The Florence in Chess rumors are everywhere. But the production hasn't been announced. I agree; I'd imagine an LA gig would be everything Michele would want in a final if belated goodbye to the role of Fanny.
I think by next week there will be a announcement regarding the LA run. CTG should be announcing by then.
Melissa Manchester is the star of the tour with Fanny being a complete unknown. Interesting.
Sutton Ross said: "Melissa Manchesteras is the star of the tour with Fanny being a complete unknown. Interesting."
LOL it's Melissa Manchester silly!
Melissa Manchester will play Mrs. Brice opposite Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice in the North American Tour of Funny Girl.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/20
I'm 99% sure Lea will not do a performance on tour.
"The principal cast been revealed for the North American Tour of Funny Girl. The cast will feature Grammy-Award® winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Manchesteras Mrs. Brice, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. "
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Katerina-McCrimmon-to-Star-as-Fanny-Brice-in-FUNNY-GIRL-North-American-Tour-20230711
Sutton Ross said: ""The principal cast been revealed for the North American Tour ofFunny Girl. The cast will feature Grammy-Award® winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Manchesteras Mrs. Brice, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. "
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Katerina-McCrimmon-to-Star-as-Fanny-Brice-in-FUNNY-GIRL-North-American-Tour-20230711
"
Does not mean Lea wont do LA run.. a engagement that has yet to be announced as even part of the tour. But yeah.. this is likely the cast they will get.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/20
alovingfan said: "Sutton Ross said: ""The principal cast been revealed for the North American Tour ofFunny Girl. The cast will feature Grammy-Award® winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Manchesteras Mrs. Brice, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. "
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Katerina-McCrimmon-to-Star-as-Fanny-Brice-in-FUNNY-GIRL-North-American-Tour-20230711
"
Does not mean Lea wont do LA run.. a engagement that has yet to be announced as even part of the tour. But yeah.. this is likely the cast they will get."
They don't announce the full tour run when they announce the cast-we do know that right
Featured Actor Joined: 8/27/22
Stephen Mark Lukas will be Nick Arnstein. I saw him recently and wasn't my favorite Nick.
hearthemsing22 said: "alovingfan said: "Sutton Ross said: ""The principal cast been revealed for the North American Tour ofFunny Girl. The cast will feature Grammy-Award® winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Manchesteras Mrs. Brice, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. "
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Katerina-McCrimmon-to-Star-as-Fanny-Brice-in-FUNNY-GIRL-North-American-Tour-20230711
"
Does not mean Lea wont do LA run.. a engagement that has yet to be announced as even part of the tour. But yeah.. this is likely the cast they will get."
They don't announce the full tour run when they announce the cast-we do know that right"
Yes. We know that. We also know LA on occasion gets a name even though they don't do the rest of the tour. It is just fun speculation since CTG is not announcing their season waiting on a casting confirmation. You can scroll back and read the reference to a KTLA comment in yesterdays local news.
Probably a smart move to go with an "unknown" who they felt simply gave the best audition. If she is really great, they can advertise it from a "star is born" kind of angle, and Melissa Manchester will bring in the boomers.
Can someone confirm that Leah Platt (Emma/Mrs. Nadler) is Ben's sister and part of that Platt family? Which would mean that her daddy cast her in his own show? I mean, based on her headshot, I'm guessing that is the case, but perhaps I am wrong...
EDIT:
After some amateur sleuthing, I have concluded that she is not Ben's sister, but damn she really looks like she could be so I still wonder if there is some sort of relation.
Congrats to Melissa Manchester! Not so familiar with her, but glad to see them continuing with a Jewish woman in the role of Mrs. Brice.
Also congrats to the whole supporting cast.
Don't feel a need to see a Goy as Fanny (no hard feelings to Katerina at all though, I hope she does great). Always glad to have something I can skip and save some money!
Was hoping for a former Elphaba, so we knew there'd at least be powerhouse vocals. But I'll still probably see it. I wonder if they'll re-design anything about the tour since this production got such awful reviews.
Anyone know anything about Katerina McCrimmon? Curious to know about her previous credits unless she's straight out of college?
ACL2006 said: "Anyone know anything about Katerina McCrimmon? Curious to know about her previous credits unless she's straight out of college?"
She has a couple prominent regional credits, was an understudy in the Broadway revival of The Rose Tattoo a few years ago, and was in the ensemble of the Encores Light in the Piazza production. She's not straight out of college, but still pretty young. Probably around 25.
https://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/697219-katerina-mccrimmon
If anyone is interested at all Talia Suskauer is looking like a sore loser on her Instagram story…
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/20
Call_me_jorge said: "If anyone is interested at all Talia Suskauer is looking like a sore loser on her Instagram story…"
Sore loser? She and Samantha Massell make valid points
Call_me_jorge said: "If anyone is interested at all Talia Suskauer is looking like a sore loser on her Instagram story…"
Yeah, it's gross. They cast a woman of color and it's a bad look to bitch about that.
Broadway Star Joined: 2/24/18
hearthemsing22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "If anyone is interested at all Talia Suskauer is looking like a sore loser on her Instagram story…"
Sore loser? She and Samantha Massell make valid points"
I agree - Fanny Brice was a Jew, from her comedy, to her looks, to her upbringing, to her obsession with Nicky. She was a real person. It isn't as if there weren't a number of Jewish actresses able to carry the role. Seems like diversity for the sake of diversity.
Penna2 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "If anyone is interested at all Talia Suskauer is looking like a sore loser on her Instagram story…"
Sore loser? She and Samantha Massell make valid points"
I agree - Fanny Brice was a Jew, from her comedy, to her looks, to her upbringing, to her obsession with Nicky. She was a real person. It isn't as if there weren't a number of Jewish actresses able to carry the role. Seems like diversity for the sake of diversity."
Calling out that she's Cuban American in the press release as if they deserve a gold star for not casting a Jewish woman s so gross too.
jkcohen626 said: "Penna2 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "If anyone is interested at all Talia Suskauer is looking like a sore loser on her Instagram story…"
Sore loser? She and Samantha Massell make valid points"
I agree - Fanny Brice was a Jew, from her comedy, to her looks, to her upbringing, to her obsession with Nicky. She was a real person. It isn't as if there weren't a number of Jewish actresses able to carry the role. Seems like diversity for the sake of diversity."
Calling out that she's Cuban American in the press release as if they deserve a gold star for not casting a Jewish woman s so gross too."
Cuban Jews exist, just because Katerina doesn’t also have a Star of David in her Instagram bio doesn’t mean she can’t also be Jewish… unless you know her personally and can give us receipts that she isn’t.
Then why wouldn't it say that in these releases? Even if she is Jewish, I'd still say it's gross to call out that she's Cuban and ignore that she's Jewish in a press release. Still asking for your meaningless diversity gold star while ignoring the important one.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/18/11
jkcohen626 said: "Then why wouldn't it say that in these releases? Even if she is Jewish, I'd still say it's gross to call out that she's Cuban and ignore that she's Jewish in a press release. Still asking for your meaningless diversity gold star while ignoring the important one."
I want to assume that if she were Jewish they would have mentioned that in the same sentence that mentions her Cuban background, but producers of Funny Girl have never been big on common sense or foresight.
Stand-by Joined: 3/15/08
Are there any other roles on Broadway where we find it acceptable to limit casting based on the performers’ religious beliefs?
Since Talia Suskaur was rumored for the role, and therefore was probably one of the finalists for it, it automatically makes her look like a sore loser to make and share those posts. Seriously it’s like 9/10 times when an actor “speaks out” on social media about representation for their community it’s really about themselves and how they didn’t get the role.
Bruised egos masquerading as activism. I’m so over it.
P.S. I have Jewish heritage and have ancestors who were killed in the Holocaust, and no this casting is not “harmful.”
P.P.S. Lea Michele is CATHOLIC, but no one cares because she’s brilliant in the role.
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