Benjamin Phillips

Personal/Professional Life: Benjamin Charles Phillips was born in Logan, Utah. He is the son of Victor and Lisa Phillips. He is the second of eight children. He lived for seven years in North Carolina as a child before returning to Utah in his teens. He was active in sports and the arts in high school, winning a state championship in tennis and performing in all-state choirs and musicals. He is a devout Christian and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served a church service mission in the country of Chile for two years. He studied Vocal Performance at Utah State University for two years before his engagement to Cynthia Wagstaff (of Orange County, CA). The couple has four children. After marrying, Ben studied various fields including Business Marketing, Spanish Linguistics, Secondary Education, and Journalism. He spent several years helping to coach his high school alma mater's varsity football team. He works as a financial consultant. Performing Life: Ben started performing at a young age, singing in various school and community children's choirs. He got his first lead role at the age of 12 in a pair of community youth musicals, playing as David and Daniel, respectively, in The Rock Slinger and His Greatest Hit and Rescue in the Night. He continued performing in high school, with lead roles in The Pajama Game (Prez) and 12 Dancing Princesses (the Soldier). He also participated in two all-state choirs. He studied classical voice at the university, and then studied Speech Level Singing after. Influential People: In 2005, while working at Fazoli's Restaurant, Ben met international opera star Michael Ballam, a Logan native. Michael invited him to sing for him, and after hearing, invited him to perform in his opera company (then Utah Festival Opera Company, now Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company). Ben did so, performing in eight musicals and operas with the company, as well as various concerts and other performances, over the next two years. In 2006, Ben's cousin, Kellie (Green) Hiskey, invited him to the set of High School Musical to be an extra. On set, Director Kenny Ortega took special interest in him. He allowed Ben to shadow him for several scenes, took the time to listen to him sing, and went out of his way to help and encourage him. Both of these men were vital in shaping Ben's outlook on his potential as a performer.