Hello Beautiful People,
If there were one word to describe Julie, I’d have to say she’s delightful. Bubbly. Effervescent. Eloquent. Intelligent. Oh wait, that’s more than one. As we chatted over coffee, I was completely swept away by her energy and love of theater, education, music, and the arts. Julie holds a BFA in Drama from NYU-Tisch School of the Arts. She recently could be seen as Cosette in the 25th Anniversary National Tour of Les Miserables, and prior to that she was in the ensemble of the first national tour of Spring Awakening. Julie also wrote, created, and stars in her own one woman show, Wandering Star: Tales from the Road, an autobiographical one woman cabaret act. I’m so fortunate to know this lovely lady, and so excited to introduce her to you all!
Ladies & Gents, meet Julie Benko…
TWT: Did you always want to be an actress/singer?
JB: I didn’t have stage parents, and I didn’t come from an artistic family. You know those hardcore-theater summer camps? I never went to those. I went to a summer camp where we water skied and played sports. But the summer after I was thirteen, I decided I didn’t want to return to that camp. Instead, my mom had heard about a free summer program in my town called Fairfield Teen Theatre, where they were doing Les Miserables. I had already had started to like theater a lot in middle school, so I auditioned, almost got Cosette, and ended up in the ensemble. I had an incredible time and wanted to keep doing shows. The next show I auditioned for was Fiddler on the Roof at the JCC, directed by the woman who would become my acting coach throughout high school. I got the part of Hodel and from then on I was always doing a show.
TWT: Of all the roles that you’ve played, do you have one that’s most memorable?
JB: Every role I’ve played professionally I have absolutely loved. Plus, in high school I got to play Esther in Meet Me in Saint Louis. I love Judy Garland more than I could possibly say, so that was a culmination of a lifelong dream.
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you love, and what sound do you hate?
JB: I love the sound of a jazz band. I hate the sound of crying babies. (Babysitting will do that.)
TWT: Should you ever find yourself stranded on a desert island, what movies would you want with you?
JB: Anastasia, Shakespeare in Love, and The Wizard of Oz.
TWT: What’s permanently on your bookshelf?
JB: Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon, Brave New World is also a favorite.
TWT: What advice would you give to high school kids?
JB: Don’t put too much pressure on the college audition process. I put far too much pressure on myself. I was only going to apply to Tisch, Carnegie Mellon, and Michigan for musical theatre, and I told myself the worst thing I possibly could have: that if I didn’t get in, I wasn’t good enough to pursue this career and I should go elsewhere for an academic program. Now, I was early decision to NYU and I was lucky to be accepted, but since working professionally I have met incredibly talented and successful people who have come from every school and every major possible—some of whom were not accepted to the name-brand programs I had considered but who are now starring on Broadway. If you love theater, you can pursue it anywhere. Just make sure you get an education in something. An education not only helps you become a more well-rounded and compassionate human being, but has become a prerequisite for most positions in the real world.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs are being cut. What reasons would you give to a politician for preserving the arts?
JB: Simply looking at my subway journeys everyday, I see so many kids who have turned to busking for money. Growing up in especially poor neighborhoods, there’s a choice that has to be made between making money in an artistic way versus selling drugs or other approaches that are not healthy outlets or means of income. It’s really important to continue to offer arts programs as an outlet for these kids at school—if nothing else to ensure that they understand that there are other options out there.
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
JB: So many! First would have to be my mom; my mom is a Spanish teacher. I never had her in class, but she maintained a lot of the same expectations for me at home that she had for her students. Her favorite students would babysit us when we were younger, so I was surrounded with many wonderful role models. Additionally, my high school music teacher, Kevin Cotellese, and my acting coach, Tobi Beth Silver, were both amazing teachers who completely changed the course of my life. Not only did they put in huge amounts of time and effort outside of the normal school day, but they believed in me and gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams.
Thanks, Julie!
Live, Love, Learn,