Funny Girl engagements in L.A. and Broadway postponed — Page 3

... everything except the backing.

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Updated On: 11/4/11 at 06:10 AM

This really bums me out. I have a pal who was scheduled to make his B'way debut in this.

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They should get Streisand to play Rosie Brice and they'll have no trouble getting the required funding.

I know a lot of people want to blame Lauren Ambrose for this, but we just have no way of knowing. I think she would've been terrific.

I wouldn't consider this production cancelled entirely. I would consider it postponed until War Horse moves out of Lincoln Center. You know they're foolish enough to think lightning could strike twice with Sher helming a never-revived classic musical in that space.

I'm still surprised at how expensive this production was going to be. I'm not to familiar with the Broadway industry as a business. How much was the initial investment for the original Funny Girl? If it was around at leas $1.7-1.8 million, then the $12 million figure would be appropriate. Yes, prices are about 7 times what they were in 1964. Sad, isn't it?

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Someone on ATC was recently crunching numbers regarding the original production of FOLLIES and surmised that the original production in today's dollars would be near 20 million dollars.

If you stop and think about FUNNY GIRL its a show that could easily be as big if not bigger than any production of FOLLIES.

The show features an enormous cast with dozens of costume changes each and several numbers meant to emulate the extravagance of the Ziegfield Follies (think about the size of the chorus and the opulence of the "His Love Makes Me Beautiful" number alone...)

The original orchestration was probably for at least 30 musicians.

This is a HUGE show. HUGE. And I'm guessing early ticket sales indicated that audiences (for whatever reason) weren't chomping at the bit to get tickets.

Its often thought, incorrectly that Streisand was an unknown who had her breakout with FUNNY GIRL, when the truth is, she was already not only a rising Broadway star (in a time when such things actually mattered) but had already released three best selling recordings and won several Grammy awards by the time the original FUNNY GIRL opened.

I actually do applaud Sher for taking risks in casting someone like Lauren Ambrose in the lead, but very possibly a well endowed not-for profit like Lincoln Center might actually be the best place for this type of non-star-driven take on the material.

Whether she would be brilliant in the role or not, I do think Ambrose is likely at odds with the perception most of the public has of the character, and that probably didn't help in people's desire to risk $145 on curiosity alone.

Miss Brice, upon being told that the revival of her bio-musical was indefinitely postponed:



"Oy vey! I vas so upset, look: I made a run in mine nylons!"

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No one has yet mentioned the inevitable comparison that will be made between the new Fanny and Streisand. Even a terrific performance by Lauren Ambrose or anybody else, will be considered sub-standard, and the exiting audiences muttering, "I wish I could have seen Barbra." Established Broadway stars are too smart to get on this slippery slope, leaving aspiring starlets reaching for this elusive apple.

Updated On: 11/4/11 at 04:59 PM

I'm glad little Lea is happy and laughing at last.
If her name was attached the $ would be in place.

Look how many theaters are dark

Not many theatres are dark... In fact all the big houses are occupied which is why a lot of shows a struggling to get a theatre.

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Was looking forward to seeing this, not 100 per cent sure about the casting. Maybe one day!

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