And no one has yet mentioned Lea Salonga (ducking)
And no one has yet mentioned the kids from HSM (ducking further)
Sarah Jessica Parker??? (too old?) If she can belt Annie...She might even be able to sell some tickets. Don't know if she was "born" for the role.
Can America Ferrera sing?
Updated On: 4/7/07 at 05:46 PM
"And no one has yet mentioned Lea Salonga
And no one has yet mentioned the kids from HSM "
.........
.....
I don't believe I can quite find the proper response to that.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
Um...I don't think Lea (as beautiful a voice as she has) would be right for Fanny...I do hope that was ill-recieved sarcasm.
ggersten-there's no need to duck if you were joking. You were joking, right? And huskcharmer-how's this for a visual: Gary Beach in the Norma Desmond drag. Fun sight, no?
Parker probably doesn't have the voice for it (though all she did in "Once Upon a Mattress" was belt,) but she'd deffinetly be an interesting choice. She sure has the charisma.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
I love Parker but she wouldn't even make a good half attempt at the songs if her EMBARASSING performance of Shy at the Tonys is any indication
yeah, I was joking - but the idea that only a nice jewish girl can play Fanny led me to think of Lea Salonga who looks so unlike Fanny Brice, but has a terrific voice and range.
HSM was just to counter the Idina suggestions.
oh, at least Parker is Jewish and has an american beauty nose.
This is the only role I would do anything to be able to play. But will never be able to =(
bar, that's not a bad idea. Her name was Lauren Frost, I think she's around 20 or 21 thsee days. After the Timeless tour she was on Even Stevens, the Disney Channel show. I think I saw a picture of her recently on BWW, possibly at Joe's Pub? Don't remember what she was doing. It'd be interesting to see what her vocal range is now that she's grown up.
Anyway, my vote for Fanny goes to that girl in the Anne of Green Gables ad. She's got it.
Regarding the real Fanny Brice's look: Even though she maintained her very ethnic features, She actually had a very early form of a rhinoplasty early in her career to reduce the size of her nose. That photograph of her is post nose job.
Ken Mandelbaum once described Fanny (in the musical) very abtly as being "homely/beautiful." Certainly Julia Murney fits that description along with Gasteyer, Darcie Roberts and several others who have played the role recently in stock. Brice was not conventionally attractive - but she had an element of glamour about her - a trait shared by Streisand (and SJ Parker - though she'd never be able to sing it).
Of the others mentioned - I think Stephanie Block is a little too pretty for the part and Leslie Kritzer lacking in that glamour factor.
Anyway - this is a fairly rare portrait of Brice's original profile. Most of her early publicity photographs were actually retouched to reduce the appearance of her nose (this photo in fact seems to have reduced the large bump on her bridge - her original nose was almost hawk like).
Updated On: 4/7/07 at 09:25 PM
Broadway Star Joined: 10/7/05
Well said, MB.
So my ensuing question is, could a "too pretty" actress who has the voice, acting chops, star quality and glamour be given the makeup treatment to tone down the physical beauty? Witness Nicole Kidman in "The Hours" and Charlize Theron in "Monster." I believe makeup and attitude can counterbalance natural good looks.
Thoughts?
lc
I remember Lauren Frost from Even Stevens. I loved her on that show. It would certainly be interesting to see her as Fanny.
In regards to lovesclassics question, I certainly think an actress that is "too pretty" could pull off the role. Especially if they had the voice, acting chops, glamour, etc. Most people who aren't huge theatre fans don't even know what Fanny Brice looked like and would be comparing the actress to Streisand. Looks can (and often times do) play a large part in casting, but it's rather ridiculous to get too hung up on resembelance for a role like this.
Sutton Foster would be amazing, but she's not Jewish.
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