Funny Girl, With Sher at Helm, Aimed for Broadway Revival- Page 5

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:41pm

Oh man the next two years here are going to be ROUGH.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:57pm

How can anyone in their right mind say Idina Menzel?

She's too old. She CANNOT act. She has the comic timing of an aborted fetus. Plus, she BUTCHERED the song when she sang it at the Kennedy Center.

[NeoNormal]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 12:28am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY8tZKL_sJo

Farah. Alvin. All the way.

When I first saw the story on Playbill, I knew this was going to be every theater queen's dream.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 12:56am

This is what happens when not-funny girls play Funny Girl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snRO__-eWlg

[Brick]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:03am

That was painful. Sher, please take note.

[nicholas24]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:10am

Leigh Anne Larkin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DUH!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 9:01am

A little person in the know whispered to me last night that apparently Stephanie Germanotta is indeed the one currently at the top of the producer's wish list. That is some casting that as others have already said could be potentially really exciting.

But who knows...two years away? Anything can happen. Updated On: 6/9/10 at 09:01 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 9:10am

Wow...now THAT would be interesting.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 9:41am

"The fact they are waiting 2 years basically shows they want Lea Michele. No doubt."

Yeah, because Glee is definitely ending in 2 years.

Who's to say how long Glee will run? Besides, I highly doubt they'd wait 2 years for Lea Michele when there are plenty of other capable actresses able to tackle the role.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 9:43am

Every time I see this I think it's Funny Girl starring Cher

[Holbee]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 10:00am

Thank you MadBrian. I was scrolling down and was astonished that no one had yet mentioned Leigh Ann Larkin! She's the one to watch of any of the younger, newer stars.

Having said that, reviving "Funny Girl" during the reign of Lea Michelle is a bone-headed move if you don't cast her. Whether you think she's right for the role or not (I SO do) she is going to be the public's perception of a revival of "Funny Girl". If you don't cast her, the poor girl who does the role is literally going to have to have Streisand-like talent and charisma to compete with the "Why didn't they cast Lea?" mindset that is surely going to dominate. And right now, no matter how marvelous some of this new talent is (Kritzer, Vander Poole, Larkin) not one is THAT good. I'm not saying Lea is either. But she will be and IS the nation's idea of the next "Funny Girl". Any girl/woman less than 100% stellar will be roundly rejected.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 10:12am

People are mostly throwing around the Lea Michele quandry because she just sang the 'big song' on her t.v. show. By your analysis, Holbee, people could just as well say - "why did they cast Lea Michele? Because she sang "Don't Rain on My Parade" on her tv show two years ago?...'

It sounds like already, the producer is thinking a little more out of the box in his hopes for casting this -- perhaps it will come full circle and eventually Lea Michele will end up doing it, but I have a feeling she's ultimately not going to be the choice for this.

[Brick]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 11:38am

"Stephanie Germanotta"

That's the best bit of casting I've heard in LONG time.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 12:34pm

Shut up everyone and enjoy this!
Click Me Hard!

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 12:43pm

FUNNY GAGA would rock my f*cking world.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 1:26pm

Wow, I think Lady Gaga would be brilliant in this. I'm not so sure about her acting, it'd be great if she could get acting lessons but she's already so overworked I can't imagine she'll have the time. Actually I'm sure there's no way she'd do this, committing to an 8 week schedule for Broadway pay at this point in her career. Still, as MichaelBennett said, what is encouraging about the news is that the producers are indeed thinking about outside-the-box casting. But to hear a Gaga-version of "Cornet Man" would simply be delicious and amazing.

[bryan2]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 1:50pm

Sick of all the Lea Michelle comments
she is on a tv show that pre-records her voice to
sound perfect...it is nasally and she does a decent
job of copying BABS..this doesnt mean she can act or
sing 8 shows a week and be funny also...
I think she is mediocre at best...Please do not
try to get another Babs....get another FANNY
that is who the show is about ..not Streisand

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:11pm

Wasn't Stephanie in the musical theatre program at Tisch? I assume, if she was, that she's had at least some acting training.

I do know that acting is something that is on her radar, with a couple of film roles in discussion (including one tantiLiZing suppporting role in the upcoming Anne Hathaway/Judy Garland biopic that she called the producers begging to play).

Madonna was pretty much at the peak of her early fame when she stepped away to do SPEED THE PLOW on Broadway - so you never know.

I do think the whole persona she's working now is just one of aspect of a career that she plans on being pretty multi-faceted. If she say, had an affinity for Broadway and or the role, it might be a nice 180 from the kinds of things she's doing at the moment.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:19pm

A Funny Girl revival should have happened back in 1990-91 on the heels of Debbie Gravitte's Tony win for Jerome Robbins' Broadway. It would have been the perfect vehicle for her.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:24pm

Debbie is so not funny, Mister Matt. A great vocalist but....and she'd been around for over a decade before ROBBINS. She was already too old for it by then.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:32pm

I find Zooey Dashenal (sp???) quite quirky...and I like the way she sings. I just don't know how she'd sing THIS score.

[whitesnow]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:44pm

Morrison is totally wrong but Paulo is totally right for Arnstein.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 2:50pm

Well...Nicky Arnstein wasn't actually foreign-raised, no matter who played him in the movie. Someone like Christian Hoff would probably be more on the nose than Szot.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 3:07pm

The "Nicky Arnstein" portrayed in the Isobel Lennart version of Fanny Brice's life bears absolutely no resemblance to the real person. Funny Girl is a "romanticized" version of Fanny Brice's life not a documentary.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 3:12pm

True...but if people are saying Morrison is not right, but Szot is, well...

And why would Szot (or Morrison) want to take on this role? It is so thankless, and would be a true waste of Szot's vocal abilities.

A strong, charismatic supporting performer, or someone who hasn't hit true leading man status would be fine for this show. I think it would be great for Hoff after the whole PAL JOEY thing.