Unofficial but, Lauren Ambrose is rumored to be Fanny Brice.

[Barbour Pole]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 1:56pm

Debbie Gibson breathes a sigh of relief to be unburdened of being part of the worst production ever.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 1:59pm

Where is this information coming from?

(If it's true, I'm going to do a cartwheel. Ambrose is an INSPIRED choice.)

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:02pm

Love her, but I didn't know she could sing.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:05pm

I know nothing of this rumor, but I do know she was *this close* to doing South Pacific, but Sher decided not to go with a name and let the show be the star. I could easily see this being true.

Ambrose can sing, but not sure she can SANG Fanny.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:06pm

She can sing. Trust me. She's got a voice for days.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:07pm

Lauren Ambrose is a brilliant actress, but I am dubious of this information.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:09pm

Lauren Ambrose sings MY MAN
Lauren Ambrose at Joe's Pub

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:13pm

She can SING

[Q]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:19pm

Wow - whataya know!

I loved that "Brother Can You Spare A Dime".

[Kad]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:22pm

That is actually a really awesome version of that song.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:24pm

I think she's a charming actress and a strong (torch) singer, but I can't really see her doing the yiddish brand of Fanny Brice shtick, but I'm more than happy to be proven wrong.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:24pm

This would truly be inspired, risky casting. She has virtually no box office clout, so there might be an inclination to cast bigger names as Mrs. Brice or Nicky.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:28pm

They should just retitle it FUNNY SHIKSA.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:32pm

Too early to know if it would be 'inspired' casting yet, but it would be risky - I think the production would get some flack for casting a pretty Irish/Italian girl in the part. But maybe, that's ultimately a better obstacle to be faced with than constant comparisons to Streisand.

She would have made a delightful Nellie Forbush for sure.

[beagle]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:38pm

After watching those vids, I think she'd make a great Fanny Brice--she can definitely sing the role, anyway--but I'd also like to see her play Janis Joplin either in a stage show or film. Her voice sounds like she could do Joplin's songs, and she even kind of looks like her.

I also think she would have made a great Nellie Forbush.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:41pm

Am I the only one not blown away by her voice?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:51pm

I think her voice is nice, but I wouldn't say the instrument is particularly unique or interesting. Some of the other 'unknowns' video-linked here over the last few weeks have been more vocally interesting singing "My Man" to me than Lauren Ambrose. That said, I don't think the production necessarily need a Streisand-esque power belter to make the revival work - but they do need someone who can capture the quirky, ethnic, homely-glamorous appeal that categorized both Brice AND Streisand. That's the thing I'm not convinced from her past credits that Ambbrose could pull off.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:52pm

She sounds great here.

LINK

Updated On: 7/25/11 at 02:52 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:53pm

No no no no no no no! There is no debate! This (rumored) production is already the WORST EVER! Stop getting excited- or worse yet, waiting to actually see the show!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:55pm

There's something a little too effortful about it. Here she is singing "I Love a Piano":

http://youtu.be/uLsjix0yDv8

Updated On: 7/25/11 at 02:55 PM

[suttonfoster]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 2:56pm

Those videos don't really show her voice off that well. Sure, her timbre is really nice, but Fanny? I dunno....Can she belt high?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 3:02pm

Its always possible that they will change keys etc. It would be kind of interesting to see what the score of Funny Girl might sound like sung more along the lines of how the real Fanny Brice might have sung it (which would be more torch-less belt). But yeah, I would probably agree - based on these videos anyway, I'm not sure she'd be able to sing score to Funny Girl entirely, nightly as originally written. But then, there aren't many who could...

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 3:05pm

Here's the thing for me: I've always found her to be a compelling actress, and she's totally a bagel on a plate full of onion rolls. Of course, there's nothing in her resume to show that she can portray a Fanny Brice, so that's obviously a challenge, as it would be for virtually anyone else. But I 'd completely buy her as a non-conventional-looking talent that catches fire.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 3:07pm

Maybe Lauren can borrow Nicole Kidman's fake nose. She's too pretty for the role. Fanny Brice was plain. If she had any nice physical traits she would have been Gypsy Rose Lee.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 3:08pm

Well - a moderately charming wasp-y girl with a decent voice in a show with second act problems, that only works when built around an exceptionally amazing, distinctly Jewish, take-your-breath-away singer/actress?

Who wouldn't pay $150?

I still say it should be Betty White. Or Bette Midler. Or the three gals of Betty, alternating evenings. Maybe Beth Leavel. Is Bess Truman still around?