Julie Benko as Fanny - Funny Girl- Page 15

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 4:43pm

 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 4:49pm

She is so charming. Can't help but smile when you watch her.

[pdz96]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 5:17pm

For the "Broadway in Bryant Park" soundcheck, Julie sang "The Greatest Star" and DROMP. For the actual event, she only did Greatest Star. I wish I recorded the soundcheck!

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 5:20pm

Closer view:

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 5:40pm

I was there this afternoon and will echo everyone's praise for Benko. I'm sure the full scope of her Fanny is just as effective and powerful. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 6:05pm

She's having the time of her life, and it shows.

[evic]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 7:24pm

I haven’t posted here for a while but after watching Julie at Bryant Park I had to. She IS a star! So charismatic and that voice! For a major revival, the producers should have spent the money and offered a big splashy production with a wildly talented unknown as Julie. What they brought us is a cheap ugly underpopulated meh. 6 Showgirls in the Ziegfeld Follies???!!!This girl is lovable and believable as Fanny. I don’t know how Leah can surpass Julie’s performance. I know Julie will be big one day.

[shocktheatre]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 8:21pm

Good for her. Nice to see this production has some good news for a few weeks.

[Papi2013]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 8:54pm

I thought it was Meh and a little superficial; truth be told.  But just my opinion.  

[shocktheatre]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 9:33pm

Lea joins the chat:

"I thought it was Meh and a little superficial; truth be told.  But just my opinion"

[FranklinDickson2018]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 9:58pm

Julie Benko knocked it out of the Park.  Literally   She gives me chills.   What a voice, what a star, and she has that "IT" factor that is so important in a performer.  Total charisma.    I wish that Julie could do a National Tour of FG.  I bet it would do very well. 

[Penna2]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 10:08pm

FranklinDickson2018 said: "Julie Benko knocked it out of the Park. Literally She gives me chills. What a voice, what a star, and she has that "IT" factor that is so important in a performer. Total charisma. I wish that Julie could do a National Tour of FG. I bet it would do very well."

Agree totally re: her performance. Got me teary-eyed, felt like she was my granddaughter. Couldn't stop smiling. Would love a tour, that way I could see her perform in person instead of these snippets.

[bk]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 10:33pm

a) time will tell if she's ever a "star" - the way that word is bandied about, does it actually have any meaning anymore? b) I like her, I like her voice - but the ONLY person I've ever seen actually get laughs with this song is Barbra Streisand. Everyone else tries hard (part of the problem - it doesn't come as naturally) but they don't get the laughs. To Ms. Streisand, that stuff came so naturally and, of course, it was specifically tailored to exactly what came naturally to her.

[shocktheatre]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 10:54pm

Benko mugs much less than Babs, which I like. She is going to be big. They should have cast her in the first place. I mean, she can SING, obviously.

[Penna2]

Posted: 8/18/22 at 11:59pm

bk said: "a) time will tell if she's ever a "star" - the way that word is bandied about, does it actually have any meaning anymore? b) I like her, I like her voice - but the ONLY person I've ever seen actually get laughs with this song is Barbra Streisand. Everyone else tries hard (part of the problem - it doesn't come as naturally) but they don't get the laughs. To Ms. Streisand, that stuff came so naturally and, of course, it was specifically tailored to exactly what came naturally to her."

Someone on IG made some very astute comments about the show in general and Streisand in particular. It is about AMBITION. Fanny's (and Barbra's) ambition drove her. She did whatever she had to do to get ahead in her career, which is glossed over to some extent in the show (burlesque, artist model, street shows, etc.) This ambition was also directed at Nicky, which ultimately overwhelmed him. Streisand had a similar type of ambition and she truly believed the song. He said something I didn't remember from the film...at the end of I'm the Greatest Star, Streisand had tears in her eyes. 

From what I have read about Julie (a lot), she studied Fanny (not Barbra), but she has also fought for her career - any job she could get, studied voice and acting, worked as understudy, standby, whatever. So she understands the struggle. I would say she is driven, it is not as overt. If anything, it's that raw hunger that is lacking. Something both Brice and Streisand seemed to share. 

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed Julie's performance in the videos I've seen today. I was entertained and loved the Fanny she created. You can feel her emotion - which is what being a star is all about. Letting people in to feel what you feel.

[Papi2013]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 1:15am

shocktheatre said: "Lea joins the chat:

"I thought it was Meh and a little superficial; truth be told. But just my opinion""

You made me laugh 

[A Director]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 4:58am

BK - The video is from a performance in the park with no shots of how the audience reacted.  Unless you have seen Funny Girl with Julie Benko, you don't know how the audience reacts in the theatre.

[bk]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 5:59am

A Director said: "BK - The video is from a performance in the park with no shots of how the audience reacted. Unless you have seen Funny Girl with Julie Benko, you don't know how the audience reacts in the theatre."

I heard a lot of audience reaction and woo-hooing - I didn't hear laughs. As I said, I like her and her voice, from what I've seen and heard. I've seen a lot of attempts at this song and it just never gets the laughs. But the song lands anyway because it's built to land and she gets all that. I'm talking specifically about the lines that Streisand got laughs with. I'm coming in in late September and may try to see the show, although the Michael Mayer factor may keep me away :)

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 10:41am

Julie is so lucky to have such a supportive group of family and friends on this board. All those new sign ups to BW! I'm sure you're all so proud of her. Look, I saw the show with Beanie and wanted her to succeed so badly... but she didn't have the voice and she was out of her league. And the production around her ...is...as some have said and I agree "chintzy." It needs a star turn to carry this lump. So I decided to see it again with Julie and her vocals are good. And she's perfectly fine. Transformative? No way. I'm seen transformative she's nowhere near the top 50. Julie needs to run with this gift as long as she can because this is just that...a "gift" for her. Is she a leading lady? Not in my humble opinion. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm probably not. And now Julie's friends and family are mad and lots of angry "you don't know what you're talking about" replies will follow. And that's fine. Show her how much you love her. But you know I'm right. And we know why you started this thread. Again that's all fine. It doesn't change the fact that she's not a lead. You're either born with it or you're not. It's elan. Julie has talent - she's not a star. They were lucky to have her to bridge to the next lead comes in. Let's hope she pulls it off. We won't know until we see it and I'll be there on Saturday night to see if she can do it. And then I'm done giving this substandard production any more money. Let's at least hope they fix those ugly costumes.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 10:53am

All of these demands for "the laughs" mystify me. It's a charming I Want number, but not Adelaide's Lament. It's cute, it's fun, and inspires smiles. In 1968 when I saw the film, the Camille line made us grin, but not double over guffawing. The secret of performing the song, in or out of context, is that Fanny knows she's purposely overselling herself, and the thrills arrive in the second half when the raw ambition takes over. Streisand got it, so does this singing actor. I don't think we need to giggle much, just be caught up in a character's belief in herself.  . 

Updated On: 8/19/22 at 10:53 AM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 11:07am

Jimmyb1969 said: "Julie is so lucky to have such a supportive group of family and friends on this board. All those new sign ups to BW! I'm sure you're all so proud of her. Look, I saw the show with Beanie and wanted her to succeed so badly... but she didn't have the voice and she was out of her league. And the production around her ...is...as some have said and I agree "chintzy." It needs a star turn to carry this lump. So I decided to see it again with Julie and her vocals are good. And she's perfectly fine. Transformative? No way. I'm seen transformative she's nowhere near the top 50. Julie needs to run with this gift as long as she can because this is just that...a "gift" for her. Is she a leading lady? Not in my humble opinion. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm probably not. And now Julie's friends and family are mad and lots of angry "you don't know what you're talking about" replies will follow. And that's fine. Show her how much you love her. But you know I'm right. And we know why you started this thread. Again that's all fine. It doesn't change the fact that she's not a lead. You're either born with it or you're not. It's elan. Julie has talent - she's not a star. They were lucky to have her to bridge to the next lead comes in. Let's hope she pulls it off. We won't know until we see it and I'll be there on Saturday night to see if she can do it. And then I'm done giving this substandard production any more money. Let's at least hope they fix those ugly costumes."

 

Exactly.  She is giving a perfectly acceptable understudy performance.  This is not going to be a career making "Shirley MacLaine/Laine Kazan" moment -- she's much more in the Nancy Hess/Linda Muggleston "professional understudy" realm.  The unbridled worship that she is getting on social media is waaaaayy over the top --- mostly from young wannabees who now have it in their brains that if Julie B can star on Broadway, then I CAN DO IT TOO!  

Updated On: 8/19/22 at 11:07 AM

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 11:25am

One of my takeaways from watching Julie's performance yesterday (and seeing her in the show) was that no matter how great she is, these songs AS WRITTEN just are not as exciting as you expect them to be. Hearing singers sing what is on the page of Funny Girl compared to what Barbra was able to come up with is not the same thing. What Barbra did with these songs: reinterpreting the melodies, opting-up, connecting phrases, dynamics, etc. It's so thrilling. But what July Style wrote down doesn't have the same effect. Maybe it's just that we all hear the Barbra version in our heads. In any case, Benko is delightful and is blowing people away at the August Wilson. Me included.

[Azúcar!]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 11:27am

JSquared2 said: "Jimmyb1969 said: "Julie is so lucky to have such a supportive group of family and friends on this board. All those new sign ups to BW! I'm sure you're all so proud of her. Look, I saw the show with Beanie and wanted her to succeed so badly... but she didn't have the voice and she was out of her league. And the production around her ...is...as some have said and I agree "chintzy." It needs a star turn to carry this lump. So I decided to see it again with Julie and her vocals are good. And she's perfectly fine. Transformative? No way. I'm seen transformative she's nowhere near the top 50. Julie needs to run with this gift as long as she can because this is just that...a "gift" for her. Is she a leading lady? Not in my humble opinion. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm probably not. And now Julie's friends and family are mad and lots of angry "you don't know what you're talking about" replies will follow. And that's fine. Show her how much you love her. But you know I'm right. And we know why you started this thread. Again that's all fine. It doesn't change the fact that she's not a lead. You're either born with it or you're not. It's elan. Julie has talent - she's not a star. They were lucky to have her to bridge to the next lead comes in. Let's hope she pulls it off. We won't know until we see it and I'll be there on Saturday night to see if she can do it. And then I'm done giving this substandard production any more money. Let's at least hope they fix those ugly costumes."



Exactly. She is giving a perfectly acceptableunderstudyperformance. This is notgoing to be a career making "Shirley MacLaine/Laine Kazan" moment -- she's much more in the Nancy Hess/Linda Muggleston "professional understudy" realm. The unbridled worship that she is getting on social media is waaaaayy over the top --- mostly from young wannabees who now have it in their brains that if Julie B can star on Broadway, then I CAN DO IT TOO!"

Agreed.  It is meh!

[Penna2]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 12:19pm

A Director said: "BK - The video is from a performance in the park with no shots of how the audience reacted. Unless you have seen Funny Girl with Julie Benko, you don't know how the audience reacts in the theatre."

I listened to 3 or 4 different videos - there was a lot of cheering at the end. As the guy I mentioned the other day - this is not a funny song. It's a song about ambition and you don't laugh at someone's ambition. If anything people are often embarrassed when someone bears their soul. Julie is ambitious and works(ed) hard. I don't think she's as hungry - at least overtly - as Brice and Streisand. I suspect Lea will come off as hungrier.

Will we remember Julie in 50 years - probably not, that doesn't mean she can't be a star now. She seems to be growing into the role. I thought initially she was settling into being an understudy. I hope she flies. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/19/22 at 12:57pm

Penna2 said: "A Director said: "BK - The video is from a performance in the park with no shots of how the audience reacted. Unless you have seen Funny Girl with Julie Benko, you don't know how the audience reacts in the theatre."

I listened to 3 or 4 different videos - there was a lot of cheering at the end. As the guy I mentioned the other day - this is not a funny song. It's a song about ambition and you don't laugh at someone's ambition. If anything people are often embarrassed when someone bears their soul. Julie is ambitious and works(ed) hard. I don't think she's as hungry - at least overtly - as Brice and Streisand. I suspect Lea will come off as hungrier.

Will we remember Julie in 50 years - probably not, that doesn't mean she can't be a star now. She seems to be growing into the role. I thought initially she was settling into being an understudy. I hope she flies."

 

Please stop.  You. Have. Not. Seen. The. Show.