Curtain Call's annual gala fundraiser to shine spotlight on Fairfield Broadway performer
Saturday's show is also a homecoming of sorts for Julie Benko. While in high school, she performed in the theater's production of "Baby."
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A Stamford theater will be shining a spotlight on a Fairfield native-turned-Broadway star Saturday while also raising money to support their own productions.
Julie Benko will perform her one-woman show, "Standby, Me” at the Curtain Call Inc's annual gala fundraiser.
Curtain Call is Stamford's "longest-running and only nonprofit producing theatre company."
"Standby, Me" tells the story of Benko's life as a Broadway understudy. During the show, Benko's husband Jason Yeager, a jazz pianist, plays the piano.
Despite the show's theme, Benko recently had the opportunity to perform as the lead role of Fanny Brice in the revival of "Funny Girl."
She has also performed in the revivals of "Les Misérables" and "Fiddler on the Roof." While a student at New York University, Benko was cast in the first national tour of "Spring Awakening."
Saturday's show is also a homecoming of sorts for Benko. While in high school, she performed in the theater's production of "Baby."
Even then, Curtain Call's executive director Lou Ursone knew Benko was talented.
Ursone says it's important for people to support local theaters and performing art venues because many, including his, have been impacted by cuts made to the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. He says many venues will begin to see the impacts of the cuts once the fiscal year starts in July.
"Less than 50% of our income comes from ticket sales, so we totally rely on the goodness of strangers. Tomorrow night will bring joy and laughter and give you a chance to get away from all the craziness in our world day to day and hear an absolute brilliant performer, tell some great stories and laugh along," he says.
