Benson Drive Productions is a New York-based production company developing projects from the mind of George Strus (they/them), who grew up on Benson Drive dreaming of making theatre.
Benson Drive Productions is making its Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut this summer with STEVE BURNS: ALIVE, running from August 5-30, 2026 at Underbelly, Cowgate. In addition, Benson Drive Productions is taking three US-based artists in residence to experience the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time, too. Please find more information, and the link to submit before 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday, June 14, here.
BDP is also currently proud to support David Wise's FIGHT BACK, a theatrical experiment that thrusts participants directly into a 1989 meeting of ACT UP New York, the passionate group taking direct confrontational action to fight the AIDS crisis. All net proceeds will support The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. Sign up for FIGHT BACK on Monday, June 15, 2026 here.
Upcoming projects include a musical adaptation of David Ebershoff’s THE DANISH GIRL and others to be announced.
OTHER RECENT CREDITS
Amber Ruffin's BIGFOOT! off-Broadway at New York City Center Stage I in association with Manhattan Theatre Club. BIGFOOT!'s extended run was praised as "ecstatically silly and irresistibly charming" by The New York Times and was nominated for Best Musical at the 2026 Lucille Lortel, Off Broadway Alliance, and Drama League Awards.
TRISHA PAYTAS’ BIG BROADWAY DREAM, a one-night gala starring Trisha Paytas, Sutton Foster, Ben Platt, Joy Woods, and Rachel Zegler, raising over $150,000 for the Entertainment Community Fund
A PLAY ABOUT DAVID MAMET WRITING A PLAY ABOUT HARVEY WEINSTEIN, a benefit reading of Mathilde Dratwa’s play directed by Leslye Headland and starring Abbi Jacobson, Billy Eichner, and Helené Yorke, raising over $15,000 for NYCLU
A KIDMAN CAROL, a developmental run of Kevin Zak’s play starring Marla Mindelle and Josh Sharp, raising over $3000 for New York Cares
Strus' independent co-producing credits include Stephen Sondheim’s HERE WE ARE (off-Broadway), ILLINOISE (Broadway - Tony Nomination), OH MARY! (Broadway, West End, US Tour - Tony Nomination + Olivier Award), ROMEO + JULIET (Broadway - Tony Nomination), EVITA (West End - Olivier Nomination), LIBERATION (Broadway - Tony Nomination), TITANIQUE (Broadway - Tony Nomination), CATS THE JELLICLE BALL (Broadway - Tony Nomination), PROOF (Broadway), END OF THE RAINBOW starring Jinkx Monsoon (UK), HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (UK), and RENT (West End).
Strus also founded the Obie Award-winning Breaking the Binary Theatre, was a 2024 recipient of the prestigious Prince Fellowship, is a proud member of The Shubert Organization's Artistic Circle, and was recently inducted into the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2026 in Hollywood and Entertainment.
