Funny Girl - Boston Tryout

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http://barbra-archives.com/live/60s/funny_girl_broadway_2.html

Updated On: 7/6/13 at 09:37 PM

I wonder if the legend is bigger than the reality. The show didn't win any Tony Awards in 1964.

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Which I guess tells us something about 1964 voters. They prefer Carol Channing over that "bohemian hippie" Barbra Streisand

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Well I don't know about the GREATEST or anything but She is splendidly perfect in this film. The interesting thing about her winning the Oscar for Fanny is that she was on the Oscar voting committee. She ended up Having a Tie with Hepburn and I'm pretty sure it has been stated that if Barbra didn't vote for herself then she would not have won.

Updated On: 7/6/13 at 10:42 PM

I think her performance is somewhat on that level but that statement is a bit poppycock.

^ Ha!

Betty Hutton's musical comedy skills on her worst day are on par with Barbra's on her best

Updated On: 7/6/13 at 10:51 PM

LMAO @ Jordan

The Oscar controversy is derived from Streisand's membership into AMPAS. She was granted membership before having a film credit. So, if the Academy hasn't bent their rules to admit her, presumably, she would not have won.

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Jesus Christ! I saw the subject line and thought there was a current Boston tryout for a new Funny Girl. Callously unfair, gossipguy215.

However, she didn't receive an acting nomination for HELLO DOLLY. The Film got a best picture nomination though. She did get a BAFTA nomination.

"Streisand, in her film debut, delivers the greatest musical comedy performance ever filmed"..

Many seem to forget that Streisand didn't make her film debut until about 6-7 years into her career (about 4-5 years after Broadway's FUNNY GIRL). By the time she stepped in front of those motion picture cameras in June 1967, she already had been honing her craft on both stage and television so film was an easy transition just a grander scaled project. It wasn't like she went from a recording studio straight into making films.

Also, regarding FUNNY GIRL's bumpy out-of-town tryouts -- the book was originally a fuller and more traditional book show, which dragged the musical extensively whenever the action moved away from Streisand, which it did to showcase Kay Medford, etc. Once they got to New York to begin previews at the Winter Garden Theatre, Jerome Robbins was brought in to "doctor" the show. His first note: the show needs to be The Barbra Streisand Show and anything not involving her needs to be trimmed or cut. Jean Stapleton is quoted as saying that the entire cast knew this as well and stood back wisely as their parts were literally cut. They knew this was for the good of the show, etc. Many who saw the show pre-Broadway and later on Broadway have said it was an almost different musical.