WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Stephanie Jones-Benton

Covering theater for as long as I have is not without its privileges, chief among them being the opportunity to witness some very talented people come and go from the various stages in my life (and at varying stages in their careers) on the various stages I am honored to cover. While keeping up with them nowadays may be as easy as signing onto social media, their contributions to the cultural fabric of a major creative hub like Nashville (a city where virtually everyone sings, writes, makes music, and/or has a development deal in the works) may be unknown to a great many people now walking in their very footsteps.

More importantly, perhaps, seeing as how I know where the bodies are buried-both literally and figuratively-I am provided a unique perspective on the personalities that have shaped theater in Tennessee for at least the past 37 years (if you count that first show I reviewed as a college sophomore). Today you will be introduced to one of the finest actors to ever walk onto a Tennessee stage via what is quickly becoming our most popular feature series...WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Today, our focus is on one of our favorites: Stephanie Jones-Benton, one of Nashville's favorite musical theater stars, a Nashville native and a graduate of Belmont University's musical theater program. The past couple of years have been jam-packed with fun, excitement and work for Stephanie, with a lot of miles on her own personal odometer as she's traversed the world's seas and flown its skies, performing for audiences in virtually every corner of the globe.

"I just came back from sailing the world for almost two years. I was working for a six-star luxury cruise line called Regent Seven Seas and their sister company Oceania Cruises. I was very lucky to get a spot as the female vocalist on my first ship and slowly worked my way up through the company until my last contract on the Seven Seas Voyager where I was their Assistant Cruise Director/Guest Entertainer," she explains.

"I was in line to move into a Cruise Director position, however, as much as I loved my time at sea, it was time for me to be home close to New York City, to start auditioning again. Since I have been back, I have been auditioning and working for a company call DoTerra on the side. I love being home again, and I am currently working on a secret project for the next year! But more news on that at a later date.

"I love coming to visit Nashville as much as I can, and seeing old friends who I have missed dearly. A part of me always stays in Nashville. You can take the girl out of the South, but you can't take the southern out of the girl!"

What brought you to Nashville in the first place? I was lucky enough to be born and raised in this beautiful city!

How did your time in Nashville prepare you for where you are now in your career arc? Nashville has a great theater scene. It is a lot bigger than most people realize, and there are opportunities for just about every one of every level. However, the best part about theater in Nashville is the community. There is nothing like the Nashville theater group. I have never felt so supported and loved as I did around my friends in Nashville. When it comes to a future in the arts, the thing you need the most is to believe in yourself. My Nashville theatrr family helped me find my confidence. Those who know me well can say that I don't take compliments well. That is true. I never thought I deserved them. But, I was in a weird place between humility and self-deprecation. I couldn't tell the difference. But my Nashville theater family taught me well. And now, I can appreciate my gifts, and I love sharing them with others.

What's your most vivid memory of your time in the Volunteer State? My first-ever show I performed in Nashville was 100 Years of Music at Pull-Tight Theatre, and I performed it with my dad. When opening night came, I was in the dressing room as my dad went out to do a huge split jump. Glitter had somehow gotten on the floor and he slipped, sending him into the air just to land very hard on the ground. We found out later he had torn the petellar tendon off his kneecap and needed to go to the hospital. One of the girls comes back and grabs me to tell me my dad had fallen. As I am sitting with him, waiting for the ambulance he says, "You have to finish the show. I will still be here when you get done. The show must go on." Most people don't learn that lesson at such a young age, or under such circumstances. But, I am so glad I did. And I have performed through many conditions that people would think are unimaginable.

Who were some of the people in Tennessee who have had a lasting impact on your and/or your career? My dad and my mom were a huge part of my success in theater. My dad and I performed together in many shows and my mom usually helped on the technical side: a true theater family. They were always so supportive in everything I did. I also am so thankful for Pat and Steve Evans for giving me the opportunity to perform in my first show at Pull-Tight when I was 12 (even though the age limit was 13). I am still so blessed to call them friends today. One person who really helped me in deciding I wanted to do this for a living was Tim Larson. When I was originally cast as Emma in Jekyll and Hyde, I was excited, even though it was a standard part I was used to playing with my voice type. Then, with the unthinkable happening (the girl playing Lucy had to quit due to vertigo), Tim had faith in me to take over the role with very little time before opening night. That part won me best actress, along with some amazing reviews that I never would have dreamed would be written about me. That show gave me the courage to make this a career.

What advice would you give to someone taking their first steps to becoming a part of the theater scene here? The most important thing for a young actor/actress to do is to set their success blueprint. If you want to succeed, you have to set your sights on success and know you can achieve it. We are our own worst enemies. Self-doubt is a sickness that runs through the music/theatre industry probably more than any other industry. Ask yourself, "why would anyone want to have faith in me, when I do not even have faith in myself?" I struggled with this until last year when it hit me that I was actually hurting myself. The more I felt worthy to share my gifts, the more people appreciated them, and the more successful I was. It is a hard lesson to learn, and do not confuse self-worth with ego. They are completely separate. You can keep your humility while doing great things. If God gave you a gift, he thought you were worth it. So, use it!

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