Benjamin Strouse
Benjamin Strouse
Benjamin Strouse is an award-winning writer of prose, stage and screen. His credits include One Life to Live, Guiding Light and The Young and Restless for daytime TV stalwarts such as Another World and Guiding Light; two Writers Guild of America awards have also been bestowed upon him.
He currently resides in Maplewood, New Jersey with his wife and twin daughters, where he enjoys taking their two dogs for walks.
Early Life and Education
Vernard “Ben” Strouse of Ashland passed away Tuesday, December 15, at University Hospital in Elyria after living 92 years. Born June 26 in Jelloway to Everett and Iva Jane Strouse he was one of four sons.
Strouse/Adams was at its best with Applause, their musical adaptation of All About Eve that ran for 896 performances with Lauren Bacall as lead. Additionally they worked on Shoestring Revues, Charlie and Algernon, Dance A Little Closer Rags, Nick and Nora.
Before founding Gen-Z Media, Ben practiced intellectual property and entertainment law in New York City. He is the author of New York Times best-selling children’s book Hey Boy and Off-Broadway musical Whatever Man, as well as having created and produced award-winning podcast series The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel.
Professional Career
As a composer, Strouse has written over 30 musicals. His first is widely considered one of the first rock musicals ever written – Bye Bye Birdie is considered its predecessor.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane… Superman was another classic film he co-wrote with Lee Adams, featuring an independent female lead character with career ambitions; an extremely rare message in mainstream films today.
Additionally, this film shows a realistic ratio of racial diversity in New York city. Furthermore, it delves into alternative lifestyles by showing Jessica’s friends engaging in homosexuality and masturbation typically reserved for male characters. Ben combines his law practice and passion for writing to oversee Gen-Z Media; representing various YouTube talent while helping develop podcasts.
Achievement and Honors
The New York Pops honored Charles Strouse’s achievements with a performance featuring music from his Broadway musicals Bye Bye Birdie, Annie and Applause. Strouse received both the 1999 ASCAP Richard Rodgers Award as well as being inducted into both the Theatre Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Benjamin Strouse, co-founder of Gen-Z Media along with David Kreizman and Chris Tarry, manages Gen-Z Media’s Peabody award winning family podcast studio GZM. GZM produces high concept audio mysteries and adventures such as their highly downloaded children & family podcast The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel.
This episode is provided to you by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission, TRAX from PRX and Gen-Z Media as part of their series of podcasts produced by Penn State Schuylkill’s Center for Excellence in Writing.
Personal Life
Strouse’s work as an author includes musicals such as Annie, Applause and Bye Bye Birdie as well as his New York Times best-of-the-year children’s book Hey Boy (Simon & Schuster). Furthermore, he composed both music and lyrics for several Off-Broadway and cabaret revues.
He has directed multiple productions of Annie and its sequel Annie Warbucks on Broadway and worldwide, as well as regional theatre performances of Robin Hood: The Legend Continues.
Ben Strouse is one of the Co-Founders of Gen-Z Media and an Intellectual Property Attorney, representing Pop Superstars, Motion Picture Companies and touring musical productions he had helped negotiate deals for. Beginning 2009 he switched focus and began writing and composing: his first book musical Whatever Man premiered at New York Musical Theatre Festival to critical acclaim.
Net Worth
Strouse was an intellectual property and entertainment law attorney practicing in New York City prior to co-founding Gen-Z Media, representing pop superstars such as Madonna and Meatloaf as well as film companies, Broadway productions of musicals like Annie and Bye Bye Birdie, motion picture deals for motion picture companies and Broadway touring productions like Bye Bye Birdie. Additionally, Hey Boy, was recognized by The New York Times Best Of Children Books Award as well as Being composed/writting the off-Broadway musical Whatever Man.
Strouse’s indie film The Incredible Jessica James shows that complex female characters can exist outside of patriarchal gender roles. Jessica, the black protagonist, is sexually assertive while prioritizing theatre over relationships with men. She’s intelligent and well-rounded – Boone, her Caucasian date acknowledges her humanity while supporting her writing aspirations.