Ben Wexler is a New York-based composer, lyricist, arranger, and educator. He is a recipient of the 2019 Jonathan Larson Grant and currently serves on the Tony Awards Nominating Committee.
Ben's recent musical theatre works include Maestro (Whitman/Grove New Works Commission) and Washington Square (with Kirsten Childs).
He arranged the music for Billy Porter and Idina Menzel's features in Saturday Night Seder (2020), and was music supervisor and arranger for Fun Home's Spotify Session, the first-ever featuring a Broadway Musical. His work on "Artists in Residence" (with Victoria Clark) was added to the Library of Congress in 2022.
For film and television, Ben arranged and co-produced new music for the feature film Speech and Debate, with screenplay by Stephen Karam (Sycamore Pictures, 2017), and scored the "Space Out" episode of Immersions for Discovery Channel.
Ben served as Artistic Director of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition from 2017 through 2020, when it was awarded a Special Tony Award; he currently serves on their Board of Directors. He served as associate to Jeanine Tesori on four seasons of Encores: Off-Center at New York City Center, and for Fun Home, Violet, and Sunday in the Park With George, all on Broadway.
Ben has been commissioned to compose original music and custom arrangements for show choirs across the United states, leading these groups to top honors at both local and national competitions.
Ben trained through the New Dramatists' Composer-Librettist studio, The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Writing Workshop (Harrington Award Winner), and was a Dramatists Guild Fellow (2015-16). He holds a B.A. in Music Composition from Yale University (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Betta Kappa).
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Press:
“Some of the songs, in particular, are a joy. Victoria Clark’s polished and deeply felt rendition of Essential by Ben Wexler is delightful.”
Jonathan Cash, The Reviews Hub
“It’s hard not to immediately like Ben Wexler. He’s an incredibly endearing performer whose passion for his work is palpable. But beyond that, he is a notably gifted composer and singer.”
Yael Haskel, Writing on Theater and Film
“I can only marvel at his craft. Not only are the songs lyrical, they’re distinctively illuminating.”
Alex Cohen, Woman About Town
Saturday Night Seder featured in the New York Times.
Broadway Advocacy Coalition receives a Special Tony Award