Theater
The Broadway star tells Bustle why she and Michele have spent barely any time together.
When youre gifted, then youre gifted, sings protagonist Fanny Brice inFunny Girl.
The lyric applies to burgeoning Broadway starJulie Benko, whos received rave reviews leading the revival ofFunny GirlfollowingBeanie Feldsteinsdeparture.
Benko will stay onboard to perform onThursday nightsfor the shows growing fan base.
Amid the hoopla, shes also released a new album.
I suddenly feel like Im representing all the greatest stars-to-be.
For most of my career, thats been me, too.
How did you react to theFunny Girlbuzz?
Do you see it as positive for the show?
Its incredible that people all around the globe were talking about any Broadway musical, let alone ours.
Tell me about your connection toFunny Girland how you first discovered the show.
I honestly didnt know much about it until my audition.
I havent seen Lea in rehearsal yet, but Im looking forward to seeing what she does with it.
When Beanie played Fanny, you could feel her natural warmth and kindness.
I think about inviting her onto the stage with me.
I dont want to do an impersonation, but I want her spirit to come through.
What new parts of Fanny have you discovered since taking over as lead?
I now consider the audience one of my main scene partners and Fannys best friend.
I give a shot to work in conversation with them.
What did you learn from Beanies portrayal of Fanny, and what advice have you given Lea?
She left me her Angel Cards, and I continue the tradition.
Its a helpful technique to keep nerves and performance[s] fresh every night.
I havent gotten many opportunities to chat with Lea yet.
Where did the idea to record your album,Hand In Hand,come from?
Wed perform a mix of songs, [some] wed prepared and [some audience] requests.
What would you say is the most personal or sentimental song on the album?
The lyrics make very specific references to our journey together over the last decade.
Its hard for me to sing that one without getting a little teary.
Take me through your creative process with Jason.
How do you deal with creative differences?
You singPeople fromFunny Girlon the album.
What inspired that choice?
For my first self-tape audition forFunny Girl, I had to sing People.
I didnt know the song at all, so I asked Jason if hed accompany me.
After playing it through, he said, Holy cow, this song is amazing.
We were roughly 60 years late to the party.
We developed our own arrangement using a Latin-inspired groove.
We also lowered the key to give [it] a more intimate feel.
If youd guest-starred onGlee, what song would you have wanted to perform?
Ive been obsessed with it since I was a kid.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
