Ben Folds To Produce & Appear In New Off-Broadway Musical

The musical was created by, written by, co-directed by and will star Folds’ frequent touring mate, Lindsey Kraft.

Ben Folds(Credit: Supplied/Frontier Touring)

Ben Folds is a busy man. Not only is he commemorating the (belated) 30th anniversary of Ben Folds Five’s debut album, but he’s preparing to work on a musical.

Broadway World reports that Ben Folds will direct the music, produce, and star in the forthcoming We’ve Been Here Before: A One-Woman Musical, which premieres in New York next month. It’s set to take over the SoHo Playhouse from Tuesday, 4 August, to Monday, 17 August.

The musical was created by, written, co-directed by and will star Folds’ frequent touring mate, Lindsey Kraft.

Best known as an actress, with a recurring role as Allison in the comedy-drama series Grace & Frankie and appearances in Why Women Kill, Suits, Veep, and many other television series and some films, Kraft has also developed a career as a musician.

Kraft supported Folds on tour in 2023 during his What Matters Most tour, where she performed songs from the Love Me musical she wrote. She also joined him on his Australian tour earlier this year.

For the on-stage performances of We’ve Been Here Before: A One-Woman Musical, Kraft will be joined by Ben Folds and Dan Dudin as she delivers a story about love, loss and liberation.

A synopsis of the musical reads:

Liv is 40, codependent, and about to have a mid-life awakening, brought on by an overwhelming urge to write music. Starting with no prior experience, she learns to play piano while beginning a relationship with a secret online confidant. The result is a funny, heartbreaking, and fiercely honest playlist of her life—tackling everything from her father’s addiction to a lifetime of staying quiet.

Earlier this week, Folds announced that Ben Folds Five are commemorating the 30th anniversary of their self-titled debut album.

The rock trio are gearing up to celebrate the first Ben Folds Five album with a newly remastered anniversary edition on vinyl and CD, complete with unseen photos and new liner notes, as well as the “Shelved First Attempt” – the original version of the album created before the album you know and love was released.