Lea Michele as Fanny - Funny Girl - Page 59

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 12:36am

But at this point, she’s a character. Much like Momma Rose. Let’s not act like Funny Girl is a documentary. It’s a melodrama musical. So she’s just a character at this point. 
 

I don’t get why we had some white doing playing an Italian in Piazza a few weeks ago and no one cared but now this is suddenly worth dragging this woman and destroying a whole tour… I can’t keep up. 

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 12:47am

Penna2 said: "RippedMan said: "Why is it her fault when the casting team brought her in, the director cast her, the producers all saw her and agreed she's right for the part...she's an actress taking a high profile, well paying gig."

Because she can read and, I would hope, had some awareness of who the person was she hoped to play. Apparently, neither was the case."

Everyone here is missing the point. Maybe she CAN’T read! The producers saw how much that worked on broadway with the current star, and wanted to take that on the road!

The casting notice was a test: if you followed the instructions, you can therefore read, and are not going to maintain this lucky streak. But if neither you, nor your whole management team, can read - you get the part! Why give yourself a kinehora?

(and if you don’t know what that means, you’re part of the problem)

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 1:02am

attempting to hold a fully grown, adult woman with multiple professional credits accountable in something that is - by the casting team's notice - unacceptable is not anywhere near dragging her.

a lot of us are just trying to make sense out of this casting, which is why we're posting about it.

you really, really need to learn that words mean things. i have not seen one person on this board even attempt to "drag" her. 

[NoItAll]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:32am

RippedMan said: "…I don’t get why we had some white … playing an Italian [emphasis added] …I can’t keep up."

You certainly can’t. (And I can’t write here what I think of you and your post.)

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 02:32 AM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:41am

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 02:41 AM

[ddenoff2]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 5:55am

Maybe she's a Jewban. OY.

[BETTY22]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 7:25am

What's going on with casting at Funny Girl? Being Jewish is the huge part of this story. Disgraceful 

SHAME. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 8:02am

Either you are of the belief that anyone can play anything as long as its believable and done well, or you think "representation matters" and so roles written for/about distinctly X characters should be played whenever possible by X actors. I VERY much understand both views, though I think proponents of the latter (as with every other issue under the sun) have taken it way too far in some instances. 

What I think irks some is that the very same people who insist on hyper-specific ethnic representation, and tsk-tsk (or scream and shout about) casting the wrong ethnicity in any given role, simply discard the issue entirely when it comes to Jewish characters. If you think this never matters, by all means, I hear you, but if you think it does (and the producers of Funny Girl absolutely seem to have in the past, touting Beanie's very keyed-in take) to NOW say "Oh, whats the difference" is pretty hypocritical and eyebrow raising. 

And NO ONE has said a single bad word about this likely extremely talented actress who has unwittingly been dragged into this horrible spot and deserves none of this. But sympathy for her and/or recognition of her likely talent is neither here nor there. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 8:11am

I would agree that this is an iconic Jewish role portraying a real Jewish woman that was originated by one of the most iconic Jewish actresses/singers of all time and was originated, standbyed, and understudied by Jewish women and replaced by a woman of Jewish descent in this production and all of that makes it worth casting a Jewish woman. 

However, my biggest issue and question regarding this actress is Rat-tat-tat-tat. This actress will be portraying an EXTREME stereotype in this show with that song. She will sing the line "and my bagels gave a spin, oy, oy" while putting on an extremely stereotypical accent and wearing a bagel belt. Is that really something you want to see? Would you really not feel at all uncomfortable? 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 8:44am

Notice how three of the people calling out this casting choice were also there for the final callback (or auditioned) for the role. It does make them come off very bitter. I feel bad for Katerina who doesn't appear to have social media accounts. Does she look to defend herself or even step down from the role due to this? Could this potentially derail the start of the tour?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:08am

She does have social media. She has only reposted a handful of the casting announcements in her stories. 

I actually agree. The actors who were most likely seen for final callbacks do seem bitter. I completely understand they want the role (and rightfully so) to be played by a Jewish actor. But posting so much about it seems little...whiny? A little "I should have gotten this part but I'll hide it with advocacy for authentic casting" 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:29am

ACL2006 said: "Notice how three of the people calling out this casting choice were also there for the final callback (or auditioned) for the role. It does make them come off very bitter. I feel bad for Katerina who doesn't appear to have social media accounts. Does she look to defend herself or even step down from the role due to this? Could this potentially derail the start of the tour?"

I honestly don't perceive the comments on social media  by people like Jennifer Apple to be exhibitionist. Professionals in the business lose roles all the time to their peers. None are criticizing the abilities of the girl who got the role, but what is being debated is that there seems to be a broken double standard in the industry at the moment as  to what counts as representation.  And there is no end to the arguement. Somewhere buried deep in all of this discussion, there is one that acknowledges overt discrimination of performers who are not of a minority group. And why is this an ongoing issue that almost only ever comes up in the context of female roles / performers?  There is much, much, much to unpack and look at here. 

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 09:29 AM

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:34am

Also, saying that the criticism is coming from people who were in the finals for the role is unfounded. We don't know that to be true.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:38am

QueenAlice said: "Also, saying that the criticism is coming from people who were in the finals for the role is unfounded. We don't know that to be true."

How would you know it's not? Someone said they had the breakdown and sent in a tape for the role soooo. It's not a stretch. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:59am

Jennifer Apple acknoweldges she auditioned for the role.  As did hundreds of other actresses. Auditioning is not the same as being in the final callbacks for the part.  We do not know who the other finalists for the part were.

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 09:59 AM

[bryan2]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:17am

I took my opinion down as I was accused of sounding antisemitic...I do not ever ever want to come across as being antisemitic because I don't agree with the need for a jewish person to play a jewish person. Having grown up in a predominantly Jewish city outside of Boston I am well aware that it is not just a religion but a ethnicity. I hate to think what I said would be taken as such. I just meant that this is an actor playing a part and all actors should be considered regardless. I may have not communicated this correctly

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 10:17 AM

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:26am

This specific situtation is not an issue of religion. It's an issue of ethnicity. Jewish is not only a religion but also an ethnicity. And again the current debate is over the double standard in the industry when it comes to what is 'correct' in terms of representation.  If any actor should be allowed to play any roles, when, if ever should there be an exception to the rule? That is the debate.

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 10:26 AM

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:29am

"happens to be Jewish..." 

lol

She does not "happen to be Jewish." it is the CORE of her entire character. It's the foundation of her comedy, her failures, her success, her world. It's hard to think of a character outside of MAYBE an Antisemitism piece (Parade, Leopoldstadt, etc) whose Judaism and Jewishness are more central to their character. 

I do not think the vast vast majority of the people on the other side of this debate are Antisemitic and that includes you Bryan. But your post reeks of Antisemitism. 

[HugoP]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:34am

Yes, at least some of the most vehement posters were in final contention for the role.  
 

Fanny Brice was shaped by a lot more than her Jewish heritage.  Her childhood on Henry Street (a melting pot immigrant neighborhood) was key.  Her drive and ambition were fed by many factors.  To reduce this to someone’s genetic background is ridiculous.   I want to see an extremely talented young rising star play the role.  I’ll absolutely be seeing this tour.  She looks great. 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:38am

CoffeeBreak said: "It's time for the producers to buy, the talented, Katerina McCrimmon out -

and recast with an equally talented Jewish actress. It's FUNNY GIRL."

Letting somebody go because of their ethnicity or religious beliefs is illegal. McCrimmon would be able to take the producers to court and likely would have an extremely good case.

I’m mostly wondering how so many people can claim to definitively know McCrimmon’s religious beliefs or full heritage. 

 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:42am

What ultimately turned my head is the point that has been made that in the show, Fanny performs schtick as a Jewish charicature that is arguably anti-semitic when performed by a non Jewish performer. That is an issue in 2023 with rising antisemtism, particularly in parts of the United States where this tour is scheduled to perform, being a major concern.

It's a sticky slope. 

There is also a lot of assumption going on everywhere in this arguement, Kad. Yes, we are assuming that if McCrimmon had Jewish heritage that would have been something she championed along with her Cuban roots.  Frankly, if her ethic heritage hadnt been specifically mentioned in a producer approved bio for this tour,  I wonder if the issue would have come up at all.   Everything about just about everything related to the producing of this production of FUNNY GIRL has been ill-prepared and ill-advised. Sonia needs advisors.

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 10:42 AM

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:42am

HugoP said: "Yes, at least some of the most vehement posters were in final contention for the role.


Fanny Brice was shaped by a lot more than her Jewish heritage. Her childhood on Henry Street (a melting pot immigrant neighborhood) was key. Her drive and ambition were fed by many factors. To reduce this to someone’s genetic background is ridiculous. I want to see an extremely talented young rising star play the role. I’ll absolutely be seeing this tour. She looks great."

It's so painfully and hilariously obvious that none of you understand what it means to be a Jew and how it shapes you. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:42am

Why is it that there is outrage on casting but when it comes to Jewish roles it's like...less of an outcry? Less of people seeing an issue and saying "eh who cares?". Why is that. Why do these roles matter less? Why do people think it's less of a concern if they cast someone who is not Jewish? As someone said in their stories it's a slippery slope, but Jewish people matter. Casting authentically matters. And a lot of you are acting as though it doesn't when it comes to Jews telling Jewish stories. 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:43am

And re: Lea Michele. Judaism is matrilineal. Unless she met her denomination’s requirement for being considered fully Jewish (which ranges from merely actively regularly practicing the religious customs to going through a lengthy conversion process), she is not considered Jewish, regardless of her father’s heritage. 

[mshalo18]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:44am

QueenAlice said: "Also, saying that the criticism is coming from people who were in the finals for the role is unfounded. We don't know that to be true."

It was rumored for months that a “former Jewish Elphaba” (obviously Talia Suskauer) was getting the role. That said, I don’t believe she is speaking out because she is bitter, as she often posts about Jewish representation in theatre.