Official! Lauren Ambrose to Star in FUNNY GIRL! — Page 5

Okay, now that we've been through the racism, the voice etc, let's get back to my already stated WORST reason to cast anyone but Lea Michelle in the role. The public, unless the girl is stellar, is not going to accept anyone else in that role. I'm sorry, they announce a revival after many many years, its FIRST revival, at the very same time a stellar performer, whose star is ascending, who is perfect casting in so many ways, (I'm not talking about the people on these boards, I'm talking about the casual theatre goer) and then they don't cast her. A lot of the people who are casual theatre goers ARE "Glee" fans. They will assume (as they don't read the trades and websites like we do) that it must be starring that girl from "Glee". And it will be disappointing to that crowd when they find out its not her in the role. Not to you. But to the tourists and casual theatre-goers. This is not a great show. But it has some great songs that are only great if they are sung extraordinarily well. Pia Zadora and Debbie Gibson failed. And I'm guessing they might actually be better singers than Lauren (again, just guessing). I love Kritzer and Benanti. I would have felt the same way about their casting, but would have been a little more hopeful that they could surmount the casting expectation as they have extraordinary voices, and are wonderful stage comediennes and that the reviews and the buzz about their "Funny Girl" might bring in the tourists easier than Ambrose. Right now, Ambrose is still (I'm betting even to Sher) and unknown quantity Fanny-wise. But she will have to be uber-fantastic to make the show profitable. The ONLY actress of the moment to give a revival of "Funny Girl" instant national buzz is Lea Michelle (Lauren's casting didn't even make the EW.com headline list).

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 07:35 PM

I'm sure more than the "general population" doesn't give a hoo-ha that Lea Michele is not in this.

To them Barbra Streisand = Lea Michelle.

Are you for real? Do you know this FOR SURE? Did you take a poll? Did you interview these so called people who plan trips to New York to casually see "Funny Girl"?

C'mon, all of this is based on your assumptions and specualtions wrapped up in the fact that you're upset that Lea Michele didn't get the role.

Oh, the general population also thanks you for insulting them as you feel they have no imagination.

At the movies this weekend, there was a preview for the upcoming movie New Year's Eve, and when Lea Michele was shown in the preview, there was an audible groan from the audience. She got an audition for the role, and she didn't get it. So, according to the director and creative team, Ambrose is a better fit for their vision.

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I don't mean this unkindly, and I fully support your admiration for what I assume is your idol, but no one over the age of 25 gives the remotest of sh*ts about Lea Michelle. And nobody under 25 probably knew who Streisand was till LM tried to sing one of her songs.

Not only would she not have brought in an audience, but it probably would have ended her career.

She did not audition for the role. But go on believing she did as I'm sure you were leading the pack of Boos For Lea.

LM sang "Defying Gravity" on GLEE and everyone said she was going to play Elphaba.

LM sang "Don't Rain on My Parade" at the Tonys and everyone assumed she was the natural choice for Fanny.

Maybe next season she and Cory Monteith will sing "Shall We Dance?" and we'll talk about how they're a done deal for Sher's planned revival of THE KING AND I.

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Updated On: 8/3/11 at 08:17 PM

AC, I think a lot of people saw her performance of "Don't Rain" as the nail in the coffin of her Fanny dreams.

I know I sound harsh. I actually think she's a talented young woman. But the over-the-moon rhapsodizing needs a little reality check, IMHO.

PJ - I love her take on Brother Can You Spare A Dime. I think her voice lends itself to her own unique take on the songs. I think she'll knock Cornet Man out of the park. Not sure how she'll handle the more comedic songs like Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat. Frankly, there would be doubts about most modern actresses on songs like that.

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Nobody outside of these boards gives a flying french fry who plays Fanny. people will come because they want to tap their feet and sing along in their seats to the songs from that old movie. They don't expect a Streisand replica or care. They just want to hum along to something they half know the words to.

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I love YOU, Phyllis.

PJ, her "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" is wonderful.

Honestly, I hope Ambrose shouts the blues through this whole revival. I want something SO ridiculously different and out-of-the-box that can either be a massive flop or take to the skies. I don't have money in the show, ain't gonna hurt me any. Big choices are the only ones that make big rewards.

I think she's a star in the sense that most working actors are. Her name by itself may not ring most bells, but she's the type of actor where if you said "the redhead from Can't Hardly Wait/Six Feet Under" a lot of people would go "oh her!"

"Fanny Brice is a tampon".