Revive "Funny Girl" with Stephanie J. Block

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:15pm

I caught Stephanie for the second time in "Wicked" this past weekend and I'm convinced she is the performer to bring a revival of "Funny Girl" to Broadway! I know she did the role previously (at Witchita Music Theatre I believe) and it's time for Stephanie to do a major role on Broadway where she is not the supporting player ("The Boy From Oz"). Anyone else think she'd be a perfect Fanny Brice?

[greenegirl87]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:17pm

i do love her "don't rain on my parade" on her website

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:18pm

OMG.....YES

[GClef2]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:29pm

I'm there, front row. Nobody (not even barbara herself) can pull of rain on my parade like her.

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:32pm

That is actually one of her favorite roles. I know it is near and dear to her heart and I'm sure she'd take it in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself! I'd LOVE to see her in the role and see her back on Broadway!

[Popular]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:34pm

I'd second that though I'm afraid someone would think I'm tooting my own horn! HA HA (joke from another thread)

YES YES YES - one day I'd love to see that.

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:35pm

HAHAHAHH!!!! I love it! That WOULD be tooting your own horn! Although you know that's your favorite role:p

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:35pm

AMEN!

[Parks]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:36pm

I'd go to see it no matter WHO starred in it. Just revive the damn show!

[MusicRox]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:36pm

A revival of Funny Girl is a Broadway cat fight waiting to happen. It would be cool though.

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:37pm

BTW, Popular is NOT Steph...I just think it's amusing that people think she is:) It totally made my night!

[Popular]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:40pm

Yeah, made my night too... have no idea what I did or said to give that impression aside from the fact that I start a lot of threads about her and the show... but yeah, DEFINITELY NOT HER. :)

[cubbiegirl]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:44pm

WHAT? But Stephanie's picture is next to your name???????? HOW CAN YOU NOT BE STEPHANIE????




Totally kidding.
Would love to see Steph on Broadway and tomorrow as well :)

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:45pm

LOL!

[Popular]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:51pm

...and now back to our regularly scheduled programming...
a discussion on Funny Girl.

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:54pm

I'm SO mad that I missed her in Funny Girl! But I believe she came to Santa Barbara right after she did Funny Girl. I'm glad that I DID get to see her when she doing regional theatre but I would have LOVED to have seen her in this role. I DO feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to have seen her in 2 shows before she came to broadway though!

[BwayLover]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:56pm

She's too old for the role. Sorry.


And the name is Barbra. 2 A's.

[cubbiegirl]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 11:58pm

Never seen Funny Girl..how old is the main character?

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 12:09am

Sorry BwayLover, but I don't think she's too old for the part. Yes Streisand was in her early twenties when she created the role, but the show itself spans quite a few years in the life of Fanny Brice. Though I don't know Stephanie's exact age, I'm guessing she's in her early thirties, and she doesn't look it! If you want to "hate" on Stephanie, start another thread! This one is all about some Stephanie love!

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 12:14am

Thank you Sidney!!!

Barbara wasn't THAT much younger than Stephanie when she made the movie! And honestly Stephanie really doesn't look her age! I think she is still ever so able to play that role! And she has such a passion for that role and that show who better to revive it?

[Popular]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 12:19am

I read somewhere that one of the (many)reasons why she was chosen to play Liza was because the character starts out young and ages throughout the play, and she was able to convincingly do that.

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 12:27am

That's a very good point! She WAS amazing in that role!

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 12:27am

Barbra was born in 1942, which would have made her 26 when "Funny Girl" was filmed.

[GretchaSketh]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 12:31am

that's exactly what I figured! Steph isn't THAT much older than that!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/23/05 at 4:46am

NO!

SJB is a great singer but totally wrong for Fanny Brice. Also she knows how to back-sing and wail but would have no idea how to sing Fanny Brice's original songs from the 1920s or even Jule Styne's songs from the 1960s.

Remember, Fanny Brice (originally Borach) was an earthy jewish comedienne. She could play pathos ("My Man") but mostly she was about dialect comedy ("Becky is Back in teh Bakllet", "Mrs. Cohen at the Beach", "I'm an Indian", and even "Second Hand Rose.")

Check out her 1920s Victor records and also her 1930s radio show Baby Snooks.