Interview: Theatre Life with Julie Benko

Today’s subject Julie Benko is currently living her theatre life onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) playing the iconic musical theatre role of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls. The show runs through January 8th, but Ms. Benko will be departing the show on December 28th. Read on to see what her next project is. Trust me, it's very impressive.

Julie Benko might be best known to many of you as the standby for both Beanie Feldstein and Lea Michele in the recent Broadway revival of Funny Girl. She went on once a week regularly while also going on for both ladies at various times during the show’s run. But her killer talents go far beyond that one show. Other Broadway credits include Harmony, Fiddler on the Roof and Les Misérables. On tour she performed in Les Misérables and Spring Awakening. Regional credits include My Fair Lady, Jane Eyre, Once, The Fantasticks, Our Town, and Rags.

You might have also seen her on the big screen in the film Caravan.

Ms. Benko’s talents garnered her the 2023 Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theatre and was also named the 2022 “Breakout Star for Theater” by The New York Times and one of Variety’s “10 Broadway Stars to Watch.”

As if all that weren’t enough Julie also has recorded three studio albums with her pianist-composer spouse Jason Yeager—which includes their take on “If I Were a Bell” from Guys and Dolls. Their new release, Euphonic Gumbo, arrives this February on Club44

To say that Julie Benko is just THAT talented would be an understatement. For any of you that saw her in Harmony on Broadway, you know how heartbreaking her duet with Sierra Boggess called “Where You Go” was. If you saw her belt out “Don’t Rain on My Parade” in Funny Girl, you just knew that Julie Benko was a force of nature when she hit the stage.

The canon of Golden Age musicals should never be forgotten. Please make a point to see Guys and Dolls at STC before it disappears into that big crap game in the sky. If you are able to catch it before Julie Benko departs, you’ll have the chance to see one of our finest modern day musical theatre stars in action. That my friends is a sure bet.

Julie Benko is truly living her theatre life to the fullest.

Growing up, who would you say had the biggest influence on you becoming a performer?

My teachers. An acting teacher who directed one of my first community theater shows (Fiddler on the Roof at the JCC in Bridgeport, CT) and my high school choir director each sat me down and told me they thought I could have a career in this. I had always loved theater but never considered it professionally. If they hadn’t said that I’d probably be an OBGYN today. Sorry, Mom.

Where did you receive your training?

I earned both my BFA in Drama and my MFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The MFA program, in particular, changed, shaped, and defined me as a performer. I owe the NYU Graduate Acting program a lot.

What was your first professional job as a performer?

I was 19 when I was cast in the first national tour of Spring Awakening, where I was a swing covering all five female roles. Michael Mayer directed that production—and he’d end up directing me again 15 years later in Funny Girl.

Guys and Dolls is a classic of the American Musical Theatre. The show has had many productions on Broadway and elsewhere over the years. What makes the STC production different from all the others?

You definitely haven't seen a set like this before for Guys and Dolls. Jim Loewe has also created new orchestrations for our 12-piece band, and it’s been exciting to help shape how those arrangements support our unique voices and interpretations.

How do you best describe your character of Sarah Brown?

At the start of the show, Sarah uses religion as a cudgel, both to frighten sinners into submission and to protect her own vulnerable heart. When she falls in love with Sky, she reconnects with her inner child and discovers the thrill of taking risks. By the end, she’s saving souls through love rather than fear. It’s a beautiful journey. I love how her complexity is reflected musically, moving from a stern and stiff soprano in “I’ll Know” to a relaxed and playful jazz tones on “If I Were A Bell” to a self-assured high belt in “Marry the Man Today.” Plus, she gets the guy without ever compromising her values or herself. That’s rare in any musical, let alone one from the 1950s. 

You have played the role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway and are now playing Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at STC. Both of these roles are considered iconic when it comes to the Golden Age of Musical Theatre. Are there any other Golden Age roles you would like to perform?

Last summer, I had the joy of playing my ultimate dream role, Eliza Doolittle, opposite the unbelievably talented Raúl Esparza as Henry Higgins. I’d love to do a longer run of My Fair Lady with him. Other bucket list roles from the Golden Age canon I’m eager to tackle: Nellie in South Pacific, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Amalia in She Loves Me, and Esther in a stage version Judy Garland’s version of A Star is Born. 

You were part of the musical Harmony on Broadway. The show’s music was written by legendary composer/performer Barry Manilow. Can you please talk about the experience of putting that show together and what it was like having him in the rehearsal room?

It was incredibly special to be part of Harmony. Working on new material allows you to be a true collaborator in shaping the character, since you’re constantly offering ideas about lines and staging. Barry was always very kind to me. When I recorded privately with him for the cast album before Broadway rehearsals began, I was amazed by his attention to sonic detail. We spent hours creating a new ending for one of my songs during that session—an ending that made it into the final show. He also made a point of telling Sierra Boggess and me how thrilled he was with our interpretation of his beautiful ballad “Where You Go.” That song was a highlight for me as well, since singing with Sierra is such a treat.

Why do you think classic American musicals like Guys and Dolls should continue to be performed?

The Brits have Shakespeare, the Argentines have tango, and we Americans have musical theater. It’s one of our greatest legacies and cultural contributions. It’s both our duty and our joy to keep that legacy alive—by breathing fresh life into classics like Guys and Dolls and Fiddler on the Roof, and by supporting new works that become tomorrow’s classics, like Waitress and Hamilton. Our children are lucky to have such a rich catalog of time-honored works to reinterpret for new eras.

After Guys and Dolls finishes it’s run in January of 2026, what does the new year hold in store for you workwise?

I’m actually leaving Guys and Dolls a week early to join the cast of Ragtime on Broadway. I’ll be playing Emma Goldman while Shaina Taub takes a leave of absence. You can catch me in the role from January 9 through March 29.It was a huge surprise to receive the offer in the middle of rehearsal for Guys and Dolls one day, and it’s changed my plans for 2026 significantly! 

One thing that hasn’t changed about my upcoming plans is that I’ll be releasing a new album in February! It’s called Euphonic Gumbo and celebrates New Orleans music. I’ll be hosting an album release party at Birdland Jazz in NYC on February 16th—just in time for Mardi Gras—so I hope you’ll come in person or watch virtually. You can stream the full album starting on February 20th, or pre-order it on vinyl or CD on Bandcamp. 

In the spring, I’ll tour a few cities with that music. After that… who knows? You never know what surprising emails show up out of nowhere.  In the meantime, I’ll be playing a lot of peekaboo with my adorable 1-year-old daughter, Lulu. Heigh-ho, the glamorous life!

Special thanks to Shakespeare Theatre Company's publicity goddess Heather C. Jackson for her assistance in coordinating this interview.