Benjamin Velez

Benjamin Velez is a composer/lyricist and Columbia graduate where he wrote the 114th Annual Varsity Show. A member of the BMI workshop since 2010, he won the Harrington Award in 2012. His work has been at the Yale Institute for Music Theater, Ars Nova, NAMT, NYMF, NEO, the Civilians, 4@15, Joe’s Pub, and the York Theater where his musical “Afterland” had a reading directed by Mark Brokaw. He was a 2017 Sundance Artist at the UCROSS Foundation, and a spring 2018 artist in residence. His original musical “Starblasters” had its first reading at Dixon Place this past March, directed by Daniel Goldstein. His musical “Borderline” was the 2018 winner of the Weston Playhouse New Musical Award. His musical “Kiss My Aztec”, written with John Leguizamo, had a reading this year at the Public Theater and will be having its world premiere at Berkeley Rep in 2019.