Funny Girl Revival

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:49pm

Now that Glee has just wrapped up, does anyone know if this show is looking to come in anytime soon? Ryan Murphy is still trying to do this show with Lea Michelle right? I have to admit, i'd love to see Jessie Mueller play Fanny Brice over Lea Michelle.

[gstrus2]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:54pm

Ryan bought the rights (I believe) to do it with Michele, but now she is on Ryan's new show, premiering this fall, so who knows when they'll have time. I, too, would LOVE to see Jessie play the role.

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 11:04pm

Yes to Jessie. Absolutely yes to Jessie.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 11:21pm

I rather see Lea.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 11:26pm

Enough with Lea...she did it already on GLEE and that mooooore than enough.
The first revival of this show on Broadway needs a Broadway star of such and Jessie Mueller brings the right ingredients and sum for Fannie.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 11:29pm

Ooh Jessie would be really good as Fannie.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 12:10am

no one is going to pay to see her. yes, you theatre fans will.. but look at what happened to bridges. if not lea then a big name.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 12:17am

How long does Murphy have the rights for, though? Just because he has a show this fall doesn't mean they won't keep them on hold until 2018 or whenever they decide to make this their next project.

Hasn't been revived on Broadway since 1964, so seems like a few more years won't matter...

[gypsy101]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 1:02am

No matter whether people think she is a "name" or not, Jessie Mueller would be absolutely sensational as Fanny Brice. It's not like Barbra Streisand was a name when she played Fanny, she had been in one Broadway show (as a supporting character) and lost the Tony, although she did have a couple successful albums by the time Funny Girl opened, she wasn't a huge star; the show made her a star. My one problem with Funny Girl is the book; I've read it and don't think it's very good, probably specifically for the reason that so much of the non-Fanny plot was removed to compensate for Streisand's ego and the correct belief that the show was all about her so there was no point in focusing on her mother or that friend of hers for very long (long enough for Barbra to change costumes, it seems.) I wonder what producers would do with the score for a major Broadway-bound revival: will they be incorporating changes from the movie? Songs like "I'd Rather Be Blue" and "My Man" were sung by the real Fanny Brice, but I don't think it would be necessary to add them to a stage production (although I like the title song that was added for the film). We'll see if anything comes of this (especially with Lea Michele being a regular on that new Ryan Murphy Show this fall).

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 1:25am

gypsy101, the anthology series Lea Michele is doing with Ryan Murphy goes into production this spring. It will be done filming by the end of the year, meaning she could easily do FUNNY GIRL next season if she wanted to.

Count me amongst those who hope this happens with someone other than Michele, though I think Jessie Mueller covered such similar ground in BEAUTIFUL that FUNNY GIRL would be a bit of a retread for her. I'd be much more interested to see someone totally outside the box tackle Fanny.

Updated On: 1/19/15 at 01:25 AM

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 1:39am

no one is going to pay to see her. yes, you theatre fans will.. but look at what happened to bridges. if not lea then a big name.

That has nothing to do with what anyone in this thread said. The general consensus was that Jessie would be good, which is true. None of us have a hand in casting, so why burden ourselves with taking the marketing of the show into account. We're just acknowledging a talented young woman who would serve the part well, period.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 1:44am

Don't use logic on a person who clearly has none. If Lea doesn't do it, JoseLee will probably visit the Preview thread to comment "I hope it closes."

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 2:44am

I wonder if there would still be rights complications over Brice's real life signature songs? If I recall correctly they were never included in the Broadway production because they were too expensive to license but the movie's bigger budget allowed it. I wonder if the songs are even copyrighted today? I don't know the cutoff for the public domain or how all that is done.

Anyway I don't really think it's even going to happen. Just too many cons involved. The book is thin as hell, it needs a fresh face but would never run with one (not even mentioning the huge Barbra shoes they would need to fill). And Lea Michelle has provided ample proof she would be terrible as Fanny.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 2:46am

Why question is....why do we even need a "Funny Girl" revival?

Yes Lea would be fine.

IMO the show/book are kinda boring. There are some great musical numbers.

The comparisons to Barbra will be crazy. I think it's best left for regional theaters and things like the Acotrs Fund concert.

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 8:13am

Barbra's shoes would definitely be hard to fill on this one.
Would someone who has proven her chops on the boards of Broadway, like Jessie, still be willing to take that chance with a show like this?
I mean, the woman is a huge talent, and if anyone could do it, it's her.
But reality is that she will be compared to Barbra. Professionally this might not be where an actress like Jessie would want to go.
I know the other actress mentioned is in the show, Glee.
The only thing I have to judge her on though is her performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade" on some awards show (I tried to watch Glee once, but just couldn't get through it).
In my opinion, there was nothing really special about her performance.
And whoever takes on this role is going to have to knock it out of the park.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 8:18am

Please keep in mind that Jessie did say that Fanny Brice is one of her dream roles.

[Showface]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 8:19am

"no one is going to pay to see her. yes, you theatre fans will.. but look at what happened to bridges. if not lea then a big name."



Look at what happened to Beautiful. Sure, that had the "Carole King Musical" on it, but I'm convinced that the success of Broadway shows is starting to get less on "who is a name from the TV show that's getting cancel due to recent poor viewership", and it's starting to rely on a GOOD SHOW!

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:13am

If it's one of her dream roles, let's get something in the works. I think she'd be awesome.

[Bucky Builder]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:16am

Funny Girl is such a flawed and tricky show. Ryan Murphy doesn't have the talent to pull it off.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:45am

Jessie Mueller has already been compared to Barbra before. She would be amazing in the role. Wasnt jessie even in talks to play Louise in the Gypsy movie opposite Barb? I think a Funny Girl revival is due, and would be fantastic with a few changes and jessie mueller in it!

[Bucky Builder]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:47am

Oh really? Cool!! You should direct it!

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:51am

I would be a fantastic director actually

[Bucky Builder]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:53am

Dream big, kid.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 9:57am

Bucky Builder, I'm already in this business and thats not a dream out of reach. And you're just a sad sad person

[Bucky Builder]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 10:01am

It's not okay to tell lies, little buddy. You get a time out.