# Ben Davis (singer)
**Ben Davis** (full name Benjamin Jay Davis) is an American baritone singer and actor, born in 1975 in [Ames, Iowa](https://www.edgepedia.org/ames-iowa), who has worked across Broadway musicals, opera, concert stages, television, and film since the late 1990s. He received a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre in 2003 for his role as Marcello in [Baz Luhrmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/baz-luhrmann)'s Broadway production of *La Bohème*, and his Broadway credits span *Les Misérables*, *Thoroughly Modern Millie*, *Spamalot*, *A Little Night Music*, *Violet*, *Dear Evan Hansen*, *New York, New York*, and *Once Upon a Mattress*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Jay Davis[1](https://playbill.com/article/playbillcoms-cue-a-the-preacher-of-broadways-violet-ben-davis-com-217773) |
| Born | 1975, Ames, Iowa; raised in Indianapolis, Indiana[1](https://playbill.com/article/playbillcoms-cue-a-the-preacher-of-broadways-violet-ben-davis-com-217773) • [2](https://sites.google.com/nhj.k12.in.us/indianamusicmakers/musiciansactors-and-actresses/ben-davis) |
| Voice type | Baritone; trained as a voice major at Butler University in the mid-1990s[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/) |
| Signature honor | 2003 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre as Marcello in Baz Luhrmann's *La Bohème*[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821) |
| Broadway shows | *Les Misérables*, *Thoroughly Modern Millie*, *La Bohème*, *Spamalot*, *A Little Night Music*, *Violet*, *Dear Evan Hansen*, *New York, New York*, *Once Upon a Mattress*, *Ragtime*, *Hadestown*[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821) |
| Screen roles | Papageno in Kenneth Branagh's *The Magic Flute*; recurring roles on *Law & Order: SVU*, *Blue Bloods*, and *30 Rock*[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/) |
| Current role | Hades in Broadway's *Hadestown*, beginning September 1, 2026[5](https://playbill.com/article/ben-davis-will-be-hades-in-broadways-hadestown) |
## Early life and training
Davis was born in Ames, Iowa, and moved to [Indianapolis](https://www.edgepedia.org/indianapolis) at age two, where he grew up[2](https://sites.google.com/nhj.k12.in.us/indianamusicmakers/musiciansactors-and-actresses/ben-davis). He described himself as a three-sport athlete who showed no interest in music until he played Riff in a high school production of *West Side Story*, after which he decided to pursue musical theater[2](https://sites.google.com/nhj.k12.in.us/indianamusicmakers/musiciansactors-and-actresses/ben-davis).
**Butler years.** He attended [Butler University](https://www.edgepedia.org/butler-university) in Indianapolis in the mid-1990s as a voice major, studying with Steven Stolen, and has credited the Jordan College of the Arts faculty with preparing him for his career[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/). After leaving Butler he worked at a financial brokerage firm in Indianapolis; his mother bought him a Chicago trade paper carrying an audition notice for *The Phantom of the Opera*, which came to nothing, but six months later he was invited to audition for *Les Misérables* in New York[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/). The producers cast him as the ensemble role Feuilly but first needed to confirm he could sing a high A over the phone with the music director; he hit the note and got the part[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/).
## Stage career
Davis toured the United States from 1997 to 2001 with a production of *Les Misérables*, then joined the Broadway company as Enjolras on September 10, 2001[2](https://sites.google.com/nhj.k12.in.us/indianamusicmakers/musiciansactors-and-actresses/ben-davis) • [3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/).
**Opera on Broadway.** In 2002 he played Marcello in Baz Luhrmann's Broadway production of Puccini's *La Bohème*, sung in Italian, which won a Tony Award; Davis and the other double- and triple-cast principals received the 2003 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre for the production[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/) • [4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821). He moved directly from that show into *Thoroughly Modern Millie* opposite [Sutton Foster](https://www.edgepedia.org/sutton-foster), playing Trevor Graydon from July 2003[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/) • [4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821).
**Replacement roles and later Broadway work.** Davis has repeatedly joined running shows as a replacement. His IBDB record lists him as Javert in the *Les Misérables* revival (2007), Sir Galahad in *Spamalot*, Mr. Lindquist in *A Little Night Music* (from August 2010), the Preacher in the 2014 Broadway premiere of *Violet*, a standby for Larry Murphy in *Dear Evan Hansen*, Gordon Kendrick in *New York, New York* (2023), the ensemble and understudy roles in *Once Upon a Mattress* (2024), and Father in the *Ragtime* revival (from June 16, 2026)[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821). In *Violet* he also sang the Radio Singer and Bus Driver tracks as part of the original cast[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821).
**Touring and regional.** He starred as Captain Georg von Trapp in the national touring production of *The Sound of Music* from September 2015 to March 2017[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821). Regional and summer-stock roles include Emile de Becque in *South Pacific* and [Sweeney Todd](https://www.edgepedia.org/sweeney-todd) at The Muny in St. Louis, Ravenal in *Show Boat* at Goodspeed Opera House, and Antipholus of Ephesus in *The Boys from Syracuse* at the [Shakespeare Theatre Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/shakespeare-theatre-company) in Washington[1](https://playbill.com/article/playbillcoms-cue-a-the-preacher-of-broadways-violet-ben-davis-com-217773). Off-Broadway he appeared in *Heathers the Musical* as one of the two fathers who belt "My Dead Gay Son"[6](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/heathers-the-musical-why-fans-are-losing-their-collective-minds/).
**Hadestown.** Davis began playing Hades in the Broadway production of *Hadestown* at the Walter Kerr Theatre on September 1, 2026, replacing the previously announced [Geno Segers](https://www.edgepedia.org/geno-segers), who left the production by mutual agreement after misogynistic and anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric from his social media resurfaced[5](https://playbill.com/article/ben-davis-will-be-hades-in-broadways-hadestown). His own website counts it as his tenth Broadway show[7](https://www.benjaminjaydavis.com/).
## Concert, opera, and screen work
**Concert baritone.** Davis has appeared as a guest soloist with the Boston Pops at [Tanglewood](https://www.edgepedia.org/tanglewood), the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the RTÉ Orchestra in Dublin, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and others, and performed at the [Hollywood Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollywood-bowl) as Patrick in *Mame* and in Bernstein's *Mass*[8](https://fwsymphony.org/guest-artists/ben-davis-vocalist). He starred as Fred/Petruchio in *Kiss Me, Kate* at the [Royal Albert Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-albert-hall) as part of the BBC Proms, where *The Times* of London wrote that his "vocal braggadocio often made a mike seem unnecessary"[8](https://fwsymphony.org/guest-artists/ben-davis-vocalist) • [7](https://www.benjaminjaydavis.com/). With Kelli O'Hara and Victor Garber he performed in Kurt Weill's *Knickerbocker Holiday* at Lincoln Center[8](https://fwsymphony.org/guest-artists/ben-davis-vocalist). His operatic stage work includes *La Bohème* on Broadway, the New York City Opera/BAM production of *Anna Nicole, The Opera*, and a performance as Robert Baker in *Wonderful Town* at Teatro alla Scala in Milan[9](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Ben-Davis/).
**Screen.** On film he played Papageno in [Kenneth Branagh](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenneth-branagh)'s film version of *The Magic Flute*, recorded at [Abbey Road Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/abbey-road-studios), and appeared in a filmed version of [Samuel Barber](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-barber)'s "A Hand of Bridge"[3](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/). Television credits include recurring roles on *Law & Order: SVU*, *Blue Bloods*, and *30 Rock*, plus *Numb3rs*, *Chicago Fire*, and NBC's *Annie Live!*[7](https://www.benjaminjaydavis.com/) • [9](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Ben-Davis/).
## Other people named Ben Davis or Ben Davies
The name belongs to several other performers, and confusion among them is common in searches. **Ben Davies** (1858–1943) was a Welsh tenor, born at Pontardawe, who studied at the Royal Academy of Music, sang with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, created the title role in Sullivan's *Ivanhoe* in 1891, and later appeared at [Covent Garden](https://www.edgepedia.org/covent-garden)[10](https://carlrosatrust.org.uk/ben-davies-and-clara-perry/). A contemporary British **Ben Davies** is a bass-baritone who sang four years in the Glyndebourne Festival Opera chorus and works mainly in consort and early music with ensembles such as The Sixteen[11](https://www.ben-davies.net/biography). **Benjamin Davis** is also the name of a British opera director who has staged semi-staged productions of George Benjamin's *Written on Skin* with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra[12](https://bachtrack.com/en_GB/find-reviews/performer%3D47608%3Blanguage%3D1), and **Ben E. Davis** is a Los Angeles-born, London-based pop and soul singer-songwriter[13](https://www.benedavis.com/). None of these is the Broadway baritone who is the subject of this article.
## References
1. [PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: The "Preacher" of Broadway's Violet, Ben Davis, Playbill](https://playbill.com/article/playbillcoms-cue-a-the-preacher-of-broadways-violet-ben-davis-com-217773)
2. [Indiana Music Makers – Ben Davis](https://sites.google.com/nhj.k12.in.us/indianamusicmakers/musiciansactors-and-actresses/ben-davis)
3. [Butler Is One of His Favorite Things, Butler University Stories](https://stories.butler.edu/butler-is-one-of-his-favorite-things/)
4. [Ben Davis – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ben-davis-91821)
5. [Ben Davis Will Be Hades in Broadway's Hadestown, Playbill](https://playbill.com/article/ben-davis-will-be-hades-in-broadways-hadestown)
6. [Audiences Are Losing Their Damn Minds at 'Heathers: The Musical', The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/heathers-the-musical-why-fans-are-losing-their-collective-minds/)
7. [Ben Davis, official website](https://www.benjaminjaydavis.com/)
8. [Ben Davis, Vocalist, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra](https://fwsymphony.org/guest-artists/ben-davis-vocalist)
9. [Ben Davis (Actor), BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Ben-Davis/)
10. [Ben Davies and Clara Perry, The Carl Rosa Trust](https://carlrosatrust.org.uk/ben-davies-and-clara-perry/)
11. [Biography – Ben Davies, baritone](https://www.ben-davies.net/biography)
12. [Benjamin Davis performer page, Bachtrack](https://bachtrack.com/en_GB/find-reviews/performer%3D47608%3Blanguage%3D1)
13. [Ben E. Davis, official website](https://www.benedavis.com/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Opera and classical vocal soloists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license