrook Mall was for me."

[edit] External links

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