Evento

Julie Benko - CD Release Concert

Julie Benko is an actress, singer, and songwriter based in New York City. She has worked on Broadway, national tours, and in regional theaters across the country. An honors graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, she is constantly involved in developmental readings and workshops of new works at venues throughout New York City. In February of 2017, Julie won both the Gold Medal and the Johnny Mercer Award in the prestigious American Traditions Competition. Her debut recording, co-produced and arranged by jazz pianist Jason Yeager, is due to be released later this fall.

Career highlights include performing in Broadway revivals/national tours of Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof, and Spring Awakening, demonstrating her piano skills as Girl in Once at Weston Playhouse, creating the starring role of Rebeca Frankel in Barrington Stage Companys world premiere musical The Golem of Havana (a 2015 IRNE Best New Play nominee), and singing alongside the stars at the 85th Academy Awards ceremony. Other roles include Bella in Ragsat Theater Works Silicon Valley, Cosette in Les Miserables at Amarillo Opera and North Carolina Theater, and Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Downtown Cabaret Theater.

Julie has performed her autobiographical one-woman show Wandering Star and her jazz duo show Blame It On Our Youth (with Jason Yeager) at sold-out venues across the Northeast, including Joes Pub, Dont Tell Mama, and more. Her song Thanksgivvukah was featured on CNNs Belief Blog as the seventh of Eight Ways to Celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime holiday.

Julie regularly volunteers her vocal talents with Sing For Your Seniors and VocalEase, organizations that provide senior centers and nursing homes with Broadway-level entertainment at zero cost. She is the proud guardian of "retired" street cat Thelonious Monk, to whom she lovingly refers as Monkey the Cat.

Vocals - Julie Benko

Piano - Jason Yeager
Bass - Danny Weller
Drums - Jay Sawyer
Trumpet - Andy Warren
Clarinet/Saxophone - Kenny Pexton
Trombone - Walter Harris

...with surprise special guests!