On Broadway, Raissa performed the leading role of “Christine Daae” in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, as well as in the Los Angeles and National Touring Companies of PHANTOM. Also on Broadway, Raissa appeared in the Actor’s Fund Benefit Concert of CHESS with Josh Groban. She appeared in the First National Tours of CATS as “Jellylorum/Griddlebone” and “Jennyanydots”, and as “Lizzie Phagan” in PARADE, where she worked with the original creative team of director Harold Prince, choreographer Patricia Birch, author Alfred Uhry, and composer Jason Robert Brown. As an original cast member of SAVIN’ AIMEE, Raissa had the joy of working with its wonderful creators: Kathie Lee Gifford, David Friedman, and David Pomeranz. With the National Theatre of the Deaf, Raissa was able to use her love of sign language while playing “Mother” in A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES.

In NYC, she created the roles of “Emma Bovary” in THE DOCTORS WIFE, and “Gina” in GINA’S PAROLE, in the ASCAP and Peek-A-Boo New Musicals Series. More recently, she appeared as “Amy Slocum” in GOODBYE, LILY DAW at the NY Musical Theatre Festival, and as “Mother” in Joe Jefferson Benjamin Blow at the Greenwich Street Theatre. Also at the York, she played “Calliope” in THE FABULIST. She was very honored to be a featured vocalist at Town Hall for BRAVE NEW WORLD: AMERICAN THEATRE RESPONDS TO 9/11.

While appearing on Broadway, Raissa performed at the Palace, St. James, Minskoff and Majestic Broadway Theatres, in the Broadway community’s legendary Easter Bonnet Pageant and the Gypsy of the Year Shows, which both benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. Raissa also produced and starred in the benefit, CALLING ONE AND ALL… at Radio City Music Hall, starring the late Vincent Gardenia.

Regionally, theatre has allowed Raissa to enjoy living and working in wonderful new places such as Little Rock where she played “The Queen” in CINDERELLA at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Buck’s County where she played “Grace” in ANNIE, Manchester, NH where she played “Mabel” (Pirates of Penzance), “Johanna” (Sweeney Todd) “Mary” (J.C. Superstar), and many other leading roles at the Palace Theater, Boothbay Harbor, ME, where she began her professional career playing “Peron’s Mistress” (Evita), “April” (Company), and “Catherine” (Pippin). While her husband was in medical school in Rochester, NY, she was fortunate to work at Geva Theatre in MOTH VARIATIONS (Anna Von Mildenburg) and at the Downstairs Cabaret Theatre in A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING.

As a cabaret performer, Raissa received the 2010 Bistro Award for Outstanding Achievement as the creator, producer and host of THE CONCERTS AT TUDOR CITY GREENS, which is dedicated to preserving the green spaces of  NYC, while introducing a whole new audience to the artists of the cabaret and theater communities.  She was also a 2009 MAC Award nominee as Outstanding Female Vocalist, and she has received critical acclaim for her performances at Feinsteins, the Metropolitan Room, Iridium, Supper Club, The Rainbow Room, 88′s, Don’t Tell Mama, Chita’s, The Algonquin, and Radio City Music Hall. She has soloed with many symphony orchestras and was guest soloist at the estate of the legendary Cal Ripken, Jr. She was featured at the Lincoln Center Barnes and Noble in their Any Wednesday series, performing selections from her first CD, WHAT I WAS DREAMING OF, available here.

Raissa’s cabaret shows are co-written and directed by Eric Michael Gillett an acclaimed performer of Broadway, Concert and Cabaret, and a MAC Award winner for Best Director. Her Musical Director is David Caldwell. David was the musical director of the long running off-Broadway hit FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. He conducted the American premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s CHILDREN OF EDEN and composed music and lyrics for Robert Fulghum’s ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN, is the Musical Director and arranger of Raissa’s newest CD, which will be released later this year on the PS CLASSICS label.  The Tony Award nominated composer, Michael John LaChiusa, has written 2 original songs especially for Raissa, which have been featured in her concert performances, and will be featured on the upcoming CD.

She has appeared on television in numerous commercials, and was featured on NBC-TV’s “Unsolved Mysteries”. Raissa appears in the SAG film, “The Third Testament,” due out in 2010.

At the time that Raissa was growing up in CT, there was little opportunity to pursue her theatrical and musical ambitions. School budgets were eliminating music and theatre programs. As a result, Raissa appeared in only 3 productions – 2 high school, and 1 community theater. Nevertheless, (cue the violin) she sold brushes door to door to make enough money to take piano and voice lessons whenever she had enough saved. Luckily, she was able to take flute/piccolo lessons in school and became first chair in the orchestra. After a handful of voice lessons, she was accepted to the Hartt School of Music as a Voice and Music Education Major, with a minor in Psychology. She received her Bachelor of Music and taught music in the CT public schools and did an internship at CT Valley Hospital in the Psychiatric ward, where she did research work on the DSM, and worked as a music therapist. This area continues to fascinate her, but she turned her efforts towards theatre after receiving her degree, and began auditioning. She has continued to teach/coach voice privately, but she has worked as an actress, ever since. Because of this path, Raissa is passionate about inspiring young actors to follow their dreams – they can be realized if you really want to work at it. So, she participates in the Lincoln Center “Meet The Artist” seminars and leads her own workshops around the country in musical theatre/audition/public speaking technique.

Raissa is also a certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness and Pilates Instructor. She became a Reiki Master under the loving tutelage of Cindy Webb. She uses Reiki to aid in healing as a volunteer for Unity (www.unityofbirmingham.com), the Humane Society (www.hsus.org) and with the ASPCA (www.aspca.org.). After Raissa and Garrett rescued their dog, Brandy, and later, experienced an acute rescue with Goldie the 15 year old Chihuahua, who made her transition happily in their care 11 months after they rescued her, she decided to become a dog trainer, in order to help make shelter dogs more adoptable and to help educate the public on the best way to choose and care for their companion animals.

Raissa is married to Facial Plastic Surgeon, Garrett H. Bennett, M.D. , and they make their happy home in NYC with their two tiny rescue dogs, Brandy and Otie.