Alexandra Socha (born April 10, 1990) is an American actress who made her Broadway debut in the
rock musical
A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and concep ...
''
Spring Awakening'' in May 2008. Other notable stage appearances include Nora in the brief 2009 revival of ''
Brighton Beach Memoirs
''Brighton Beach Memoirs'' is a semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon. The play is a coming-of-age comedy focused on the main character of Eugene Morris Jerome, a Jewish teenager from a Polish immigrant family. It is set in September 1937 in ...
'', Daisy Fenton in the Off-Broadway run of ''
Death Takes a Holiday
''Death Takes a Holiday'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama starring Fredric March, Evelyn Venable and Guy Standing. It is based on the 1924 Italian play ''La morte in vacanza'' by Alberto Casella (1891–1957), as adapted in English ...
'', as Philoclea in ''
Head over Heels''. She was featured in a supporting role in the Amazon comedy TV series ''
Red Oaks
''Red Oaks'' is an American comedy drama television series created by Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs. The first season was released on Amazon Prime Video on October 9, 2015. On December 18, 2015, Amazon announced that the show would be returnin ...
''.
Biography
Socha was born in
Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua () is a city in southern New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 91,322, the second-largest in northern New England after nearby Manchester, New Hampshire, Manchester. It is on ...
, where she grew up, the daughter of Joan Storey and Thad Socha. As an only child, she performed with her parents in local community theater shows. She attended
Nashua High South graduating in 2008. Socha began to act as a child, joining the Peacock Players of Nashua, where she played Amneris in the musical ''
Aida
''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...
'' in 2006.
She gained professional experience with the American Stage Festival and The Lyric Stage.
After completing her junior year of high school, Socha made her Broadway debut in ''
Spring Awakening'' on July 24, 2007. She replaced
Krysta Rodriguez
Krysta Anne Rodriguez is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Ana Vargas in the NBC series '' Smash'', Summer Henderson in the NBC series '' Trial & Error'', Maxine Griffin in the ABC series '' Quantico'' and Ms. C ...
as an ensemble member plus understudying the roles of Wendla, Thea, Anna and Martha.
[ On May 20, 2008, Socha replaced ]Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati ( ; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables'' (1995–1996), ''Ragtime'' (1997–1999), ''Fid ...
taking over the role of Wendla fulltime. She received positive notices in the '' Daily News'' and ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. She played out the remainder of the run, and also graduated from Nashua High School in 2008 after completing a home study program. Her next Broadway appearance was the short-lived revival of ''Brighton Beach Memoirs
''Brighton Beach Memoirs'' is a semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon. The play is a coming-of-age comedy focused on the main character of Eugene Morris Jerome, a Jewish teenager from a Polish immigrant family. It is set in September 1937 in ...
'', which opened on October 25, 2009.
In September 2010, Socha was at the Yale Repertory Theater in "We Have Always Lived in the Castle," a new musical based on the Shirley Jackson
Shirley Hardie Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Her writing career spanned over two decades, during which she composed six novels, two memoirs, and mor ...
novel of the same name . In April 2011, Socha opened in ''The Dream of the Burning Boy'', at the Roundabout Theater Company's Black Box Theater. On July 14, 2011, she opened as Daisy Fenton in Death Takes a Holiday
''Death Takes a Holiday'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama starring Fredric March, Evelyn Venable and Guy Standing. It is based on the 1924 Italian play ''La morte in vacanza'' by Alberto Casella (1891–1957), as adapted in English ...
, at the Laura Pels theater. On November 28, 2011, Socha made her solo concert debut at Duplex Cabaret Theatre in New York City with a show entitled Home.
On October 17, 2012, Socha played Medium Alison in a workshop of the musical ''Fun Home
''Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic'' is a 2006 graphic memoir by the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, author of the comic strip '' Dykes to Watch Out For''. It chronicles the author's childhood and youth in rural Pennsylvania, United States, ...
'', at The Public Theater
The Public Theater is an arts organization in New York City. Founded by Joseph Papp, The Public Theater was originally the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954; its mission was to support emerging playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: ...
in New York. From Sept. 30 – Dec. 1, 2013, Socha originated the role of Medium Alison in the official off-Broadway premiere of ''Fun Home
''Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic'' is a 2006 graphic memoir by the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, author of the comic strip '' Dykes to Watch Out For''. It chronicles the author's childhood and youth in rural Pennsylvania, United States, ...
'' at The Public Theater in New York. She left the show for personal reasons and was replaced by understudy Emily Skeggs
Emily Skeggs (born July 10, 1990) is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2015 for playing the role of Medium Alison in '' Fun Home''.Clarke, DavidBWW "Interview: Emily Sk ...
who continued with the remainder of the run and later transferred the show to Broadway.
On television, Socha portrayed Mia in the Showtime series '' The Big C'', made single appearances on ''White Collar
White collar may refer to:
* White-collar worker, a professional who performs office-based or similar service-based jobs, as opposed to a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor
* White-collar boxing
* White-collar crime
The term ...
,'' ''A Gifted Man
''A Gifted Man'' is an American fantasy medical drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 23, 2011. The series is about a talented but self-absorbed surgeon (Patrick Wilson) who starts questioning his purpose in life when he is v ...
'', ''Made in Jersey
''Made in Jersey'' is an American legal drama television series that aired on CBS from September 28 to December 29, 2012. The network ordered the series in May 2012. On October 10, 2012, after only two episodes aired, it was canceled and removed ...
'', '' Law And Order: SVU'', and had a recurring role in the FX series ''Damages
At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognized at ...
''. Socha was a regular cast member in Seasons 1 and 2 in the Amazon Comedy TV series ''Red Oaks
''Red Oaks'' is an American comedy drama television series created by Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs. The first season was released on Amazon Prime Video on October 9, 2015. On December 18, 2015, Amazon announced that the show would be returnin ...
''.
In the summer of 2017, Socha returned to the Theater stage originating the role of "Amber" in the world premiere of Anna Ziegler's play ''Actually''. The show had its world premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. ...
in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She continued with the show when it transferred Off Broadway to Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Lynne Meadow has been the company’s Artistic Director and visionary since 1972. Barry Grove joined the company in 19 ...
's Stage II at New York City Center
New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama, and the New York City Center 55th Street Theater) is a performing arts center at 131 West 55th Street (Manhattan), 55th Street between Sixth Avenue, Six ...
.
In 2018, Socha returned to Broadway for the first time in 8 years originating the role of Philoclea in '' Head over Heels'', a musical retelling of Sir Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidney (30 November 1554 – 17 October 1586) was an English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age.
His works include a sonnet sequence, '' Astrophil and ...
's play '' The Arcadia'' featuring music of The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's are an American all-female Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar ...
. For this show, Socha reunited with original ''Spring Awakening'' director Michael Mayer and castmate Andrew Durand. ''Head Over Heels'' had its world premiere in San Francisco, California at the Curran Theatre
The Curran Theatre, located at 445 Geary Street between Taylor and Mason Streets in the Theatre District of San Francisco, California opened in February 1922, and was named after its first owner, Homer Curran. As of 2014, the theater is owned b ...
from April 10 - May 6, 2018. It officially arrived on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre
The Hudson Theatre is a Broadway theater at 139–141 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the ...
in the Fall of that same year. Previews began June 23, 2018 and Opening Night was set for July 26, 2018. Socha stayed with the production during its entire Broadway run. The show closed on January 6, 2019.
On March 5, 2024, Socha joined the Broadway cast of ''Wicked
Wicked may refer to:
Books
* ''Wicked'' (Maguire novel), a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name
* ''Wicked'', a 1997 novel series collaboration between Australian children's authors Paul Jennings and Morris ...
'', replacing McKenzie Kurtz in the role of Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and is the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Coun ...
. She played the role alongside Mary Kate Morrissey
Mary Kate Blake (born June 18, 1989), known by her maiden name Mary Kate Morrissey, is an American stage actress. Born in Pennsylvania, Morrissey began her career when she starred as Sheila in the musical ''Hair'' and Janis in the Mean Girls mu ...
as Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp () is the protagonist of Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'', the novel's musical theatre adaptation, and the musical's two-part film adaptation, '' Wicked'' (2024) and '' ...
. Socha departed the cast in March 2025.
Personal life
Socha met actor Etai Benson in 2011, and they married in 2020. They played lovers Tzeitel and Motel in Paper Mill Playhouse
Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater containing approximately 1,200 seats located in Millburn, within Essex County, New Jersey, United States, on the banks of the Rahway River. Due to its relative proximity to Manhattan, the theater draw ...
's production of ''Fiddler on the Roof
''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...
''. They welcomed a son in 2023.
In April 2023, Socha revealed on Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
that she had converted to Judaism
Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theater
References
External links
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*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Socha, Alexandra
Living people
American stage actresses
American musical theatre actresses
1990 births
People from Nashua, New Hampshire
Actresses from New Hampshire
21st-century American women