This summer, actor Alex Benoit is performing in the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical "Into the Woods" at Chicago's Writers Theatre. A humorous, but also poignant show, Benoit admires the theme of what it means to be on a quest. The show is directed by Gary Griffin, one of Sondheim's longtime collaborators.
 
"It's been incredible to be part of the production," said Benoit, who plays a prince. "The audiences have been fantastic. You go to live theater to create connection between the actor and the audience."
 
The understanding of performer-audience connection seems quite relevant for a former elite skater who simultaneously pursued the sport while also studying acting.
 
Benoit, 23, recently described himself as a Chicago actor with a helpful past. That past includes five years as a competitive ice dancer during which he and Elliana Pogrebinsky twice won bronze medals in junior dance at the U.S. Championships and won the pewter medal in championship ice dance in 2017.
 
When Benoit, who grew up in Naperville, Illinois, was training in Michigan with Pogrebinsky, he was also studying acting at Oakland University. After a seventh-place finish at the 2018 U.S. Championships, Benoit decided it was time to make acting his sole focus. He planned to complete his degree at Oakland, but while home for the summer he started auditioning in Chicago.
 
"I thought, 'I might as well go out and do a couple of auditions to get some experience,'" Benoit said. "I ended up booking shows in Chicago and signing with an agent. It became pretty clear to me that I would actually be staying in Chicago rather than going back to school."
 
Most of the gigs he has booked have been musicals, including "Mamma Mia!" and "Matilda," but was not his specific intent. After "Into the Woods" concludes its run in September, Benoit will head to London to study classical acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), alma mater of his favorite actor, Benedict Cumberbatch.
 
"Technically, I haven't gone down the traditional path of the musical theater actor, but obviously with skating I've always worked on the dancing and I've also been consistently working on my voice," said Benoit. "It's ended up that I've primarily booked musical theater work; however, in terms of my auditions it's probably split about 50/50 between musical theater and TV/film."
 
Benoit had actually booked acting work in Chicago through 2020, because he didn't expect to be accepted into LAMDA's 11-month master's program. The school receives 5,000 to 7,000 auditions per year and accepts only 24 students into the program.
 
"[Cumberbatch] really is my favorite actor, so I wanted to do as much as I could to base my development on what he's done," said Benoit. "The dream progression for me is being an incredible classical stage actor who also has talent working in film and TV."
 
There are aspects of skating that Benoit carries into theater work. As an ice dancer, he not only had to accomplish the technical content and work in tandem with his partner, but also connect with an audience.
 
"You really find as a performer that every audience member counts," said Benoit, who is a gold-level judge with sectional appointments in ice dance and singles as well as a technical specialist. "Every time you get on the ice, you're not just performing for a handful of people on the judging panel. It's for everyone in the rink."
 
The pressures of skating competition have definitely aided his ability to deal with nerves. A big difference is that in skating, the majority of your time is spent practicing and only a small amount performing. In theater, rehearsals are relatively brief, and then an actor has to be physically and mentally prepared to perform eight shows a week.
 
In addition to performing, he frequently auditions—as much as 10 times in a week—thanking his agency, Gray Talent Group, for great representation. His TV work includes a couple of national commercials, WeatherTech and Cat's Pride. He retains the work ethic that comes with skating.
 
"Whether you're in a theater that has 2,000 seats or 300 seats, you always feel that energy, excitement and nerves of wanting to perform your best," Benoit said. "Because my entire life has been spent within that space—whether it was on the ice or in the theater—I feel that I've been really well prepared. It takes the nerves and turns it into excitement."
 
Having been judged in skating and receiving critiques from coaches and judges has prepared Benoit for the audition process, as well as receiving notes from directors. Without critique, he cannot move forward and build on his abilities. He's able to read reviews—both good and bad—and keep them in perspective because he knows he's following his passion.
 
"For skaters, actors and young people figuring out what they want to do, the most important thing you can do is be yourself," said Benoit. "You have to follow your own heart. I loved skating and skating is always going to be part of my life, but my true passion is on stage and in front of the camera."