Michele, Benanti, O'Hara, and Parker in the running for FUNNY GIRL...- Page 3

[TheBatBoy]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:00pm

The idea of Lea Michele trying to tackle this is like having Carol Channing star in a revival of Evita. While it would be severely amusing, in the end she's just not right for the role.

I don't know why Leslie hasn't been given a starring role that really showcases her talents. I mean aside from A Catered Affair, that didn't do much for her. She has yet to tap into her full potential.

[Popular]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:12pm

What an impossible casting job to be done as there is no way to please everyone. And what an incredibly tough role to take on as a performer. Poor girl will have naysayers waiting for her to fail before she even has a chance to sign the contract. I do not envy the casting team or the woman who lands the role AT ALL. Have my own opinions of course of who I'd love to see in the role but will 100% support whoever gets cast and wish them well. An interesting choice that was brought up in another thread was that of Lady Gaga. I actually think that would be very interesting. If the show does it's out of town run in L.A. this coming January, how soon before do you think they'll start making announcements?

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:15pm

FYI - that's why I posted that photo of Gaga earlier in the thread.

[TheBatBoy]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:20pm

Gaga would be an inspired choice and I know she has expressed interest in doing something Broadway related. I doubt however that the execs would let her off for an extended period of time, it would have to be a limited run.

[Popular]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:22pm

Wow, I hardly recognized her from the pic you posted. Had to look back now and do a second take lol

[CromTO]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:34pm

I personally love the idea of Leslie Kritzer or Marla Mindelle playing Fanny. And though people might say that they're too old (or older for the role) I would love the idea of Laura Benanti or Julia Murney. I think Lea Michele could/should do it if she doesn't overact because that ish is annoying as hell. Also, she (Lea) already sang 'My Man' numerous times including this years Musicares and on the upcoming Glee: The Music, Volume 6 so we already know she's gunning for it.

[fflagg]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 3:07pm

Wanna bet it never happens? If it does there is going to be blood spilled all over the place.

Do the considered Brices have a clue as to how HUGE the part is? The singing, the dancing, the clowing, etc? And do any of them have the star power or charisma?

The score is 90% great and the book is clunky. If the revival is staged as is then look out below. . .

[CromTO]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 3:27pm

A (the only one?) poster on The Post mentioned Krysta Rodriquez and I thought, "Duh." Did/does anyone else thinks she'd do a good job?

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 4:02pm

I wanna say who I think would also be great as Fanny....but I'm terrified of the feedback I'd get hahaha


Ah screw it. I think Menzel would be great. I know she is NOT the most popular on these boards, but ask people who have seen her in concerts and they will tell you she is very charming and funny and when she sings "Funny Girl" songs she does them with her own twist while still paying homage to the true Fanny. And she reads pretty young for her age...she is what...40? But onstage she reads younger. Idk, just my two cents.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 4:27pm

As much as I dislike Lady GaGa, she might not be a bad choice. I would be interested in hearing that kind of music sung by her.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 5:23pm

Nicole Parker seems like the obvious choice among these fabulous women, in my opinion.

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 7:25pm

I love the Marla Mindelle choice the best.

And as much as I adore Krysta Rodriguez, she'd never be able to sing the score.

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 12:18am

Of course, there's always Tony Winner Heather Headley, and she's performed it before...

p.s. Emily Skinner would bring an interesting twist - even if she may be too old...

Young Heather Headley Updated On: 5/7/11 at 12:18 AM

[BwayTday]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 12:26am

Okay, I also love the idea of Marla Mindelle too. She doesn't play I remotely Fanny-like character in Sister Act, but has definitely showed she has the chops for this type of role. Her voice is interesting and powerful, and has great comic skills. I am really really liking the idea of her in the role. I would also probably die if she was cast in the role.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 1:05am

I just think that Michele would ruin the show. In my opinion, the only reason why she would be in the show is to have that "name" in the show. I think that with something like this, we need quality over quantity of money.

Lea Michele is "hot" right now, but will she in a few years? Who knows. I just don't think she is right for every role. She's like Cynthia Dale at the Stratford Festival. Ms. Dale was the lead in almost every musical the festival did for about 10+ years. Really? She can do ANYTHING?...sorry to ramble.

I'd choose either Parker or Kritzer.

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 1:41am

This thread makes me sad... I think a revival shouldn't be put on until the only theater-goers remaining are people who only know Streisand by her name, but not her work (or at least familiar with only a small portion of her work).

[RH1234]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 9:54am

Though I don't think she'd be right for the role, I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Sutton Foster...

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 10:18am

This is one of those shows where you wait patiently until the right person comes along for the revival. You don't plan the revival first and hope the right person comes along.

I feel the exact same way, best12bars. For me, Kritzer is that person- the obvious choice who, while not a name, is almost universally regarded within the community as the person whose gifts are made for this role (not to mention the fact that she did the role ten years ago to rave reviews in the major New York papers, so she's proven she can deliver the goods.) If names like Kelli O'Hara and Laura Benanti are making it onto the list of possibilities, I have a hard time having much faith in Bart Sher's vision of the show.

The main thing anyone is going to need to triumph over Streisand's shadow is a unique sense of comedy that can help define the role on their own terms. That can't be crafted or shaped in a rehearsal room. You have to be born with it, and none of the women in the article other than Kritzer and Parker have demonstrated anywhere near that sort of capability.

It's funny that the casting process for the revival seems to already be mirroring the original. Back then, the producers originally pursued a bevy of "name" actors before finally going with the lesser-known Streisand, choosing someone who could nail the demands of the role over someone with box-office bankability (although Streisand was hardly unknown at the time.) I feel like the same thing will win out here, hopefully with Kritzer. If anyone other than Sher was at the helm, I feel like she'd already have been cast.

[Brick]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 1:09pm

"For me, Kritzer is that person- the obvious choice who, while not a name, is almost universally regarded within the community as the person whose gifts are made for this role (not to mention the fact that she did the role ten years ago to rave reviews in the major New York papers, so she's proven she can deliver the goods.) If names like Kelli O'Hara and Laura Benanti are making it onto the list of possibilities, I have a hard time having much faith in Bart Sher's vision of the show."

For me, I'm comforted by the fact that Kelli O'Hara and Laura Benanti are barely more "stars" than Leslie Krtizer, at least to investor. So, if investor are indeed asking for a star, then I'd hope he'd go with Kritzer over the other two - who'd be ridiculously miscast anyhow.

And I'm definitely intrigued by the thought of GaGa, but her comic skills remain to be seen and her handlers would never let her take a year off at this point in her career. Never. I do think, however, she will one day dip her toe in musical theatre, but possibly in the movies.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 6:29pm

I think the problem with Lady Gaga at this point, aside from the fact that none of us know if she has comic chops or not, is that she is so known as her stage and public persona that I don't know if the collective audience could suspend their disbelief and watch her as Fanny Brice rather than Lady Gaga.

I agree with everything that has been said about Kritzer...she has a killer voice and she's an incredible comic actress, she deserves a vehicle like this.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 6:36pm

Here's the thing about GaGa- it would be very easy to suspend disbelief, I think, when she appears as a normal woman. She's almost unrecognizable, as proven by people's reactions to the photo of her in this thread.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/7/11 at 6:49pm

I would love to see her in the part and think she'd blow it out of the park, however, there's no chance in hell that would happen. As others have said, her handlers would never let it happen at this point in her career.
I can't imagine Michele being considered seriously either.
I'm so intrigued about the possibility of Benanti in the part, I don't think she's right for it, but how I'd love to see her tackle the role in a concert production or something regional just to see what she'd even do with it.
I wonder if Nicole Parker could pull it off the way some people here think she can. I think she has a great voice but she was incredibly bland in PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE, her role suffered from bad writing but she didn't bring much to it in terms of star appeal which I feel is something major when it comes to FUNNY GIRL.
I'm curious about Kritzer. I wonder if there's any other names in the running that Riedel omitted.

[HBP]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 12:03am

on a slightly unrelated note, i've said numerous times that lady gaga would be a really great choice for elphaba if/when they make wicked into a movie...

but now that you've mentioned it, i can sort of hear her voice saying some of fanny's more memorable lines.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 2:24pm

Can Nina Arianda belt?

If not, could we teach her to?

I'm just sayin...

[Sleeper2]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 10:53am

"If names like Kelli O'Hara and Laura Benanti are making it onto the list of possibilities, I have a hard time having much faith in Bart Sher's vision of the show."

Totally agree. I love love love me some Kelli O'Hara but she isn't right for this, and she knows it.

I, too, question the creative team: Sher and Gattelli seemed to work well on SOUTH PACIFIC but got flummoxed on WOMEN ON THE VERGE. A full-out, well known musical with dance (as opposed to "musical staging") could be their triumph or tragedy. I wonder how much Gattelli really contributes to the process or if he gets taymored by Sher. WOMEN's choreography was nothing short of awful....