Funny Girl 2022 Revival- Page 2

[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

[SoCalDirector]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:27pm

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 think Beanie could be a good choice.  Plus she has been working on it since she was 3 years old.

 

Funny Girls

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:34pm

JBroadway said: "
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. "

I just can't imagine a relatively unkown name like Feldman leading a revival of a show that is so attached to the image of a mega star. I do think of her as Ben Platt's sidekick. Maybe in a regional production or as a replacement, but after decades, a Feldman lead revival would be the show no one asked for.

Anyone actually think this wouldn't bomb horrendously in the box office? 

[Tag]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:37pm

A lot will depend on how Beanie as Monica in American Crime Story Impeachment is received in September.  

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:40pm

I’m of the camp that believes this show needs an A+ level STAR in order to have a successful run. “Funny Girl” is a BIG show that’s going to need to sell out like “Hello Dolly” (with Bette) if it wants to be a success.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:41pm

Will it be a sensation though? The question I keep returning to is of what made Funny Girl popular and relevant. When it premiered, Great American Songbook music was still a vibrant thing. (Ironically, the only popular singer today who dabbles in it is indeed Lady Gaga.) Barbra in Funny Girl was singing the music of her time, music that could still sell records, fill concert halls and make people talk. It wasn't Sutton Foster suddenly breaking out as Millie Dillmount, it was a star of stage, screen and records being born, singing then-contemporary pop music in a Broadway show.

Reviving Funny Girl in the hope of creating a second star-is-born moment seems wrongheaded: Barbra was the right person in the right show at the right place and right time. Hamilton will have launched more new stars than any Funny Girl could today.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:44pm

Ben Platt’s sidekick?? What a bizarre comment. What’s the basis for that? How many times has she even worked with Platt? Platt wasn’t in Hello Dolly, he wasn’t in Lady Bird, he wasn’t in Booksmart, or Neighbors 2. And he’s not in the Lewinsky thing.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:46pm

Also - the show is planning on opening in April. We’re still a long way off from “normal” around here and will still be a long way off in 8 months. So adding that struggle into what would already be a struggle with anything less than a Gaga-level name makes me very excited to see who’s already signed the paperwork on the show. Gyllenhaal as Nicky?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:52pm

Maybe I’m alone here, but I do not want to see Gaga in this role. Is she talented? I would never deny that. Should she be in this role? Can’t say I’d want that. I KNOW it’s not up to me. I KNOW other people would buy tickets (even if because of her name they’d be astronomically high). But I’d rather not see her as Fanny. What’s wrong with someone like Shoshana Bean??

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:54pm

Blaxx first called her that, and I thought that was very fitting. She wasn't on anyone's radar until Ben Platt started to become known for DEH. He worked with Ryan Murphy and most likely convinced him that she was right to play the part of Monica Lewinsky, which is totally ridiculous as she looks nothing like her in any possible way. It's all about who you know. And she knows Ben Platt and Jonah Hill, which is all you need to suddenly become relevant and get offered roles apparently. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:57pm

hearthemsing22 said: "What’s wrong with someone like Shoshana Bean?? "
 

From a talent standpoint, absolutely nothing - she’d be brilliant. But she won’t sell out the show, which is what (like it or not) is what’s needed with this one.  

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:02pm

I don't know what happened with the planned revival of this in 2012 starring Lauren Ambrose. She was so good in My Fair Lady, I really would have loved to see her what she could have done with the role. 

[Tag]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:04pm

Isn't Caissie Levy the perfect Jewish actress for this?

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:05pm

Jordan Catalano said: "hearthemsing22 said: "What’s wrong with someone like Shoshana Bean?? "


From a talent standpoint, absolutely nothing - she’d be brilliant. But she won’t sell out the show, which is what (like it or not) is what’s needed with this one.

"

Exactly, is there a musical that is more attached to the ranks of a superstar than this one?  I don't think so.

The show would bomb just out of lack of stardom, not of talent. Most people would tell you it's the show Streisand was in but have no clue about the musical itself.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:09pm

JBroadway said: "Ben Platt’s sidekick?? What a bizarre comment. What’s the basis for that? How many times has she even worked with Platt? Platt wasn’t in Hello Dolly, he wasn’t in Lady Bird, he wasn’t in Booksmart, or Neighbors 2. And he’s not in the Lewinsky thing. "

They did that Into the Woods duet that got her a lot of teendom recognition last year. I thought they were both unbearable to watch, but I personally can't stand Platt nor Platt groupies.

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:21pm

SoCalDirector 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"

I think Beanie could be a good choice. Plus she has been working on it since she was 3 years old.



Funny Girls

"

Is Beanie confirmed casting? Yes she was wonderful in HELLO, DOLLY but I would've preferred someone like Pippa Soo, Taylor Louderman, Rachel Bloom, or Shoshana Bean. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:22pm

Sutton Ross said: "I don't know what happened with the planned revival of this in 2012 starring Lauren Ambrose. She was so good in My Fair Lady, I really would have loved to see her what she could have done with the role."

The main producers pulled out prior to it getting ready for its pre-Broadway run in Los Angeles.  Sher couldn’t find replacement producers powerful enough to back the big production he was intending so the entire revival was scrapped.  He didn’t want to direct a subpar-level production.  Even Streisand was excited with Ambrose’s casting and publicly said so.

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/05/theater/producer-explains-the-scrapping-of-funny-girl.html

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:31pm

Thank you so much, I really had no clue what happened. What a shame. 

[KH****]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:41pm

I am honestly quite surprised that Jessie Mueller hasn't even been mentioned yet... while she might not be a "big name star" she surely is completely capable and would be stunning in the part. Thoughts? Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part...

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:41pm

hearthemsing22 said: "What’s wrong with someone like Shoshana Bean??"

 

Absolutely nothing.

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:50pm

Beanie is absolutely not confirmed casting. Just a person making an account to create a rumor. 

Jessie Mueller was wonderful in Waitress and Carousel proving she can lead a production, so I think she would be absolute perfection in the role. 

Updated On: 8/7/21 at 01:50 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:51pm

Sutton Ross said: "Blaxx first called her that, and I thought that was very fitting. She wasn't on anyone's radar until Ben Platt started to become known for DEH. He worked with Ryan Murphy and most likely convinced him that she was right to play the part of Monica Lewinsky, which is totally ridiculous as she looks nothing like her in any possible way. It's all about who you know. And she knows Ben Platt and Jonah Hill, which is all you need to suddenly become relevant and get offered roles apparently."

Sutton, I couldn’t agree with you more. When I kept seeing she was attached I wondered “who is she playing?” MONICA?!? If I’m proven wrong I’ll gladly eat my beret. Murphy’s casting is all nepotism, older actress hagiography fan-girling, straight crushes he wants naked and people who never gave him the time of day before. He works out his issues through casting. I’m all for casting outside the box, but at least try check some of the boxes for Monica. Good god. 
 

She can’t sing the score of Funny Girl either. When  I saw SJB with Seth she said she was offered Funny Girl but was kicked to the curb for Ambrose without any conversation. She said she was treated very disrespectfully and wasn’t upset when the production crapped the bed. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:51pm

KH**** said: "I am honestly quite surprised that Jessie Mueller hasn't even been mentioned yet... while she might not be a "big name star" she surely is completely capable and would be stunning in the part. Thoughts? Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part..."

Jessie is doing “The Minutes” at the same time this is scheduled to stay  

 

[KH****]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:56pm

Jordan Catalano said: "KH**** said: "I am honestly quite surprised that Jessie Mueller hasn't even been mentioned yet... while she might not be a "big name star" she surely is completely capable and would be stunning in the part. Thoughts? Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part..."

Jessie is doing “The Minutes” at the same time this is scheduled to stay

I was aware of that but was hoping since casting wasn't confirmed yet for either there might still be a chance. She would be absolutely transcendent...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A3-33L242M

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 1:56pm

Yeah... no to Beanie Feldstein. This production has potential to be an "event" like Hello, Dolly! was a few years ago if they cast a star for Fanny. Whether or not this production will go that route or not remains to be seen, but it certainly could based on how they cast it.