Benjamin Pajak

Benjamin Pajak was born in 2011 in Westfield, New Jersey.^[1] When he was six, he attended a Broadway performance of The Phantom of the Opera, an experience that made him interested in acting on stage.^[2] He later took part in several regional theatre productions, including Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, The Aristocats, and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.^[3] In early 2020, he was selected to play Winthrop Paroo in the Broadway revival of The Music Man, after his mother encouraged him to audition.^[4]

In 2022 Pajak was featured in the Broadway revival of The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre, with Pajak performing the cornet live; the production was postponed for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[2][4] Although the show received mixed reviews, Pajak's performance drew positive notice and earned him the Theatre World Award.^[5] The following year, he played the title role in Oliver! at New York City Center.^{[citation needed]} In 2023, he also appeared in a production of Ragtime at the Music Circus in Sacramento, California.^[6]

Pajak made his feature film debut after being cast at age 12 in Mike Flanagan's tragicomedy The Life of Chuck,^[7] a 2025 adaptation of the short story of the same name by Stephen King.^[8] There, he played a younger version of the title character, Charles "Chuck" Krantz.^[9] He then played Lucas in Playdate (2025)^[10][11] and acted in Tiny Fugitives.^{[citation needed]}

• 2022: Where It's Beautiful When It Rains (short film)
• 2024: The Life of Chuck
• 2025: Playdate
• 2025: Tiny Fugitives

• 2022: The Music Man (Winter Garden Theatre)
• 2023: Oliver! (Maltz Jupiter Theatre & New York City Center)
• 2023: Golden Rainbow (Theater at St. Jean, NYC)^{[citation needed]}
• 2023: Ragtime (Music Circus)
• 2026: The Lost Boys (Palace Theatre)