Julie Benko plays FB tonight in Funny Girl- Page 2

[Azúcar!]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 9:16am

BJR said: "Yeah isn't it bigger news, and rarer, for the star to be out an entire weekend?

Hopefully she's feeling better and back in soon. I don't want to speculate. But if Reidel was around I have a feeling he'd be calling over to the Wilson..."

Why isn’t Reidel around ?  

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 9:19am

It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow night/ this week as far as who is on for Fanny. I'm just bummed Julie Benko wasn't on the weekend before last when I was in town and saw the show - I would have loved to have seen someone who could actually play the role and wasn't 100% miscast.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 9:44am

Reidel retired and is now teaching writing at Northwestern University.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 9:47am

Riedel’s column in the NY Post was reduced in length and frequency in 2019 or early 2020, and I think COVID then basically killed his position entirely. 

[LarryD2]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 12:58pm

So, Beanie missed this entire weekend of performances (May 18-20) and was also out the weekend of April 29 on a previously scheduled absence. Has she missed any other performances? I saw the Wednesday matinee last week -- full cast in -- and she was certainly giving it 110%, but she sounded pretty raw. If she's out for vocal troubles, that's alarming this early in the run.

[Azúcar!]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 1:05pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Riedel’s column in the NY Post was reduced in length and frequency in 2019 or early 2020, and I think COVID then basically killed his position entirely."

Can’t he blog or podcast ?  

Updated On: 5/23/22 at 01:05 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 7:10pm

Azúcar! said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "Riedel’s column in the NY Post was reduced in length and frequency in 2019 or early 2020, and I think COVID then basically killed his position entirely."

Can’t he blog or podcast ?"

 

I suppose he could, but in the "New Broadway" where everyone is trying super hard not to hurt anyone's feelings, I don't think his b*tchy gossip would be very welcome. I enjoyed reading him, but think it is wise for him to move on.

Updated On: 5/23/22 at 07:10 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 7:36pm

LarryD2 said: "So, Beanie missed this entire weekend of performances (May 18-20) and was also out the weekend of April 29 on a previously scheduled absence. Has she missed any other performances? I saw the Wednesday matinee last week -- full cast in -- and she was certainly giving it 110%, but she sounded pretty raw. If she's out for vocal troubles, that's alarming this early in the run."

 

Thanks to this incredible company and especially to

@raminkarimloo for the most magical weekend 

[jagman1062]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 9:54pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Patti LuPone FANatic said: "I hope she gets the lead, whenever it becomes available.”

I have a feeling that Benko will be going a lot for of performances and wouldn’t be surprised if Feldstein leaves the production (perhaps by her own accord, perhaps by “mutual agreement.&rdquo I don’t think anything like this has happened since Madeline Kahn’s departure from On the Twentieth Centuryseveral decades ago. That was a different situation (as in Kahn was good in the role but only when she felt like it), but if Feldstein keeps missing performances I think that might be her way of saying “f*ck this, I’m going back do doing movies.” If I were a betting man I’d say Benko takes over full time by Labor Day.

Or maybe Feldstein is sick at home and chomping at the bit to get back onstage. But the radio silence on why she has missed yet another entire weekend of performances is odd, especially with this ratherunprecedented situation with her standby.

"I was chatting it a friend from  high school last night after I got back from the matinee. She is an actress, as is her sister who has appeared on Broadway, and they are both still heavily involved in theater. My friend said she wouldn't be surprised if Beanie is out of the show more often than not. She said that Beanie doesn't have the stamina to carry 8 shows a week and that she could never really sing "People." I thought that latter comment was odd, because wouldn't people  have realized that Beanie couldn't pull off one of the most iconic songs from the show during auditions? (Did Beanie audition or was she handed the part?) Regardless, I can't speak for the accuracy of my friend's comments, but she is usually on point with her knowledge of what's going on in Broadway theater and her comments seemed plausible.

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 10:17pm

That Streisand Woman couldn't sing "People" either. She lip-synced it at most performances.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 10:19pm

This thread turned up in my Google screen today. I know, algorithmic preference determinative. Still, the performance is also big on IG. It’s good for Ms. Benko, ultimately good for the show as brand. Oddly enough, these two weekends of the standby’s triumph extend the show’s potential. It’s not the synergy of a single actor and role. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 10:23pm

Dollypop said: "That Streisand Woman couldn't sing "People" either. She lip-synced it at most performances."

This is the most ludicrous comment ever posted.  Streisand never had any issues singing the material.  Midway during the run of the show she started cutting verses to songs on matinee days to save her stamina.  The very first performance she missed was a year into run.  There was no lip-syncing in 1964-65.  

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 10:29pm

For goodness' sake, Dollypop isn't serious. He says ludicrous things to get a rise out of people, and some just can't resist taking the bait. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 10:30pm

Totally possible that Beanie will do less and less performances. Once someone gets a taste of “avoiding that thing that I’m struggling with and which brings me criticism” the commitment to ‘that thing’ can be very hard to maintain. 
There will also be AEA rules about how many performances per week/per week in a row that Julie can do before she’s considered an alternate. I’m sure her agent is watching this very closely. 

Updated On: 5/24/22 at 10:30 PM

[goldenboy]

Posted: 5/24/22 at 12:21am

If Beannie missed ALL of her remaining performances, it would be a blessing to the theatre going public and the show. Beannie has talent. But  in this role, she does  the public, or the show no favors by being in it. 

Amazing how much like Brice Benko looks in that red dress. 

 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/24/22 at 10:54pm

She's back...

Julie Benko

@JujujulieBee

·

26m

This just in: I will be stepping in for Fanny tomorrow’s Wednesday matinee 

Updated On: 5/24/22 at 10:54 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/25/22 at 8:28am

On this afternoon at 2 p.m. Available at TKTS.

[bryan2]

Posted: 5/25/22 at 10:35am

WOW Beanie has been out more in the first weeks  than any lead in a broadway show than i remember . I know one was a planned, strangely the first weekend after opening (never heard of this happening)  Beanie must be a very secure person  not to be threatened by the amazing performance that Julie has been giving.. Any lead would be crawling in to perform but she doesn't seem to worry...I am baffled by this to be honest 

 

[goldenboy]

Posted: 5/25/22 at 1:51pm

"Beannie must be very secure."

 

Or a neurotic mess deciding to miss performances from the critiques. Or just sick.

Her career will survive. Heck she's in the upcoming Merrrily We Roll Along. I

[Papi2013]

Posted: 5/25/22 at 2:09pm

I am surprised production lets Julie Benko post about her going on in social media.  You would think they would want some control on the narrative.  But I guess shows can't really do that?  I know when Midler was in Dolly they couldn't post a thing.  How does that work?  I mean.. how does that work with social media these days? 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/25/22 at 2:12pm

Papi2013 said: "I am surprised production lets Julie Benko post about her going on in social media. You would think they would want some control on the narrative. But I guess shows can't really do that? I know when Midler was in Dolly they couldn't post a thing. How does that work? I mean.. how does that work with social media these days?"

Rudin had the cast on NDAs, which were recently deemed unlawful by AEA.

Cameron Mackintosh tried to crack down on sharing, but in the Covid era where understudies are going on so much, it doesn't do any good to hide it. And there would be complaints of "equitability" if they tried to suppress actors sharing when they would be playing a principal role.

AND the producers probably also know that they might get some sales with Beanie out.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 5/26/22 at 3:08am

Understudies and alternates have literally saved these shows in the last 3 years. They have every right to let people know when they will be on. In many cases- like this- they are a vast improvement on the person they are covering. 
 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/26/22 at 4:07am

In many cases? Oh, please.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/26/22 at 9:01am

Her career will survive. Heck she's in the upcoming Merrrily We Roll Along.

Upcoming?!  The film is slated for release in 2040.  It’s filming in real-time with a production schedule of 20 years.  She’ll probably have done like 10 films and 5 Broadway shows by the time that film is released.  

[Peter C Yeager]

Posted: 5/27/22 at 11:38pm

Julie plays Fanny in the matinee tomorrow (May 28).