Julie Benko

Julie Benko (born March 24, 1989) is an American actress. Benko is known for her portrayal of Fanny Brice (as the alternate) in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl (2022).

Julie Benko
Born (1989-03-24) March 24, 1989
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Alma materNew York University Tisch School of the Arts (BFA, MFA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2008–present
Known forFunny Girl
Spouse
Jason Yeager
​
(m. 2021)​

Early life and education

Benko was born on March 24, 1989, in Washington, D.C.[1][2] When she was three years old, her family moved to Fairfield, Connecticut. She attended Fairfield Ludlowe High School, in Fairfield, Connecticut. When Benko was 14, she was cast as Hodel in the musical Fiddler on the Roof which was her first theatre production, organized at a local Jewish Community Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Her parents and sister were also cast.[3] In 2007, she portrayed Lizzie in Baby, alongside her father at the Curtain Call Theater in Stamford, Connecticut.[4] Benko graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2013 and 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama (CAP21) and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting, respectively.[5]

Career

Benko first began her professional acting career in 2008 when she understudied five roles in the national tour of Spring Awakening. She later joined the 25th anniversary tour of Les Misérables as an ensemble member and the understudy of Cosette, ultimately taking over the role of Cosette full time.[6] Benko has also played multiple Off-Broadway and regional roles, such as Girl in Once and Emily Webb in Our Town.[7][8][9] From 2015 to 2016, she was the understudy of both Hodel and Chava and covered six other roles in the Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof.[6][10] In 2017, she won the gold medal at the national American Traditions Vocal Competition in Savannah, Georgia.[11]

Benko released her debut jazz album Introducing Julie Benko on October 20, 2017, which includes "Tomorrow Is A Day For You," a song celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriage in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges.[12][13]

Benko made her debut as a director and writer for the short film The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy in 2020, which is about a Hasidic Jewish couple on their wedding night. The film received honorable mentions and awards from the New Faces New Voices Audience Choice Award[14] and the Online New England Film Festival Award.[15]

Benko was the standby for the role of Fanny Brice in the 2022 Broadway revival of Funny Girl, with her first performance on April 29, 2022.[16] Starting on August 2, 2022, she became a replacement for Beanie Feldstein following her leave from the show, and became Fanny Brice alternate on September 6, 2022 once Lea Michele took over the role.[17][18] Her performance was met with positive reviews, with The New York Times naming her as the "2022 Breakout Star" for Theatre.[19] She was listed as one of Crain's New York Business "2022 40 Under 40",[20] and The New York Sun called her "[t]he Fanny Brice of our time."[21]

In September 2022 and June 2023, it was announced that Benko would play the role of Ruth Stern in the upcoming musical Harmony in 2023, which is expected to open in November 2023.[22][1]

Benko released the song "Start With a Bang" on February 13, 2023, written by Dan Mertzlufft and Kate Leonard with accompaniment by the Broadway Sinfonietta.[23] In the episode "The Many Saints of Springfield" in The Simpsons, Benko's name was mentioned on a car.[24]

Personal life

Benko is Jewish.[6] Benko met musician Jason Yeager at a Starbucks in 2013, and they got married in 2021.[25] The pair released an album named Hand in Hand in 2022.[26]

Theatre credits
Title Year(s) Role(s) Theatre Notes Ref(s)
Spring Awakening 2008–2010 u/s Wendla and Ilse — 1st national tour [10]
Les Misérables 2011–2013 u/s Cosette, ensemble Imperial Theatre Broadway and 25th anniversary tour [10]
The Golem of Havana 2014 Rebeca Barrington Stage — [27]
Fiddler on the Roof 2015–2016 u/s Hodel and Chava Broadway Theatre Broadway [10]
Rags 2017 Bella TheaterWorks Silicon Valley Off-Broadway [28]
Bar Mitzvah Boy 2018 Lesley York Theatre Off-Broadway [29]
Once 2018 Girl Mason Street Warehouse Off-Broadway [8]
Our Town 2018 Emily Webb Weston Playhouse Off-Broadway [9]
The Fantasticks 2019 Luisa Weston Playhouse Off-Broadway [30]
Funny Girl 2022–2023 Fanny Brice August Wilson Theatre Broadway revival as standby (March 26-July 31, 2022); replacement (August 2–September 4, 2022); alternate (September 6, 2022 – September 10, 2023) [17]
Harmony 2023 Ruth Stern Ethel Barrymore Theatre Broadway [22]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2020 The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy Bride Also director and writer

Discography
  • Introducing Julie Benko (2017)
  • Hand in Hand (with Jason Yeager, 2022)

References
  1. Cooke, Bruno. "How old is Julie Benko? Age and career of Funny Girl's Fanny Brice". The Focus. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  2. "Julie Benko on TikTok". TikTok. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  3. Morga, Adriana (May 2, 2022). "CT actress debuts in Broadway production of 'Funny Girl' as Beanie Feldstein's standby". CT Insider. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  4. "Father and daugther [sic] share stage in Stamford". Stamford plus. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  5. "Julie Benko '13/'21 Stars as Fanny Brice in Broadway's 'Funny Girl'". NYU Tisch. August 4, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  6. Jacobs, Julia (August 3, 2022). "Julie Benko Was the 'Funny Girl' No One Had Heard of, Until Now". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  7. Vaynberg, Liba (August 4, 2022). "Up Close and Personal With the New "Funny Girl"—Julie Benko". Lilith Magazine. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  8. Merrell, Sue (August 19, 2018). "'Once' is never enough for this love story at Mason Street Warehouse". Encore Michigan. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  9. Brown, Alex (July 12, 2017). "Theater Review: 'Once,' Weston Playhouse". Seven Days. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  10. Benko, Julie. "Julie Benko: Résumé". Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  11. "Julie Benko takes home top prize at 2017 American Traditions Vocal Competition". Savannah Morning News. February 25, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  12. Wexler, Matthew (September 3, 2022). "Julie Benko on her 'Funny Girl' star turn, sexy co-star, and fav queer composers". Queerty. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  13. "Vocalist Julie Benko Announces the Release of her Debut Album "Introducing Julie Benko"". JazzCorner. August 31, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  14. Durrell, Brad (October 2, 2020). "Fairfield actress Julie Benko makes directorial debut with new short film". The Ridgefield Press. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  15. "Online New England Film Festival Award Winners". Online New England Film Festival Awards. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  16. Bowling, Suszanna (May 1, 2022). "Funny Girl Makes Julie Benko a Star". Times Square Chronicles. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  17. "Julie Benko at Playbill Vault". Playbill Vault. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  18. Gutterman, Annabel (August 11, 2022). "Julie Benko on Embracing the 'Funny Girl' Spotlight". Time. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  19. Salam, Maya (December 16, 2022). "The Breakout Stars of 2022". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  20. "40 Under 40 - Julie Benko". Crain's New York Business. October 24, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  21. Friedwall, Will (September 9, 2022). "At Birdland and on Broadway, Julie Benko Establishes Herself". The New York Sun. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  22. "Julie Benko Joins Cast of Broadway-Bound HARMONY From Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman". Broadway World. September 15, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  23. Harms, Talaura (February 13, 2023). "Watch Julie Benko and the Broadway Sinfonietta 'Start With a Bang'". Playbill. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  24. Major, Michael (February 22, 2023). "VIDEO: Lea Michele & Julie Benko Featured on THE SIMPSONS". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  25. Libbey, Peter (July 2, 2021). "A Dynamic Duo, on and Off the Stage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  26. Hall, Margaret (May 10, 2022). "Funny Girl Standby Julie Benko to Release Duets Album Hand in Hand". Playbill. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  27. Burns, Gail M.; Murray, Larry (July 25, 2014). ""The Golem of Havana" – the mystical musical from the Barrington Stage Musical Theatre Lab". Berkshire on Stage. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  28. Kane, Karla (April 12, 2017). "'Rags' is rich with history, music". Mountain View Voice. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  29. Musbach, Julie (February 1, 2018). "Julie Benko, Ben Fankhauser & More Announced for the York's Bar Mitzvah Boy". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  30. Brown, Alex (June 26, 2019). "Theater Review: 'The Fantasticks,' Weston Playhouse". Seven Days. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
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