'Funny Girl' revival

I heard something about a 'Funny Girl' revival that is battling out La Cage Aux Folles for the Palace theater. It was rumered that Sutton Foster was cast as a young Fanny Brice, and they were also going to try something new and use Bernadette Peters as an older Fanny (using a lot of makeup). I also heard that Michael Crawford and Roger Bart are being looked at for an adult Nick Arnstien and a younger one. Is this true?? I didn't think so, but it's such a great show so I am being optimistic!

..and they mock Christina doing this role!??? (shameful)!

I HEARD THE SAME THING!!!

But no, it's not Sutton Foster as Fanny Brice. It's between "Audrey II" and "Lucy The Slut." They're going to mud-wrestle for the role.

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Well, this is a total hoax, but I'll play along. Let's see if we can find everything that makes this rumor ridiculous:

--Unless you're charging $200 a ticket you couldn't afford all of those people in the same show (Crawford and Peters alone each get $50,000/week plus a percentage of profits -- and Foster and Bart would expect star salaries as well, given that they're also playing the leads)

-- How about Michael Crawford and Roger Bart for the La Cage revival? That makes a lot more sense than either of them for Arnstein.

-- Sutton Foster as an ugly-duckling Jewish vaudeville star? Okay............

-- Older Fanny and older Nick? In Funny Girl? (which ends with Brice still in her 20's and Arnstein still in his 30's?) Yeah, 57 year old Bernadette Peters still waiting around for fey, fat, bald, 62 year old Michael Crawford to get out of prison at the end of the show -- QUITE a concept. Don't hold your breath waiting for Jules Styne's estate, not to mention Ray Stark's estate (Brice's real life son-in-law who produced the original musical and the movie and was fiercely protective of the show as well as Brice's image)to approve the changes. "Follies" crossed with "Funny Girl" (a show that has nothing to do with getting older and regretting the mistakes of youth -- at least Styne and Merrill never wrote any songs about that in the show) -- Wow, what an awful idea.

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In all seriousness, I want this show revived. I think in about five years, it'll be about time for the show to make a revival.

And what about FUNNY LADY? The sequel to the film. I LOVED this as well, and if you watch the films back to back, it's soooooooo joyful. I cried so hard at the end of FUNNY LADY.

Oh how I loved these films!!!

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Gasteyer was in the Actor's Fund concert a few years ago, along with, Cheno, Idina, Whoopi, Bebe, Sutton, Lillias, Julia Murney et al. Dayne played the role on the road, if I'm not mistaken, as did Deborah Gibson. Aside from anything else, they're both too old for it now, as is Gasteyer.

Any 21 year old (or, heck, 28 year old), plain-looking, Jewish girls out there with an extraordinary voice, comedic timing up the wazoo and charisma to burn??????

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Updated On: 6/15/04 at 02:06 PM

Didn't Gasteyer also do a full production?

Last summer in Pittsburgh, perhaps?

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Here's a rave review of Gasteyer's "Funny Girl" in Pittsburgh:
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/pitt/p68.html

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I love both, go figure.

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Lauren Frost is the "mini-me" that has been referenced to.

I have sort of followed her career since the concert - she was SO great.

She was on one of the Disney Channel teen shows. I think she is in her late teens. Her website is www.laurenfrost.com

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There are rumours... Give it time and they will ripen & all shall be revealed!

How about Loretta Swit as Mama Brice?

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"*ponders how to turn this into a Wicked thread*"

easily; Idina Menzel, MY ABSOLUTE IDOL!!!!!, was in a concert version of this where she sang "Coronet Men"(i got a copy of this illegally!). I know absolutely nothing but this show, but i'm sure Menzel would be perfect in the starring role. I mean come on people she did win best actress for WICKED! Which, let's face it, is the musical to end all musicals! I'm going to see it right now, and stand outside in the hot and sweat to clip a lock od Idina's flowing black wickified hair for my awesome book that i will one day give to her!!!! Wish me luck!