Shows starring
Cindy Benson
Cindy Benson
Artist Bio
On Broadway, Cindy Benson starred as the comedy lead, Mme.Thenardier in LES MISERABLES and recently came off the National Tour. Also on Broadway and Tour, she played the delightful 200 lb. tap dancing Gumbie Cat in CATS. Off-Broadway, Cindy originated both, the role of Sister Robert Ann in NUNSENSE, and the wild & wacky Donna the Dominatrix in Paul Bartel's EATING RAOUL. She has performed on PBS' GREAT PERFORMANCES from Symphony Hall in Boston, appeared with the Houston Grand Opera and is a recipient of the Manhattan Association Cabaret Award for Excellence in Musical Comedy. Cindy can be heard on the original cast albums of LES MISERABLES, EATING RAOUL, ALL THAT HE WAS, BILLY BARNES REVUED, EVERYONE HAS A STORY-SONGS OF ADRYAN RUSS and the ADLER, BROCK, COLEMAN CD from the S.T.A.G.E. Series. She recorded her first CD album OUT ON A WHIM which is also the name of her one woman show, receiving three Drama-Logue Awards, written & directed by David Man and produced by HBO Workspace & Theatre@BostonCourt in Pasadena, CA. Cindy works in Television & Film and is a member of Theatre Neo and The Colony Theatre in Los Angeles. She has performed with the Reprise! Series (Mack & Mabel), the Mark Taper Forum (The First Picture Show), and was nominated for a Los Angeles Theatre Ovation Award for her role as the eccentrically winsome Hollywood Usherette in BLAME IT ON THE MOVIES at the Pasadena Playhouse. Also RAGTIME (Emma Goldman) at South Bay Civic Light Opera and MAME (Agnes Gooch) North Shore Music Theatre and SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (2005 LA Ovation Award Nominee) at the Rubicon Theatre. Cindy also recently played Mama Rose in GYPSY at the Texas Star Theatre. Visit Cindy's web site at www.cindybenson.com.
Reviews and Quotes
"CINDY BENSON is a superior player."
Frank Rich - New York Times,
"CINDY BENSON is an outstanding comedienne and singer, the sort of performer who helps make Broadway musicals the worldwide success they are."
William Ruhlmann - NY CITY TRIBUNE
"A Comic Gem, a Showstopper"
Wayman Wong - NY DAILY NEWS
"CINDY BENSON is in one word, magnificent. BENSON delivers one of the best performances by an actress in a musical this season!"
John Garcia - TALKINBROADWAY.COM
"Stand out moments belong to BENSON."
Philip Brandes - Los Angeles Times
"BENSON has several showstopping numbers in the Elaine Stritch tradition, which she pulls off brilliantly."
Tom Jacobs - Los Angeles Backstage West
"BENSON is an arresting, no-holds-barred performer, and she barrels into songs with terrifying commitment..."
Joel Hirschhorn - Daily Variety Review
"CINDY BENSON, who starred as Mme. Thenardier on Broadway in "Les Miserables", is at all times ENERGETIC and alternately tragic and hysterically funny as a woman who sings her neuroses, anger pain and joy."
Stacey Wiebe - Ventura County Reporter
"Emotionally breathtaking"
Mark Lowry - Fort Worth Star Telegram
Specialties
Popular Vocalist
Genre
Cabaret comedy music