Possibly Controversial Idea: Lady Gaga as Fanny Brice?

Okay, so I know she probably would not do this, especially as she is preparing two new albums, but does anyone else think that Gaga could play Fanny? She has experience in musical theatre, has a beautiful legit voice, has the unconventional beauty of a Fanny, and right she's at the perfect age for the role. Even if it's only a concert production, I would love to see this happen! Anyone else?

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Updated On: 6/29/13 at 06:01 PM

Would Lady Gaga want to do a musical where the leading lady walks out on a tour and spends the entire evening worrying about whether she's pleasing some jerk of a man?

Much as we may like the score, the attitude of FUNNY GIRL is strictly pre-feminist 1950s. It's rather the opposite of the beliefs Gaga says she stands for.

Where would it cause you physical pain?

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In my HEART and my SOUL.

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"Possibly"?

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Didn't Barbra mention her as a possible Louise in her Gypsy movie? I'd assume she's been tested as an actress to some extent.

She's in Machete Kill this fall, so I guess we'll see if she's ok. I doubt the role with give her much to do, but we'll at least be able to tell if she can at least say lines convincingly - after all, for some pop stars, that can be an issue.

She has done theater in high school and college, including Miss Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls." Plus, she has performed jazz in clubs and "Someone to Watch Over Me" on the "Today" show and elsewhere so she can sing legit. I think she would be very good BUT the book needs a reworking and the score needs paring down. You cannot just revive the show as is.

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If it makes a difference, she shows off her legit voice more in her jazz work, and she's working on a full album with Tony Bennett.

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Sure. Why not?

Now, My Dear Gaveston,

First of all, there's no reason one can's be an ardent feminist and want to play a woman in a role one sees as written as classically pre-feminist. Actors often are drawn to people whose sexual politics are very different than their own.

Then we should ask ourselves, is Fanny classicly pre-feminist? Is Funny Girl? Is a woman who falls deeply in love, assertively goes after it, has no issues being in a marriage where she is the major breadwinner, and demands both a career and a marriage qualifies as classically pre-feminist - one can make a strong argument that she does not.

Is the attitude of Funny Girl strictly pre-feminist? I disagree. Although certainly it describes characters and situations which at sometimes make us question the roles of men and women, struggling men married to powerful strong women, and how they and the people around them saw that dynamic.

Updated On: 6/30/13 at 10:09 AM

Does Gaga have the humor to play the part? Does she have the built in instinct to be funny? Fanny not only needs to sing, but she needs to be funny. And the material is such that you can't "act" funny.

One of the gifts of many actors (Dorothy Loudon, Nathan Lane, etc) was that they knew how to be funny by instinct. It was real, there was no faking it with them.

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"She's certainly a better option than Lea Michelle"

I agree with that, but it's not a reason to mount a new production of the show.

Unfortunately, we've been caught up in the "get a star for Funny Girl even if she's not right for the role" routine. The material deserves someone who can fulfill all requirements for the role and we'll just have to wait until we can find someone who can sing and act and be funny.

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Lady Gaga has very little talent. I wouldn't cast her for anything.

I recall her name coming up a lot back before Lauren Ambrose was cast in the not-to-be revival.

Sounds like a great idea. She's very talented and certainly has the right look.