Special Events
JULIE BENKO: Standby, Me
BROADWAY STAR AND CURTAIN CALL ALUM
RETURNS FOR OUR GALA FUNDRAISER!
One Night Only -Saturday, May 31 – The Norwalk Concert Hall
When Julie Benko first took the stage as the standby for Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, she could not have anticipated that she would take her bow as Broadway’s newest breakout star. Joined by her husband Jason Yeager on piano, Julie reflects on the journey leading to her meteoric rise, sharing songs and behind-the-scenes stories of her days understudying in Les Misérables, Fiddler on the Roof, Spring Awakening, and more. From Broadway classics (“People,” “Matchmaker”) to jazz standards (“Twisted”) to contemporary favorites (“What’s Gonna Happen,” “I Dreamed A Dream,”)
Standby, Me offers an evening of spectacular vocals, theatrical lore, and inspiration for all the greatest stars-to-be. (Did you see Julie here at Curtain Call as the star of Baby in 2007?)
CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME CLIPS OF JULIE IN FUNNY GIRL IN A CBS MORNIG SHOW INTERVIEW.
Watch a little bit of Stand By, Me by clicking here.
Between her tenure as the standby, alternate, and full-time Fanny, she played the role over 180
times (1 in every 3 performances!) and received numerous accolades for her interpretation, including Theatre World’s Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theatre. She was named the 2022 Breakout Star for Theater by the New York Times, included in Variety’s 10 Broadway Stars to Watch in 2023, honored as one of 40 Under 40 for Crain’s New York Business, hailed by CBS Mornings as
“Broadway’s breakout star,” and profiled in numerous national media outlets such as the New York Times and Time. In the fall of 2023, she originated her first role on Broadway, playing Ruth in the long-gestating Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical Harmony. She has also played leading roles in off-Broadway and regional productions across the nation.
Frank Mastrone & Friends
DATES FOR 2026 to be announced soon.
Every year for nearly 20 years, Frank has performed his concert in the Kweskin Theatre bringing his 30+ years of professional experience performing on Broadway. Known for his charismatic style, Mastrone weaves music and storytelling bridging his life on Broadway with his role as a family man in Connecticut.
Mastrone has been a professional performer since graduating from Central Connecticut State College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting and directing. His first big break was joining the first national tour of Cats as “Gus: The Theatre Cat”. When he returned, he was cast in the original company of The Phantom of the Opera in which he has performed over 4,000 times over 25 years. He was on Broadway in Les Miserables as Jean Val Jean, in Jekyll and Hyde in the title role, in the stage version of Saturday Night Fever as Mr. Fusco, and “the paint store guy” in Big: The Musical. He has traveled the country in shows like Evita, Les Miserables, and Mamma Mia!
With musical Director Frank Spitznagel, Frank presents his signature Broadway songs from Phantom of the Opera and more, as well as American Songbook classics, and pop hits from the 60’s to today.
COMEDY NIGHTS
June 13 & 14, 2025
With Michael “Motts” Pelazza
SPECIAL GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED
Cabaret style seating / BYOEverything format.
Doors open at 7:00pm Show at 8:00pm
Dressing Room Theatre Stamford’s own funny man Michael “Motts” Pelazza shares his brand of observational and improvisational insanity in 2 nights of absolutely side-splitting comedy. (As with most comedy nights, humor tends to adult material and may not be suitable for all audiences.) These weekend performances sell out quickly so book soon. Special guests for each weekend to be announced.
