Seven years ago Denée Benton could be found on the Trinity Prep Stage bringing life to roles like Sarah in the musical Ragtime or leading a dance number in Aida.
Back in my glory days of middle school, I remember the powerful stage presence she had in every performance she had in the beloved auditorium.
“The role of Aida was probably her most memorable role for me,” said Fine Arts Department Chair Janine Papin. “It was during the run of that show that Denée decided to make theatre her life.”
Little did we know the mark she would leave on the school and our stage and what success she would have in the future.
After her graduation in 2010, Benton went on to study at Carnegie Mellon University to continue her theater training.
To imagine that her first professional role would be a lead on a national tour of a Broadway favorite is a dream come true.
This past holiday season, Benton finished her year-long contract with the traveling show in Orlando. Book of Mormon was one of the first shows performed in the new and beautifully constructed Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
The show ran with performances from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4. Each night Benton amazed audiences and familiar faces with her role of Nabulugi.
Book of Mormon is brought to you by Trey Park and Matt Stone (the minds behind South Park) as well as Robert Lopez.
The musical follows the journey of two young Mormon missionaries who are sent to a remote village of Uganda in hopes of converting the villagers. The missionaries befriend Nabulugi (played by Benton), and her optimism helps the village accept the unfamiliar men.
From her witty comments on stage to her beautiful voice in “Sal Tlay Ka Siti,” Benton captivated the audience.
The hilarious musical brought laughter all over Orlando. I still can’t get the clever, hysterical songs out of my head. Book of Mormon has received numerous Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards.
Benton stands as a perfect example of Trinity’s mission to promote excellence in college and life and to serve as contributors to our communities.
Her success is a success for our school.
“She is reminder of how far you can go with hard work, talent and passion,” Papin said. “Trinity’s theatre department has quite a few alumni working in the professional theater world both in New York City and in L.A. I am so proud of all them and try to stay in touch. To be a part of anyone’s creative and artistic path is a privilege and a gift. It is pretty darn awesome.”
This semester the theatre department will be bringing us The Merry Wives of Windsor, a Shakespearean classic, as well as the musical Into the Woods.
“I think we [the current theater department] provide lots of opportunities for growth and self discovery,” Papin said. “Whether or not the students go on to make theater their profession, they all awaken the artist within themselves and constantly challenge themselves to get to that next level. The connections they build and the memories they make, last a lifetime.”
With Benton’s homecoming, it’s important to note that everyone of us holds the potential to follow our passions.
There’s nothing more motivating than seeing others fulfill their dreams.
We are all gifted with many resources to grow in our passions, and it is clearly achievable to reach our goals, even if we come from a small high school in Winter Park.
