Julie Benko plays FB tonight in Funny Girl — Page 3

TaffyDavenport said: "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."



Dollypop is serious here. At the time Dorothy Kilgallen wrote about the lip syncing in her Jornal American column.

How many times has been Beanie bean out at this point? Does anyone have a count?

It seems like an awful lot. I can’t help but think that there’s a lack of respect for the audience, many of whom adore her and specifically went out of their way to see her. It takes so much planning and sacrifice of time and money to get to the theater.

It just feels like something sacred has been lost. And I say that as one who could never handle eight shows a week as a musical comedy lead - but I have the self-insight to know that.

Is it me, or is it also becoming a trend for performers’ absences to be mentioned at the eleventh hour when it’s clear they knew damn well they’d be out long before the announcement? This one just upended my own Saturday matinee plans re: Birthday Candles.

It seems to me this wasn’t happening with such regularity as recently as 10 or 15 years ago on Broadway. What changed?

I feel sorry for the poor box office personnel who inevitably bear the ire of disgruntled audiences who show up to find the star is out so routinely at their respective theaters. It can’t be pleasant.

By the way, for a hilarious account of the pain of working an NY theater box office, read Isaac Oliver’s Intimacy Idiot. It’s such a pleasure.

There's something afoot - this is not normal this early in the run. If it's too hard for her she should ask to get out of her contract and leave. What she's doing is completely unprofessional at this point. Or so it seems.

I imagine it will be announced soon that Benko doing all Wednesday and Saturday matinees going forward.

Felixleiter's is best explanation, and of course, there's a reason for it: it's apparently the truth.

Whenever we get into discussions about the vocal demands, we're in a circular conversation about how this revival's interpretation -- the comedy central, legendary vocals second -- is designed to have a different focus. But the fact remains, those 12 songs, or parts of songs, are staring any star in the face at every performance. Whether the audience expectation is met or not, the songs have to be sung. And for an unseasoned musical comedy actor, carrying 8 shows is a challenge. It's no disparagement to note that Minnie Fay cannot prepare a singing actor for Fanny Brice. That's the reality. A Marilyn Michaels or Mimi Hines could've done this, but this production wasn't looking for powerhouse singing.

Bottom line here, as noted above: this show is a modest hit so far, always raking in 1.3 million. The absences haven't diminished box office, though advance sales may be an open question. Once the show establishes the covered matinees at the point of sale, audiences can pick which performance, and the run can continue without negative chatter. One would hope they would announce this sooner rather than later. It might actually boost sales if people can buy seats in advance and know who will play the role.

Updated On: 5/28/22 at 08:20 AM

I am so glad for Julie who is an amazing singer and actress, but for the people who want to see Beanie it is a huge disappointment ,also people who do not know theater that well go in and see the understudy slip and think they are getting an inferior performance, when in reality in this case it is far superior. Beanie is lucky she is getting such a pass from the press, which i do not understand. Remember when Bernadette was missing so many "previews" of Gypsy they said they should put her face on a milk carton for missing children. I don't know who Beanie knows in the press but to get a pass for missing so many performances., it seems someone !

"I'm as disappointed as anyone in Beanie's performance. And as has been talked about-There IS truth that the "casting" process behind this revival is NOT at all what the media team has made it out to be and the reasons behind it that everyone has speculated about are a LOT closer to reality than the Beanie fans will have you believe."

Thank you. This is quite a whiff of breaking news about the production's origin story. So many people have been scolded and shamed for daring to wonder how this casting happened without a roster of also-rans in the mix. It didn't make them insensitive or bad people; it made them curious about the first revival in 60 years. I've been here since '03: curiosity and speculation have always informed this board.

At this point, Funny Girl is up and running, making decent and consistent box office by any yardstick, and now the title role will be divided. In some ways, the truth sets everyone free. The production's decision to give both leading ladies performances gives the audience options, and eventually halts anxiety about someone showing up. Consumers can choose the actor in the role, and decide what skill set serves their expectations. Maybe it's even an ultimate win-win.

poisonivy2 said: "Is Beanie's attendance really that bad? I feel like in the covid era great attendance is very rare. Aaron Tveit had great attendance. Katrina Lenk has great attendance. Hugh Jackman (so far) has great attendance. But many shows do not."

Yes. It really is.

I saw HELLO, DOLLY! 27 times while Beanie was in it and she was in every one. Granted, Minnie Fay is a much smaller role but she was there. (I also noticed a significant weight loss for her during the time she was in the show)

I have seen both Beanie Feldstein and Julie Benko as Fanny Brice.

For me personally, Beanie is indeed Funny and Charming - Funnier than Julie Benko (caught her matinee show May 1) a trained singer with a stronger and beautiful voice that's able to handle the constraints of the score far more than Beanie! Julie's Fanny is very entertaining and her powerful ''DROMP'' and ''The Music That Makes Me Dance'' - ''Finale'' does not compare to Beanie's efforts. Benko's physicality to Brice is uncanny but the comedic punches don't come so naturally for her as they do for Beanie. Julie's a special talent though...two totally different performances but I liked Beanie despite having the weaker voice a somewhat pretty sound but nasally. I laughed more during Beanie's performance especially ''His Love Makes Me Beautiful'', ''You Are Woman, I am Man'' and ''Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat'' and also enjoyed the show more from the front row - center mezzanine than left side orchestra row M! Ramin is very good (his couch bit - hysterical and what a voice) but he and Beanie have no chemistry whatsoever. Jared Grimes has grown more in the role and shines in every scene and his tap dancing is the highlight of the show! Show had a technical glitch for around 10 minutes prior to ''His Love Makes Me Beautiful'' but show resumed with laughter, applause and without losing a beat.

Also, crowd was ecstatic for Beanie! Beanie is a ''Funny Girl'' and felt it works with her my husband said exiting the show. We can't compare her to Streisand - I let Beanie take me on her journey as Fanny.

That seems to be the general consensus from the audience overheard exiting the August Wilson this past Thursday night.

Beanie is not your traditional Fanny Brice and is she really right for the role? Many will say, she's just not Fanny Brice.

Updated On: 5/29/22 at 02:02 PM

Safe to say that Benko has grown in the role, too, at performance number eleven. Again, good for the audience, good for her, ultimately good for the show.


Someone elsewhere blamed Feldstein’s 4 performance contractual out in April for this opportunity to compare takes on the role. Not really fair or accurate. If last weekend’s apparent vocal rest was inevitable - perhaps even sooner with 4 more completed performances - the April out is irrelevant. But in the glass half full sense; if she can successfully negotiate the role’s demands 6 times a week, no two show days, maybe Feldstein can relax, settle in, and enjoy the run. And continue to grow. This seeming bump in the road may end up a happy (enough) ending for everyone.

Updated On: 5/28/22 at 04:42 PM

Auggie27 said: " It didn't make them insensitive or bad people; it made them curious about the first revival in 60 years. I've been here since '03: curiosity and speculation have always informed this board."

There's been a LOT of insensitivity, and right below we have someone snidely saying she's Thelma Ritter not Doris Day (and that post was well-received; look at the upvotes). Yes, there are people who are just curious and are trying to understand the situation. There are also people saying some fairly mean things. It isn't one or the other. It's both.

Updated On: 5/28/22 at 07:08 PM