The Official Home on the web for Neal Benari
Welcome and Hello!
Hot off the presses: I have just received a Carbonell nomination for my portrayal of Cervantes/Don Quixote in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's production of MAN OF LA MANCHA. The production, director Peter Flynn, Alicia Irving, Michael Lluberes, and Helen Gregory also received nominations. It was a wonderful production. We had a great time working together, and I'm thrilled that we were recognized for our work.
While in Florida last year, I had the pleasure of playing Boris Thomashefsky in Michael Tilson Thomas's biographical homage to his grandparents, THE THOMASHEFSKYS. Judy Blazer, who plays Bessie Thomashevsky, MTT, and I will be reprising the show in May and June with the Chicago and San Francisco symphonies. Check their websites for performance information.
"A ringer for Boris, Neal Benari conveys a balanced portrait of the great actor, charismatic in his braggadocio and self destructive in his pathological womanizing."
Lawrence Johnson, Miami Herald 01/15/07
I recently finished a run of Ken Ludwig's wonderful farce LEND ME A TENOR at the Engeman Theater, Long Island's newest theater. We were well-reviewed, and the audiences loved us. The cast included Michele Ragusa, Doug Stender and Jim Poulos, and it was directed by BT McNicholl. We closed in February but continue to meet for drinks.
I just finished recording two workshops: LAUGHING MATTERS, music by Mike Stoller (SMOKEY JOES CAFE) and Artie Butler, directed by Leonard Foglia (MASTER CLASS, THE HEIDI CHRONICLES), book and lyrics by Iris Dart (BEACHES); and UNDER FIRE, a musical being written by Barry Harman and Grant Sturiale, and based on the 1980's Nick Nolte film.
CARMEN, directed by Franco Dragone of Cirque du Soleil, ended its run at the La Jolla Playhouse in July. The producers are planning to rework it in Europe before bringing the show to New York in the near future. I played the role of Zuniga (image below).
photo by Kevin Berne/La Jolla Playhouse
"Neal Benari, as Zuniga, delivers a rock opera moment in 'Touch the Sun,' a spirited performance and tune that evokes Superstar's 'Damned for All Time.'"
TheatreTimes, 6/20/07
In March 2007, I returned to New York after playing Don Quixote/ Cervantes (image below) in a wonderful and very successful production of MAN OF LA MANCHA. It was produced by the Maltz Jupiter Theatre and directed by Peter Flynn.
Photo by Duane Long/Maltz Jupiter Theatre
"Neal Benari stars as Spanish author and playwright Don Miguel de Cervantes...Benari is brilliant..."
Bill DeYoung, TCPalm, 02/15/07
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