After a year spent mostly in Birmingham, AL, and traveling for concert work, Raissa Katona Bennett is thrilled to return to NYC theatre
with the new musical SAVIN' AIMEE!, written by
Kathie Lee Gifford, David Pomerantz and David
Friedman, and starring Carolee Carmello. Currently
in rehearsal with a stellar cast and production
team, an Oct. 14th opening is planned for the
White Plains Performing Arts Center. Just before
rehearsal began for SAVIN' AIMEE!, she played
the roles of “Vera” and “Mother” in WAR
BRIDES as a part of the York Theatre
Developmental Reading Series.

 

Raissa realized a dream come true, when she enjoyed a 5 year run in the Broadway company of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, where she performed the role of "Christine Daae" on many occasions. She also performed briefly as the "Christine" stand-by in the Los Angeles and National Touring Companies of PHANTOM. Previously, she performed the roles of "Jellylorum/Griddlebone - The Opera Cat" and "Jennyanydots - The Tap Dance Cat" in the First National Tour of CATS. Also on Broadway, Raissa appeared in the Actor’s Fund Benefit Concert of CHESS with Josh Groban and Sutton Foster. 2 days before leaving for her honeymoon to France, Raissa received a call from Hal Princes’ office saying they were very interested in her for the First National Tour of PARADE – seriously enough that she should cancel her trip. She did, performed the role of "Lizzie Phagan” and was thrilled to work with the original creative team of director Harold Prince, choreographer Patricia Birch, author Alfred Uhry, and composer Jason Robert Brown. She and her understanding husband Garrett have yet to get to France… With the National Theatre of the Deaf, Raissa was able to use her love of sign language while playing “Mother” in A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES.

 

In NYC, she created the roles of “Emma Bovary” in THE DOCTORS WIFE, and “Gina” in GINA’S PAROLE, in the ASCAP and Peek-A-Boo New Musicals Series. More recently, she appeared as “Amy Slocum” in GOODBYE, LILY DAW at the NY Musical Theatre Festival, and as “Mother” in Joe Jefferson Benjamin Blow at the Greenwich Street Theatre. Also at the York, she played “Calliope” in THE FABULIST. She was very honored to be a featured vocalist at Town Hall for BRAVE NEW WORLD: AMERICAN THEATRE RESPONDS TO 9/11.

 

While appearing on Broadway, Raissa performed at the Palace, St. James, Minskoff and Majestic Broadway Theatres, in the Broadway community's legendary Easter Bonnet Pageant and the Gypsy of the Year Shows, which both benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. Raissa also produced and starred in the benefit, CALLING ONE AND ALL... at Radio City Music Hall, starring the late Vincent Gardenia. 

 

Regionally, theatre has allowed Raissa to enjoy living and working in wonderful new places such as Little Rock where she played “The Queen” in CINDERELLA at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Buck’s County where she played “Grace” in ANNIE, Manchester, NH where she played “Mabel” (Pirates of Penzance), “Johanna” (Sweeney Todd) “Mary” (J.C. Superstar), and many other leading roles at the Palace Theater, Boothbay Harbor, ME, where she began her professional career playing “Peron’s Mistress” (Evita), “April” (Company), and “Catherine” (Pippin). While her husband was in medical school in Rochester, NY, she was fortunate to work at Geva Theatre in MOTH VARIATIONS (Anna Von Mildenburg) and at the Downstairs Cabaret Theatre in A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING.

 

In NYC cabaret houses, Raissa has performed at the Supper Club, The Rainbow Room, 88's, Don't Tell Mama, Rose's Turn, and Chita's on a bill with: Marla Maples, the late Vicki Sue Robinson, Rebecca Luker, Hugh Panaro and many other Broadway notables.

 

Raissa has been the featured soloist with several symphony orchestras throughout the Northeast, such as the Erie, Wallingford and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestras under the baton of Jeff Tyzik. She appears at the Virginia Sanford Theater in Birmingham, AL, in the annual Faces of Broadway concert which benefits UAB Cleft and Craniofacial Center and she was the guest soloist at the estate of the legendary Cal Ripken, Jr. She has appeared on television in numerous commercials, and was featured on NBC-TV's "Unsolved Mysteries".

 

Raissa was featured on the inaugural cruise season of American Classic Voyages, as a headliner with her own show, "LISTEN TO MY HEART - STORIES AND SONGS FROM THE JOURNEY", which she continues to perform in various cabaret venues, most recently at The Regents here in NYC. She has a solo CD which is based on this show, and it is available exclusively through this web-site.

 

At the time that Raissa was growing up in CT, there was little opportunity to pursue her theatrical and musical ambitions. School budgets were eliminating music and theatre programs. As a result, Raissa appeared in only 3 productions - 2 high school, and 1 community theater. Nevertheless, (cue the violin) she sold brushes door to door to make enough money to take piano and voice lessons whenever she had enough saved. Luckily, she was able to take flute/piccolo lessons in school and became first chair in the orchestra. After a handful of voice lessons, she was accepted to the Hartt School of Music as a Voice and Music Education Major, with a minor in Psychology. She received her Bachelor of Music and taught music in the CT public schools and did an internship at CT Valley Hospital in the Psychiatric ward, where she did research work on the DSM, and worked as a music therapist. This area continues to fascinate her, but she turned her efforts towards theatre after receiving her degree, and began auditioning. She has continued to teach/coach voice privately, but she has worked as an actress, ever since. Because of this path, Raissa is passionate about inspiring young actors to follow their dreams – they can be realized if you really want to work at it. So, she participates in the Lincoln Center “Meet The Artist” seminars and leads her own workshops around the country in musical theatre/audition/public speaking technique.

 

Raissa is also a certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness and Pilates Instructor on staff at New York Sports, Equinox and Reebok/Sports Club LA. During her year in Birmingham, she became a Reiki Master under the loving tutelage of Cindy Webb. She uses Reiki to aid in healing as a volunteer for Unity (www.unityofbirmingham.com), the Humane Society (www.hsus.org) and with the ASPCA (www.aspca.org.). After Raissa and Garrett rescued their dog, Brandy, and later, experienced an acute rescue with Goldie the 15 year old Chihuahua, who made her transition happily in their care 11 months after they rescued her, she decided to become a dog trainer, in order to help make shelter dogs more adoptable and to help educate the public on the best way to choose and care for their companion animals. The result is her business, Pawsitive Pups Dog Services, but her main focus remains using these abilities to volunteer with the Humane Society and the ASPCA.

 

Raissa is married to Facial Plastic Surgeon, Garrett H. Bennett, M.D. (www.drgarrettbennett.com), and they make their happy home in NYC with their tiny toy fox terrier, Brandy Alexandra Bennett.

 

This page last updated September 25, 2005.