Review: Five Stars for JULIE HALSTON TAKES THE Q TRAIN at Birdland

The brilliance of Julie Halston is unquantifiable. To call her a comedian, a storyteller, or even an actress feels insufficient—Julie Halston is an experience. A Tony-winning icon and self-proclaimed “non-singer and non-dancer who does musicals,” she waltzes past expectations to conjure sheer joy. Stepping onto the Birdland stage to thunderous applause from a star-studded audience—including Jim Parsons, Katie Holmes, Zoey Deutch, Christine Ebersole, Charles Busch, Richard Thomas, Billy Stritch, Randy Graff, T.R. Knight, Andrew Rannells, Nicholas King, and the entire cast and crew of her Broadway smash Our Town—Julie transformed the night into a masterclass of comedy, grace, and humanity.

From the moment Julie opened with, “All the stories are true,” she owned the room, blending stand-up, dramatic readings, and personal anecdotes into a 60-minute whirlwind of brilliance. Her comedy is powered by impeccable timing, razor-sharp wit, and an innate ability to find humor in the everyday. In fact, she can barely get through a whole line without peals of laughter from the crowd. Julie has the rarest of gifts—I’d wager she could make the ingredients on a toothpaste box hilarious. Whether delivering a biting punchline or turning a mundane moment into a theatrical triumph, Julie’s charm is magnetic. Her physical comedy—paired with her hilariously exaggerated expressions—escalates the laughter from hearty chuckles to uncontrollable, riotous howls.

Julie is a diamond cut from the rarest of molds. She’s as terminally unique as Joan Rivers and just as funny. Her comedy isn’t mean-spirited; it’s refreshingly kind, observant, and brimming with heart. Where others see the mundane, Julie sees the miraculous. She reminds us that life’s absurdities are not just worth noticing but worth celebrating. And in true Julie fashion, the first person she’s always ready to laugh at is herself. In these hard times, it’s a great reminder that perspective is everything. If everyone had a little of Julie’s perspective, the world would be a kinder and infinitely funnier place.

Highlights of the evening included a solo five-minute rendition of Gypsy (“Watch out, Audra!”), her iconic Dear Ann Landers encore, and new material like “Things People Have Said to My Face” and her eighth-birthday Pearl Harbor musings. Classic bits like Little Edie as Lady Macbeth (with Christine Ebersole and Jerry “the Marble Faun” Torre in the audience!) and the infamous Liquorice Wedding left the crowd in stitches. And, of course, her tales of senior yoga with her mother, a blind date in Brooklyn, and a trip to the nude beach confirmed what we already knew: no one spins a story quite like Julie Halston.

But it isn’t just Julie’s comedic genius that captivates—it’s her radiance. Her Long Island charm, her timeless elegance, and her effortless connection with the audience make her a true star. She’s a dazzling combination of beauty, hilarity, and humanity that feels both otherworldly and completely relatable. There’s only one Julie Halston.

Her ability to revel in life’s absurdities while making audiences feel seen and uplifted is unparalleled. Everything is an opportunity for Julie, and by the end of her show, you’ll want to embrace that philosophy too.

Julie Halston is a treasure. If you have the chance to see her, don’t hesitate. It’s not just a show; it’s a reminder of why laughter—and life—is worth savoring.

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It’s not too late to see Julie Halston in Our Town on Broadway and be sure to check out Virtual Halston on YouTube.

Find more upcoming shows at Birdland on their website.

Photo Credit: Kevin Alvey

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