Julie Benko has a lot in common with the characters he currently plays on Broadway. In her latest Broadway revival of Funny Girl, Benko stars as Fanny Brice, a real-life actor and comedian who rose to fame in her early 20th century. Bryce was an unknown talent, as her Barbra Streisand famously acted in her 1964 original production of the musical and her 1968 film adaptation, but her skill and After years of devoting himself to comedy, he became a star. In the musical, Bryce is her bigger than life singing and dancing her way to the top of the entertainment industry.
"She worked on tour and in a choir in her teens. I've been on the same path for much of my life, so it resonates with me a lot." she says Benko. The 33-year-old said in a phone interview with TIME before she took on the role of Bryce for a month. After that, former Gleestar Lea Michele will take over her role on her September 6th. Benko's role is her second in a row, and she's very familiar with it. Benko has been gearing up for this moment since she started covering Beanie Feldsteinin March. It is currently Feldstein's top-selling album since he left the production at the end of July. Benko will continue to play the role on Thursday once Michele joins the cast.
Cast changes are common on Broadway, but theFunny Girl situation has become something of a spectacle on the internet. On opening night in April, Feldstein faced harsh reviews from critics, and onJune he announced that he would be leaving the production on September. In July, Feldstein shared that he would be leaving at the end of that month, saying "The production has decided to take the show in a different direction." A few days later,The Daily Beast delved into the creative team's decision-making process and found that after an April review, "a few producers decided to put Feldstein in that position." Get her out of the role immediately." Instead, the team sided with her, but things fell into chaos afterGawker leaked thatMichele had been cast. The casting drama has inspired her TikTok wave (#funnygirl has over 889.6 million views on her app) and theNew YorkTimeshas been featured in several media outlets. ,Slate,Vox, and CNN
through all of these, Benko began gaining followers, especially through TikTok., she began posting in her March. On her platform, she shares her lighthearted and entertaining content about her work on Broadway, and to date she has amassed over 22,000 followers. Well, with the rest of the spotlight this month and the dedicated weekly performances that follow, Benko will be able to explore new sides of the character and make it his own. The actor, who will release his album Hand in Hand on August 26, told TIME about his experience playing Fanny Brice. . What she learned from the character and how she stayed away from the show's behind-the-scenes drama.
Hours: Her first week of performance was the highest billing on Backview, how does that make you feel?
Benko: Pace yourself is definitely a learning experience. During her COVID vacation at Beanie, I did her 11 shows in a row, so I used to do 8 shows a week, but this week was especially exhausting. There were a lot of fans who bought tickets specifically for Tuesday because they wanted to celebrate something like a new opening. The energy was very exciting. Playing Fanny is like an Olympic sport. It's really exhausting, but the challenge is what makes it thrilling.
Has her relationship with her character changed after months of playing her?
Having the chance to do everything over and over makes it easier to relax and trust yourself a little more. Every time I go on after a break, there's a little part of my brain that worries that if it's been two weeks since the last show, the first show, she'll forget the next line. You know it, but you have to find the balance of being open to new things and scene partners in the moment, but you also need to maintain your focus. If you do it many times in a row, that feeling will go away and you will feel a little more free and playful.
This is a decidedly iconic part, basically synonymous with Barbra Streisand in her. How do you handle the pressure of embodying this role?
I try to focus on enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity without worrying about the outside things that others say. It's so easy to feel pressured, but I try to remember what a gift it is to have a complex, multifaceted personality and be able to explore different parts of someone's life.
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Fanny is a very rich character. What did you learn about yourself by playing her?
One of her iconic lines is, "I'm a bagel on a plate full of onion her rolls." She is real and never lies. She never tries to be an onion roll. She knows she's a bagel and she accepts it. She says what's on her mind and that's why people are so drawn to her. I learned from her how she stands on her own two feet, how to be truly who she is and not try to be anything else. Just like my TikTok. That's ridiculous. I'm not trying to put on a show, I'm just trying to show what it's really like behind the scenes. Also, in the second act, there is a strength to move forward while finding a place in the theater while having various senses of loss.
There are obvious similarities between you and Fanny and your recent rise to the spotlight. How has your day-to-day life changed since you took on this role?
Last night her husband and I went out to dinner. He ordered for me and explained to the waiter, "She's resting her voice. She's resting her voice, so I'm not a misogynist." Then the waiter said, ``I'm actually going to the show tomorrow. Created TikTok in March. i didn't have that before. Now I connect with many strangers. TikTok is my favorite out of all the platforms because it is the most creative. I feel like I've actually made some friends on social media, but I've been told that I've made friends before, but I didn't understand. But now I have
Do you plan to create his TikTok or spur the moment?
I don't usually plan to do it, but I started doing it regularly. Breaks are the only time you can relax.If something interesting happensduring break time, we'll record it in the dressing room. I don't have much time to do the more complicated TikToks that I did while I was waiting. I have some ideas for a little more planning. I want to make something that shows some of the quick changes backstage. Like, for example, when I was shooting a production photo of me as Fanny during thephoto shoot when I was at her manager's desk calling on thestage. Normally, I wouldn't have had time to make a video like this backstage. It was all improvised.
How often do you interact with your fans on social media? Do you feel pressured to do so?
I like to reply to people. I'm the type of person who hates leaving emails unanswered. I feel like pressure because I don't want to disappoint anyone. But I have learned that I have to stop it. After a night show, I try to get off my phone as much as possible. I can't sleep if I upload Instagram after the performance. Putting on a show will give you an adrenaline rush that will keep you from settling down.
Read more: Inside Broadway's Jubilant Homecoming (2021)
Recently in the spotlight But I would like to know that Beanie was in the production when he announced his departure. Could you tell us a little bit about your feelings at that time?
Well, I found out before the announcement. We all just wanted to support Beanie. Everyone loves a beanie. She is one of the friendliest people we have ever met. She's our workplace, and we're used to casting people who have been on Broadway for a long time. These occur fairly regularly. Everyone was very professional and engaged and worked. It's a nice community of people. Some outlets weren't always like that.
Broadway casting announcements are usually news in the theater world, but they don't always follow the news cycle. Even with all this complexity, a lot of care went into the production. Ultimately, if more people come to see the show, that feels like a positive thing.
My mother was texting me "You are in People en Español" her message. But it's ultimately a good thing thatFunny Girlis out there and people know about the work. All the women playing Fanny, Beanie, me, Leah, our stand-in Effie, everyone is so amazing and talented. Like the Pokémon reference, you have to catch them all. It's fun to see how different people interpret such a large and complex role. It's not about evaluating them, it's about experiencing the characters through different prisms. Her way of doing things is not one.
How can you be confused by this kind of news cycle when you're just trying to keep your head down and make a good show?
Well, I didn't like it. Friend, what does Jennifer Aniston look like? It's stressful. But just do your best to stay focused on the task at hand.
Annabel annabel to Gutterman. gutterman@time. Write to
