Funny Girl Star Julie Benko Among 2023 Theatre World Award Winners

Funny Girl‘s Julie Benko will be honored with the Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater at the 77th Annual Theatre World Awards, which will be presented the evening of Monday, June 5. The venue has yet to be announced.

Benko started as a standby for original Fanny Brice, Beanie Feldstein, but quickly garnered a fanbase of her own. She continues to perform as an alternate to current Fanny, Lea Michele, every Thursday night. You can read about the whole Funny Girl saga here.

Benko will be joined by special honorees Marilyn Caserta (outstanding swing in Six) and Dale Badway, president of the Board of Directors of the Theatre World Awards.

The event will be hosted by veteran critic and journalist Peter Filichia.

Below is a complete list of 2023 Theatre World Award honorees:

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topdog/Underdog
Hiran Abeysekera, Life of Pi
Amir Arison, The Kite Runner
D’Arcy Carden, The Thanksgiving Play
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Callum Francis, Kinky Boots
Lucy Freyer, The Wanderers
Caroline Innerbichler, Shucked
Ashley D. Kelley, Shucked
Casey Likes, Almost Famous
Emma Pfitzer Price, Becomes a Woman
John David Washington, The Piano Lesson