SAG-AFTRA Foundation and BroadwayWorld.com have partnered for a filmed Conversations Q&A series to recognize and celebrate the vibrant theatre community in New York City and the actors who aspire to have a career on the stage and screen.
Please join us for a Career Conversations with the cast of She Loves Me, Laura Benanti, Gavin Creel, Jane Krakowski, and Zachary Levi.
Moderated by BroadwayWorld.com's Richard Ridge of "Backstage with Richard Ridge!"
This program is organized by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in collaboration with The School of Drama at The New School.
PANELIST BIOS:
LAURA BENANTI -Actor
Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti can be seen playing the role of Alura Zor-El in the CBS Action Drama, Supergirl. 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, four time Tony Award-nominated 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'sIn 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'sWhy 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 Townopposite 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, Eli Stone, and had appearances on The Big C and Elementary. She currently resides in Manhattan. LauraBenanti.com. Twitter: @LauraBenanti
GAVIN CREEL- Actor
Gavin Creel won the 2014 Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards for his starring role as "Elder Price" in the London production of The Book of Mormon. He is a two-time Tony Award nominee for his performances as "Claude" in Hair and "Jimmy" in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Additional credits include the Broadway production of The Book of Mormon, the 2004 revival of La Cage Aux Folles, the Goodman Theatre/Kennedy Center production of Sondheim & Weidman's Bounce (dir. Hal Prince), A.R.T.'s world premiere of Prometheus Bound, as well as Hair and Mary Poppins in the West End. Creel has recorded three original albums, is a member of the Broadway Inspirational Voices Choir and graduated from The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. As a co-founder of Broadway Impact and for his work fighting for marriage equality, Creel has been recognized as one of OUT Magazine's OUT 100, and in 2011, he co-wrote and released the single "Noise," to raise money and awareness for that fight.
JANE KRAKOWSKI- Actor
Jane Krakowski is most commonly known for her role as Jenna Maroney on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning 30 Rock. Krakowski was honored with four Emmy nominations for her work on the show, as well as a collective 2009 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, along with additional nominations in that category in 2013 and 2014. She was first introduced to the TV mainstream with her Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Elaine Vassal on the Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award-winning Ally McBeal. Most recently, Jane reteamed with her 30 Rock collaborators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock for The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for Netflix. Her other television guest starring appearances have included iconic shows like Modern Family, The Simpsons, American Dad, and even Sesame Street. Jane received the 2003 Tony Award for her portrayal of Carla in the Broadway musical Nine, opposite Antonio Banderas. Her performance in Nine also earned her a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award. She earned her first Tony nomination for her work in the original Broadway production ofGrand Hotel. Other Broadway credits include Company, Once Upon a Mattress, Tartuffe, and Starlight Express. Krakowski won an Olivier Award while starring in Guys and Dolls with Ewan McGregor in London's West End. She also starred in the Encores! revival of Damn Yankees opposite Sean Hayes. Making her film debut as Cousin Vickie inNational Lampoon’s Vacation, Krakowski has also starred in the films Alfie, Pretty Persuasion, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, Brother’s Keeper and the upcoming Big Stone Gap. Next up Jane can be seen in Sony Pictures’ summer blockbuster Pixels opposite Adam Sandler and Kevin James.
ZACHARY LEVI- Actor
Zachary Levi's exuberance and charm and star power have made him a preferred first pick in Hollywood. Levi can be seen on the NBC series Heroes, the highly anticipated revamp of the fan favorite show. This marks a return to NBC for Levi, who portrayed the beloved “Chuck” for five seasons. Levi recently did a theater run in his Broadway debut as “Aaron” a sweet guy looking for love, opposite Krysta Rodriguez in the witty musical First Date. The play received critical acclaim as did Levi for the run of the show. On the big screen, Levi appeared most recently in the Marvel film Thor 2 as the role of "Fandral the Dashing." Levi also appeared as the lead role opposite Mandy Moore in Disney's twist on its classic Rapunzel, entitled Tangled. The Oscar-nominated film was a huge success at the box office and DVD release. Additionally, Levi appeared in the 20th Century Fox film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which broke box office records in its Christmas release. Levi was also seen starring with Amber Tamblyn in the independent feature film Spiral and audiences also remember his starring roles in the franchise film Big Momma's House 2 with Martin Lawrence. Levi grew up in Ventura County, California. He began acting in theater at the early age of six, performing lead roles in regional productions such as Grease, The Outsiders, Oliver, Godspell, The Wizard of Oz, Big River and Marvin's Room. It was this early training that ultimately brought him to the attention of Hollywood. Levi devotes much time and energy doing philanthropic work as an ambassador for Operation Smile, through his company The Nerd Machine and his annual comic con event NERD HQ, which has raised over a million dollars for the charity to date. Levi currently resides in Los Angeles.
