Funny Girl 2022 Revival

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 10:39am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/FUNNY-GIRL-Broadway-Revival-is-Aiming-to-Begin-Performances-in-April-2022-20210807

I know there's tons of threads with speculations, but this seems official.

Updated On: 8/7/21 at 10:39 AM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 10:40am

C’mon, Gaga. Get that EGOT, baby.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 10:41am

So Rosie O'Donnell isn't involved despite her pimping it for years?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:08am

ColorTheHours048 said: "C’mon, Gaga. Get that EGOT, baby."

Is Gaga Jewish? I think they should actually hire a Jewish actor. She’ll have plenty of opportunities and doesn’t need the EGOT now, come on. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:11am

Updated On: 8/7/21 at 11:11 AM

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:11am

hearthemsing22 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "C’mon, Gaga. Get that EGOT, baby."

Is Gaga Jewish? I think they should actually hire a Jewish actor. She’ll have plenty of opportunities and doesn’t need the EGOT now, come on."

Like who? 

[Tag]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:12am

ACL2006 said: "So Rosie O'Donnell isn't involved despite her pimping it for years?"

Rosie has moved to LA so most likely why she isn't involved anymore.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:12am

hearthemsing22 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "C’mon, Gaga. Get that EGOT, baby."

Is Gaga Jewish? I think they should actually hire a Jewish actress."

That's pretty how Stephen Sondheim felt when he was approached about writing the lyrics for the musical. He told composer Jule Styne "I don't want to do the life of Fanny Brice with Mary Martin. She's not Jewish. You need someone ethnic for the part."

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:21am

They could do Unfunny Girl with Idina Menzel.

[beanie feldstein is fanny]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:23am

This isn't a secret.  Beanie Feldstein is Fanny.

And that's not me dream casting, that's who will be playing the role.

Beanie is signed as Fanny as the original choice this revival was coming in for was Idina Menzel (Granny Brice lol) who either turned it down or had too many scheduling problems.  

You can believe me or not. lol

[JennH]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:26am

Oh man, all I could say to this was "OH DEAR GOD"....not that I have any idea who could currently pull this off at this level, but Gaga isn't funny and Idina, while Jewish, also isn't funny...like, at all. Apart from just being iconic, this role needs a true comedienne, PERIOD. I don't need to say anything about Lea...let the jokes begin. I know Sho did it recently but I'm sure the powers that be are looking for who will make money...which Gaga certainly is, but casting would literally push anyone who's not rich out of being able to see it. 

As for the racial aspect of this role....a friend of mine who is Jewish said that it's not that it states anywhere in the script that she absolutely has to be Jewish, no questions asked....but considering that Fanny herself was Jewish, followed by Babs who also is, and that led to how the book was written, the writing screams "Jewish chutzpah", so please cast someone who's Jewish. I can't argue with that. 

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:28am

beanie feldstein is fanny said: "This isn't a secret. Beanie Feldstein is Fanny.

And that's not me dream casting, that's who will be playing the role.

Beanie is signed as Fanny as the original choice this revival was coming in for was Idina Menzel (Granny Brice lol) who either turned it down or had too many scheduling problems.

You can believe me or not. lol"

I rather Jonah Hill do it.

[Tag]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:34am

I wish Ben Platt would stop trying to make Beanie Feldstein happen.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:35am

blaxx said: "hearthemsing22 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "C’mon, Gaga. Get that EGOT, baby."

Is Gaga Jewish? I think they should actually hire a Jewish actor. She’ll have plenty of opportunities and doesn’t need the EGOT now, come on."

Like who?"

Well I can’t think of one off the top of my head. But Fanny is Jewish. People are always saying roles should be played by people who are authentic. Gaga is a name, but is she Jewish. Could she handle the role. Aren’t there so many other talented people who are Jewish who can do the part. Yes. Just because I can’t name them doesn’t mean they’re not out there in the big world of entertainment. 

[George in DC]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:44am

I think Idina Menzel would be fine as ROSE Brice. After all she is only 5 years older than Kay Medford was when she originated the role.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:56am

If Beanie is Fanny will Ben Platt be Nick?

[SoCalDirector]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:59am

Dollypop said: "If Beanie is Fanny will Ben Platt be Nick?"

Ben would not make a great Nick but his brother Jonah would be excellent.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:05pm

beanie feldstein is fanny said: "This isn't a secret. Beanie Feldstein is Fanny.

And that's not me dream casting, that's who will be playing the role.

Beanie is signed as Fanny as the original choice this revival was coming in for was Idina Menzel (Granny Brice lol) who either turned it down or had too many scheduling problems.

You can believe me or not. lol"

That's hilarious and no, I don't believe you. You have to be an actual good singer for this role. Thanks for joining today just to tell us what is written in your hope journal, though. Kisses.

 

[beanie feldstein is fanny]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:08pm

Sutton Ross said: "beanie feldstein is fanny said: "This isn't a secret. Beanie Feldstein is Fanny.

And that's not me dream casting, that's who will be playing the role.

Beanie is signed as Fanny as the original choice this revival was coming in for was Idina Menzel (Granny Brice lol) who either turned it down or had too many scheduling problems.

You can believe me or not. lol"

That's hilarious and no, I don't believe you. You have to be an actual good singer for this role. Thanks for joining today just to tell us what is written in your hope journal, though. Kisses.

"

That's fine because what you believe or don't believe does not change reality lmao

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:09pm

Oh and for those actually serious about this? No, a woman named Stefani Germanotta is not Jewish. Like.... Wow.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:13pm

Wow, a lot to unpack in this thread.

First of all - do people not like Beanie Feldstein? I think she’s great, and if she isn’t well liked by general audiences, I had no idea. She seems like a perfect fit for the role. And Fanny, much like Sally Bowles, is a role where you can get away with passable vocals if all the other pieces are there.

Secondly, someone in another thread shared the rumor that Michael Mayer would be directing - guess that person was in the know! I’m guessing that they’re bringing over the same revival from London?

Thirdly: I am Jewish, and I’m also one of people who’s vocal on this board about casting POC, trans actors. disabled actors, etc. in roles that were written for those identities. For me, Judaism isn’t quite the same. Fanny is an Ashkenazi Jew, which is considered an ethnicity, but it’s NOT a race. Casting a goy in the role is NOT equivalent to those other cases I mentioned. And unlike POC, trans people, and disabled people, Jews have not been systemically excluded from casting opportunities, nor is there a widespread history of harmful mis-portrayals (a la Blackface).

So no, it’s not inherently offensive to cast a non-Jew as Fanny. HOWEVER, I do think it’s important to cast someone who can capture Jewish humor and Jewish culture in a way that reads as authentic to the audience. And the easiest way of doing that is to cast a Jew. But it’s not 100% necessary, as there have been many many counterexamples throughout history.

For the record, I thought Sheridan Smith’s performance was excellent, and I think Gaga could pull it off nicely too. But of the names mentioned in this thread, Beanie is undoubtedly my favorite option. Thank god it isn’t Idina.

[wicked4l]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:13pm

Beanie is Fanny. Ramin Karimloo is Nicky.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:14pm

Tag said: "ACL2006 said: "So Rosie O'Donnell isn't involved despite her pimping it for years?"

Rosie has moved to LA so most likely why she isn't involved anymore."

Wasn't aware of this. Thanks!

[SoCalDirector]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:15pm

Glad you are not casting it.   

[SoCalDirector]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:16pm

ACL2006 said: "So Rosie O'Donnell isn't involved despite her pimping it for years?"

I can live without Rosie as Rose Brice big time.

Updated On: 8/7/21 at 12:16 PM