So who will play Fanny?

[Liz7]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 8:28pm

Theater Talkback: A Stage ‘Funny Girl’ (Not That One) on Why the Role Is Hard to Cast

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/30/theater-talkback-a-stage-funny-girl-not-that-one-on-why-the-role-is-hard-to-cast/#preview

I found this very interesting

[Harpz2006]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 8:46pm

I'd never really thought about it, but saw Sister Act on a whim and as soon as Marla Mindelle sang her big song, I immediately thought of her as Fanny!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGRXzqF4bLs (skip to the 1:00 mark). Does anyone agree??

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 9:14pm

Personally, I think Jenn Furman would be an AMAZING Fanny :)

Here she is singing Don't Rain on My Parade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ve35eH3ss

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 9:14pm

I still don't understand how you see a show on a whim.

Slim can be frumpy also.

[Harpz2006]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 9:23pm

I just walked by tkts and grabbed a ticket like 10 min before the show, I meant.

[defygravity24]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 10:48pm

how about...LEA MICHELE!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 10:55pm

I have suggested Mindelle for Fanny multiple times.

[thehillsarealive]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 10:58pm

I think Audra Mcdonald would be amazing at it... but then it becomes a show about race.

Also, Fanny Brice wasn't black.

I guess I just want to hear her do Don't Rain On My Parade...

[Harpz2006]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 11:03pm

How about Natalie Weiss?? She needs her big break!

[GREATESTSTAR101]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 11:18pm

Marla Mindelle, Stephanie J Block, Alison Lea Bender, Caissie Levy, Leslie Kritzer or Nicole Parker

[GREATESTSTAR101]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 11:28pm

and Gavin Creel as Nick Arnstein.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 4:13am

Marla Mindelle would be an absolutely fantastic choice. She is just amazing. Great voice and she is hilarious. In my dreams, she is Fanny.

Natalie Weiss is an amazing vocalist, but acting wise always seems a little weak. I think she has said she wanted to be a recording artist, which she certainly could be because her voice is phenomenal, but Fanny isn't her kind of role. I would like to see her ACT though.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 9:47am

After seeing her in Sister Act, I could not imagine Marla Mindelle as Fanny. Fantastic voice, but very bland acting. Almost non-existent.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 10:16am

Linda Lavin.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 11:54am

Anna Kendrick.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 12:02pm

Or, rather Anna Kendrick SHOULD play Fanny.

Who will?

I have no idea.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 12:46pm

Some unknown woman who's never been on Broadway, or maybe has had one or two ensemble roles, but no one knows who she is.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 12:53pm

That would also be great, to present an unknown huge talent as Fanny. It would be very exciting with the street humming with anticipation. And it would be wonderful to possibly see a star being born in that overnight sensation kind of way. And to see a production team taking a risk like that on someone they think is worth it.

But if they are looking for someone who's made at least a little splash, is absolutely right for the role, a confirmed comic, a good actress, and has got the pipes, then my hope would still be Anna.

[suttonfoster]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 1:50pm

I might get s*** for this, but those who know MIRANDASINGS08 on youtube know that the actress, Colleen Ballinger is very funny. I think she could really do something great with this role. The question is if she can handle the score 8 times a week.

[musicalmack]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 2:34pm

Can Nina Arianda sing?

[shrekster224]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 3:59pm

Marla Mindelle's subtle, but amazing, acting could be mistaken for not acting much, but if you watch her facials closely throughout Sister Act, and all of the other little things that make her performance amazing, you would appreciate her more.

Natalie Weiss would be an amazing choice for Fanny. She's an amazing vocalist, but again, not sure about her acting.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 7/2/11 at 1:45am

Loretta Switt.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/2/11 at 11:48am

I feel they need to look for a strong comedienne rather than a really strong vocalist, no one is gonna sing the songs like Streisand, so why not try to look for someone who can act the hell out of it? Nina Arianda would be so amazing, but I doubt she can sing well enough for this. Stephanie J. Block is bland bland bland.
I'd love to see Jason Danieley as Nick Arnstein.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/2/11 at 11:00pm

Danieley as Nick is a great idea.

[ChenoKahn]

Posted: 7/2/11 at 11:02pm

If only Laura Benanti weren't so pretty...