TaffyDavenport said: "BWAY Baby2 said: ""this was written especially for Streisand, and while other singers can do it, there are plenty who can’t." ---------Name me one singer or actress who can do this role? The only performer I could think of- years ago- was Sandra Bernhard. She was eccentric and unique enough to pull it off."
Julie Benko, for starters."
I haven't had the privilege of seeing Julie in the role, but have heard her sing, checked out her IGs and her background in theatre and how she treasures Fanny's memory. (Even trying to figure out a way to drum up the money for another cross-country trip.)
As for Sandra - great performer, but Fanny wasn't eccentric. Fanny was pretty quiet in "real" life. Worked her butt off doing whatever she had to do to get ahead: burlesque, artist's model, street shows for the neighborhood kids, but pretty solid in general. Great timing, yes, but her craziness was calculated for the performance. Barbra Streisand was eccentric in real life, but her Fanny was real, lovable and engaging.
Which brings me to the 3rd person named: Lea Michelle. Talented lady, but she doesn't do Fanny, she does Barbra. I think if she was cast, that's what would be the first thing anyone would look at and she would lose because of it.
What people may be finding particularly attractive about Julie is she is being Julie playing Fanny and disappears into the role - which one would hope happens with all good acting. No one is doing voice comparisons. Her humor comes from the material and the character (again I'm picking this up from personal experience reviews).
This is probably what they hoped with Beanie.
