The Rise and Rise of Laura Benanti

"My Fair Lady" has announced its closing date--this July--so: a tip of the hat to its star, Laura Benanti:

*Benanti was omitted from a TimeOut list of Broadway's twenty-five greatest divas, but I would most certainly include her. This is a career that has given us "Sound of Music," "Gypsy," "She Loves Me," "Into the Woods," "My Fair Lady," and other major works.
*Benanti was an odd kid who dressed as Sondheim's "Fosca" for Halloween. She has classic musicals running through her blood.
*It seems to me Benanti is *furiously* creative: Unsatisfied with her Broadway stardom, her stint as Melania Trump, and her work in "Younger" and "Nashville," Benanti has scripted her own material, including a few memorable strip routines for "the Skivvies," a YouTube series about "what's next on Broadway," and a special skit in which she pretends to teach (uninterested) kids how to be an actor.
*In her personal life, as well, Benanti seems more or less fearless: There have been quite a few marriages, at this point, and you can't fault her for working hard to design her own happy life.

That's all. Obsessed! I'm eager to see what this powerhouse--my hero--chooses to do next.

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