Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti can currently be seen on the Samantha Bee and Jason Jones TBS comedy, The Detour. In 2016, Laura completed her Tony nominated role as Amalia Balash in the hit Broadway Musical, She Loves Me. Laura also received Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and Drama Desk Award nominations for this role. In addition to television work and her critically acclaimed performance as Elsa Schrader in NBC's The Sound of Music LIVE, Ms. Benanti is a highly celebrated, stage actress who took Broadway by storm at the age of 18. She received a Drama Desk award, Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award Nomination for her starring role in the Broadway production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown for Lincoln Center where she also starred in the Broadway production of Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play. Ms. Benanti earned the 2008 Tony Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for her revelatory portrayal of Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy opposite Patti LuPone and directed by Arthur Laurents. Her other Broadway roles include The Wedding Singer, Nine, starring Antonio Banderas, her Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award-nominated performance of Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and her sultry Tony nominated turn in Swing! Ms. Benanti made her Broadway debut as Maria in The Sound of Music opposite Richard Chamberlain. Other distinguished theater performances include the Public Theater's production of Christopher Durang's Why Torture is Wrong and the People Who Love Them, Perdita in The Winter's Tale at the Williamstown Theatre Festival opposite Kate Burton, Anne in A Little Night Music at the L.A. Opera opposite Victor Garber, Eileen in Wonderful Town opposite Donna Murphy and most recently her portrayal of Rosabella in the Most Happy Fella, both for City Center Encores! Ms. Benanti completed a week-long engagement at the popular New York cabaret club, 54 Below, for which The New York Times hailed her as a "supremely confident" performer whose "bright, full soprano, with its semioperatic heft, can go almost anywhere." In September 2013, she released her debut album, "In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live at 54 BELOW" on Broadway Records to ecstatic reviews. Laura currently performs her concerts in venues around the country and even recently performed for the President and First Lady of the United States at both the Fords Gala and the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington DC. In 2014, she joined the cast of ABC's hit series "Nashville" guest-starring as songbird Sadie Stone. Laura also appeared in recurring roles on CBS's "The Good Wife" and HBO's "Nurse Jackie." Laura's past television credits include a starring role in the NBC series "The Playboy Club" and "Go On" opposite Matthew Perry. She also starred in the F/X original series "Starved". Ms. Benanti recurred on "Law and Order: SVU," "Royal Pains," and "Eli Stone." and had appearances on "The Big C" and "Elementary". She currently resides in Manhattan with her husband Patrick and daughter Ella.
Replaced as Cinderella by Erin Dilly after she hurt her neck doing a pratfall.
Her father Martin Vidnovic is an actor. As was mother Linda who is now Lauras vocal coach. Stepfather Sal Benanti is a psychologist.
Parents performed in "Oklahoma!" in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma together
Lived in New York until she was three and then moved to New Jersey where she grew up.
Was twice nominated for Broadways Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Musical): in 2000 for "Swing!" and in 2002 for a revival of "Into the Woods."
She is the 1st cousin of former Minor Threat bassist, Steve Hansgen.
Won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee in the Broadway revival of "Gypsy.".
(June 2009) With Brian Stokes Mitchell , she hosted the "Creative Arts Awards" segment of the 2009 Tony Awards.
(April 2006) Opened on Broadway April 27th, 2006 at the Al Hirschfeld Theater as "Julia Sullivan" in "The Wedding Singer", a musical by Matthew Sklar , Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy. Co-stars with Stephen Lynch.
In 2008, Laura starred in the Broadway revival of "Gypsy" as "Louise", opposite Patti LuPone as "Mama Rose" in which she won the Tony Award.
(February 2009) Can be heard in the role of Jennie Brinker, the heros money-hungry wife, in the studio cast recording of Rodgers and Hammersteins "Allegro".
Her wedding to Patrick Brown appeared in People Magazines Sexiest Man Alive Issue (November 2015).
She was nominated for a 2002 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for "Into The Woods" on Broadway in New York City.
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 37, a daughter named Ella Rose Benanti-Brown on February 14, 2017. Childs father is her husband, Patrick Brown.
Is of Serbian, German, Irish and Native American descent.
