Official! Lauren Ambrose to Star in FUNNY GIRL!- Page 3

[rwlevin]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:05pm

It isn't so much that Ambrose doesn't have the chops for the role, it's that she's completely wrong for the role. Fanny Brice is the most iconic Jewish role ever created and having a shiksa play her is a complete shanda. Also, the whole point of Fanny's story is that she was not beautiful, which is why she opted for becoming a funny girl. Lauren Ambrose is gorgeous. How can "If A Girl isn't Pretty" be sung about Lauren Ambrose? How can Lauren Ambrose feel uncomfortable singing "His Love Makes Me Beautiful"?

This casting just pisses me off. I'm not saying I wanted Lea Michele in the role, but at least she fit the archetype. Caissie Levy would have as well. I could probably come up with a dozen other actresses that would have been perfect and while I think Lauren Ambrose is an amazing actress and totally loved her in Exit the King...just...no.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:08pm

I understand what you're going for D2, but its just not really a good comparison; Streisand already had 3 top Billboard records (in less than 2 years) won multiple top Grammy Awards and was already on her way to becoming a huge media star by the time she was on Broadway in FUNNY GIRL. She was already a much bigger star than Ambrose currently is

But yes, of course if there had been message boards 40, 50, 100 years ago it would be no doubt amusing to see what casting choices were historically picked to pieces by the chatteratti. I agree with that.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:11pm

rwlevin, I agree completely. Considering Sher's history with comedy, I feel like this FUNNY GIRL will look more like MILDLY QUIRKY GIRL.

It's funny to me that he says he thinks the show is about "the sacrifices of being an artist and the high cost that women in particular suffer when they find great success and the difficult choices that come with accomplishment." He completely ignores the fact that an even bigger part of the show is about a woman with unconventional looks and talents having to succeed in a world that refuses to see beyond the mold of traditional beauty. Because of how wrong Ambrose is for the part from a physical standpoint alone, it makes sense that he sees such a primary part of the story as something secondary.

On what planet is this a face that comes to mind when one hears the lyric, "If a girl isn't pretty.."? As Joey said earlier, "She's a slice of soda bread on a plate full of onion rolls. Not a bagel in sight."

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 03:11 PM

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:27pm

"People aren't expecting her to perform the song in the show the same way that she performs it with her jazz band, are they? That would be like expecting Betty Buckley to perform her half jazz, half tribal version of "Meadowlark" if she were cast in a production of THE BAKER'S WIFE."

For the record, that is a really good version of Meadowlark.

[fflagg]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:28pm

The other problems are:

1. it's a crappy book
2. the role of Fanny is HUGE in re to the number of songs she sings as well as dancing and other stuff
3. the other roles in the show are stock roles with little depth. you are not going to get A list talent for those cardboard roles. Who's gonna be Mrs. Brice? Faith Prince? And Nick? Joe Jonas?
4. the show has to be lavish. If they are going to scrimp then much impact will be lost.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:32pm

Lea Michele is just as out of place being the subject of "If A Girl Isn't Pretty" as Ambrose. She just has the benefit of looking ethnic. But she's beautiful, as well. Otherwise she wouldn't have been in her underwear in GQ.


They will absolutely unflatter Ambrose. Lighting, makeup, costumes are all transformative. She'll undoubtedly be wigged. She'll probably be nigh unrecognizable on stage. You all are acting as if she would have to change her gender and race to play the role. With hair and makeup, she'll be fine.

It's not like they only cast ugly girls as Fosca.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:36pm

It's the South Pacific design team: Michael Yeargan, Catherine Zuber, Donald Holder and Scott Lehrer. Totally first rate team.

[rwlevin]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:38pm

Due to people thinking I'm full of it, I deleted this post.

For the record, I said the MAIN cast, not the whole cast of Fiddler, IE Randy Graff, Alfred Molina, Laura Michelle Kelly, Sally Murphy, Tricia Paoluccio, Nick Danielson, Robert Petkoff and David Ayers. If I'm wrong and one of them is a member of the tribe, then I apologize.

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 03:38 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:42pm

Would you then therefore object to an actress of say, Greek or Italian descent, but not Jewish, playing Brice?

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:44pm

Going back to the alternate, why would it be matinees? Is that a broadway rule, alternates do matinees?

In the UK alternates do various nights, often the midweek matinee and one evening show.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:44pm

Going back to the alternate, why would it be matinees? Is that a broadway rule, alternates do matinees?

In the UK alternates do various nights, often the midweek matinee and one evening show.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:49pm

Where were you, rwlevin, when non-Jew Nathan Lane was cast as Max Bialystock? Or Phylicia Rashad as the matriarch of a white midwestern family in August: Osage County? Or Audra McDonald's white father and brothers in 110 in the Shade? For the record, one of the best Tevyes I've ever seen was played by a black man in a community theatre Fiddler. It's a pointless argument.

Let actors act - and if they do their work correctly, their own race or background is of little consequence.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:50pm

Judaism is not a race.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:50pm

Traditionally, alternates in the states do matinees so that the principal performer doesn't have to do the show twice in one day; but I know you are correct about the UK -- I was actually surprised when I saw EVITA that Elena Roger's alternate did something like Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Roger did both 2 show days during an 8 show week.

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:51pm

"Fanny Brice is the most iconic Jewish role ever created and having a shiksa play her is a complete shanda"

I think that honor goes to Tevye.

[daisyviolet]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:52pm

I'm sorry rwlevin, but racism is racism no matter how you try to dress it up. And your comment about the cast of Fiddler is totally inaccurate. What knowledge do you have about the race or religion of the 17 principal actors in that cast? Thank goodness we don't all live in your world where people have to announce their race or religion before auditioning.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:54pm

Traditionally, alternates in the states do matinees so that the principal performer doesn't have to do the show twice in one day; but I know you are correct about the UK -- I was actually surprised when I saw EVITA that Elena Roger's alternate did something like Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Roger did both 2 show days during an 8 show week.

Not to threadjack, but I wonder if they'll keep a schedule like that when the show opens on Broadway or have a traditional matinee alternate.

[bobbybaby85]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 3:54pm

Updated On: 2/20/18 at 03:54 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:00pm

I'm Jewish (as is my mother, Russian descent), had a bar mitzvah and all that. But my father is German, and was Protestant.

And believe me, I won't be playing any "Jewish" characters any time soon. If I were cast in a WWII drama, I'd be a German officer. Doubtless.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:02pm

Another thread turned racist. When will this sh*t end. I didn't have a problem with George Chakiris, Natalie Wood, Carol Lawrence and Debbie Allen playing Puerto Ricans in West Side Story and I'm Puerto Rican!!!

GET. OVER. IT.
Updated On: 8/3/11 at 04:02 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:10pm

Things I've learned from this thread:

--Ambrose can't do 8 performances a week, but she better do 8 performances a week.
--Ambrose is going to perform the role of Fanny as an angry, bluesy lady based on a clip of her singing "My Man" with her jazz band in a cabaret setting that was recorded almost two years before she was cast in the role.
--Only Jews can play Jewish roles. Did Dana Ivey, Jessica Tandy, and Vanessa Redgrave all go to the same temple? Because they all did pretty nicely by Miss Daisy Werthan.
--People have already made up their minds, so why bother trying to have a discourse.

Will she play the role like Barbra Streisand? No, and thank god. If I want to see someone perform "Don't Rain on My Parade" like Barbra I'll go to a drag show.

Will she do justice by Fanny Brice? Remains to be seen, but give her an f'ing chance!

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 04:10 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:11pm

Fanny Brice is the most iconic Jewish role ever created and having a shiksa play her is a complete shanda.

No, it's not. But you wanna know what IS a complete shanda, rwlevin?

Your posts in this thread are a complete shanda. That's what.

As my Grandma Anne used to say, "Shaddup, stupid. You're talking out of your tuchis."

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:12pm

^LOVIN' IT!!!

[supportivemom]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:29pm

I think Lauren is amazing. Currently watching her on "Six Feet Under" thanks to netflix. I'm Jewish and I believe in giving her a chance. It will be interesting to see what the hair and make-up people do. I think she'll surprise everyone!

[rwlevin]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 4:30pm

I'm tired of fighting. If you think I'm a racist, that's fine. I refuse to fight. And you can make up excuses and reasons for different actors playing different types of roles but when the point of the role is her heritage, you know what? I'm going to stop right there.

BTW-Apparently I now have to say that Fanny Brice is the most iconic FEMALE Jewish role. Gee, that's nice.