Photos: FUNNY GIRL Star Julie Benko Marches Her Mardi Gras Band Out At Birdland!

Julie Benko currently performs every Thursday as the alternate for Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway.

By: Feb. 08, 2023
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On Monday, February 6, Broadway's Funny Girl Julie Benko marched her band out at Birdland in celebration of Mardi Gras!

Joined by six instrumentalists (including her jazz-pianist spouse Jason Yeager) performing in the classic New Orleans jazz style, Julie let the good times roll with a delightful potpourri of tunes inspired by her love of the Crescent City. The entire company opened the show with a parade through the sold-out house, handing out beads and causing some serious show biz havoc.

Julie Benko currently performs every Thursday as the alternate for Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway. Other Broadway/National Touring credits include Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, and Spring Awakening. A recipient of the Wilde Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Girl in Once, Benko also won the Gold Medal and Johnny Mercer Award at the American Traditions Vocal Competition in 2017. Her albums Hand in Hand (Club44 Records) and Introducing Julie Benko were released to widespread acclaim.

Pianist/composer Jason Yeager has performed across five continents at such noteworthy venues as Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, Panama Jazz Festival, Qintai Concert Hall, and more. A 2nd place winner at the Ravenscroft Jazz Piano Competition and two-time finalist at the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, Yeager has released seven albums as a bandleader, including his latest,Unstuck in Time: The Kurt Vonnegut Suite (Sunnyside Records). Yeager's septet, featuring special guests Miguel Zenón and Julie Benko, will celebrate the release of this work at Birdland on March 27, 2023. His celebrated duo album with Julie Benko, Hand in Hand (Club44 Records), has been called "an impressive outing" (Broadway World) and "exquisite" (Times Square Chronicles). A committed educator, Yeager is Assistant Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music.

Photo Credit: Kevin Alvey

Funny Girl
Michael O''Brien, Evan Christopher, Ronald Wilkins, Andy Warren, Julie Benko, Jay Sawyer, Jason Yeager

Funny Girl
Julie Benko, Jason Yeager

Funny Girl
Jason Yeager, Julie Benko

Funny Girl
Julie Benko

Funny Girl
Julie Benko, Jason Yeager

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Julie Benko & Band

Funny Girl
Julie Benko

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Julie Benko

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Ronald Wilkins, Evan Christopher

Funny Girl
Julie Benko

Funny Girl
Jason Yeager

Funny Girl
Julie Benko

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Julie Benko

Funny Girl
Julie Benko

Funny Girl
Jason Yeager, Julie Benko

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Andy Warren

Funny Girl
Julie Benko

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Julie Benko

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Julie Benko

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Julie Benko

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Jay Sawyer

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Michael O''Brien

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Julie Benko, Band

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John-Michael Fiumara, Julie Benko

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Dan Fortune, Julie Benko

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Karen Akers, Julie Benko, Gianni Valenti

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Karen Akers, Julie Benko

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Maia Katz, Julie Benko, Courtney Martin

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Julie Benko, Gail Benko

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Miriam Ali, Julie Benko, John Manzari

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Lumiri Tubo, Julie Benko

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Alexandra Genovese, Juliette Anderson, Caroline Stroud, Julie Benko, Landon McFee, Shay Brymer, Haley Keizur

Funny Girl
Julie Benko, Jim Caruso, Jason Yeager

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Julie Benko, Rick Hinkson, Jason Yeager

Funny Girl
Marilyn Maye, Julie Benko



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