Unofficial but, Lauren Ambrose is rumored to be Fanny Brice. — Page 4

Casting someone who is an actor first and a singer second would solidify exactly why Sher is the wrong guy for this show. I guess I can understand the rational, to some degree- Ambrose is so out of the box that comparisons to Streisand won't even be part of the picture. But she's also so wrong for the show that, no matter what, there's no chance she'll succeed in putting this material over.

The role of Fanny Brice a demands a once in a lifetime musical comedy star. Is Ambrose a phenomenal actor with a unique sensibility who can carry a tune? Absolutely. But does she have the type of thrilling voice that could set a theater on fire? No. Watch the videos that everyone's posted. While she can certainly sing, she's not anywhere near the dynamo that the role requires. The book of this show doesn't demand someone who can master intricate subtlety with a quirky presence. It needs a real comedienne who can sing the hell out of a song called "I'm The Greatest Star" and make it absolutely believable beyond a shadow of a doubt. That's not Ambrose.

FUNNY GIRL is the type of show that you do when you already have someone to do it for. Deciding do it and then trying to find someone after the fact was already this production's biggest mistake.

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Updated On: 7/26/11 at 11:29 AM

I don't often agree with you, newintown, but I think you're smart enough to know that when someone posts an opinion on a Broadway message board, it is an opinion. You're trying to hang me on what comes down to a syntax error--the fact that I said "your" instead of "my"--even though I already stated earlier in my initial post that what I'm stating is my opinion. I'm certain that anyone with basic reading comprehension could take away that I wasn't editorializing, but you love to pick a fight (I've seen you do it on other threads) and you've chosen me to be your daily "victim". And I've let it go on long enough.

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While people say they would rather summon the ghost of Fanny Brice than the ghost of Barbra Streisand in the casting of this production, or that they want to see something totally different than what Streisand brought to the role... I think it is interesting to note that this musical was largely written around and for Barbra Streisand's talents. And yeah, I love the show, but the show without Barbra Streisand seems kind of pointless to me.

This whole operation sounds like we might as well cast Lauren Ambrose in Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life.

I would suggest we parse the questions.

1) Is there a truly compelling reason for a revival of Funny Girl?

2) If not, could it still be an enjoyable experience to see a revival of Funny Girl?

3) If it's worth doing at all, is Lauren Ambrose someone to consider?

I can only give my own opinions.

1) No. It is not a first rate musical. It is known mostly, with a great deal of justification, as a star vehicle. Perhaps more than any other musical, it's importance is linked, to a legendary degree, to a particular and unique leading lady, and that leading lady's performance is recorded in a famous and great film. As Rosie Brice would say, "Now it belongs to the ages."

It's hard to imagine any other leading lady, no matter how extraordinary a talent, who could give impetus to a Funny Girl that absolutely must be staged.

2) Yes. To hear that terrific overture again - one of the finest ever written for the theater, and if his helming of South Pacific offers any indication, Sher would make damn sure it is performed splendidly - that alone is reason enough to go see a production of Funny Girl. Funny Girl has its charms: a poignant Cinderella show with humor, heartache, a strong first act curtain, a first rate score (not only notable for its famous showstoppers but for other numbers, the lovely and lyrical Who Are You Now? and The Music That Makes Me Dance, and the charming Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?, some of which were not featured in the movie), lavish production numbers tbat revisit the glory of the Ziegfreld Follies, and a little gem of a featured role for the gal lucky enough to be cast as "Mamma Who?" (it would be lovely to see, for example, Cyndi Lauper as Rosie Brice).

3) Among some highly qualified candidates for Fanny, Ambrose, is more than worthy of consideration, as I've already pointed out here, so I won't repeat myself.

One fact everyone seems to forget is that FUNNY GIRL ran another 18 successful months after Streisand was replaced with Mimi Hines, who neither looked or sounded like Babs. Comparing this show to BOY FROM OZ is, in my opinion way off the mark. It was also a standard on the Straw Hat Circuit and has had many other well received outings.
I saw Hines and she was terrific and she made it her own, her voice and comic timing were thrilling. The only change, I believe, was the lyric: "Are some teeth of deviation, such a crime against the nation?"

Updated On: 7/26/11 at 03:01 PM

I've always contended that one of the downsides to emails and social networking is that, in quick and informal written communications, sometimes things are taken out of context or easily misunderstood. My apologies, newintown, if I got it wrong.

There is no reason to revive Funny Girl if Lea Michelle is not going to play Fanny. She is the only star who is completely right for the role, she is the only one the public will accept in the role and I do not believe this revival will happen without her. I know she's contracted to Glee, I know Sher is supposedly doing a country-wide talent search (this might be happening, the only person people would readily accept at the moment instead of Lea is a complete, yet amazing, unknown) but a revival of Funny Girl after ALL these years happening right at the moment the perfect young actress to portray Fanny Brice is ascending (and even those of you who do not like her, have to admit she IS perfect casting in the Streisand mold--which is the only mold for this role, sorry) I just don't think its a coincidence. Lea Michelle will be playing Fanny Brice in Bartlett Sher's "Funny Girl". Trust me. This revival is happening mostly BECAUSE of her.

Updated On: 7/26/11 at 07:19 PM

AC126748, I for one am very grateful for your opinion. No, I have never seen Lauren Ambrose live, but I've also never seen anything less than an exceptional performance from her on screen. I'm happy to take your word that she has the charisma and sheer "star quality" to play Fanny Brice.

My point, however, was that the show isn't strong enough to survive anything but a phenomenal vocal instrument in the title role. The book gives Fanny no foil strong enough to create real conflict (and weak conflict means even a great actress can only do so much). And though Styne was a genius (can't say the same about Merrill), songs like "Who Are You Now?" and "Rat Tat Tat Tat" are far from classics.

From the film clips I've seen, Ambrose has a great belt and is a very interesting singer as well as actress. But to my ear, she's not even a match for Streisand's understudy (the amazing Lainie Kazan).

They all laughed at lovely Laurette Taylor
When she made Amanda hers
They all laugh at rumors ‘bout this show of Sher’s
They all laughed at silly Sandy Duncan
When she said that she could fly

Lavin in a drama?
Liv Ullman as yo Mama?
It's the same old cry
They laughed at Lauren Bacall
AND GOD KNOWS THEY HAD CAUSE!
But the Times had a ball
And lionized her in “Åpplause” (be-bob-a-re-bob!)

They all say she never could be Fanny
Laugh! They bend in half!
(ever hear the story ‘bout the traveling salesman?)
But ho, ho, ho!
The Laughers ALWAYS laugh!

They laughed at a revival of Chicago
Still they clamor to get in
They all laughed at Stritchie when she gave up gin
They nay-sayed Antonio as Guido
Natasha in a Berlin bar

Audra and her Lizzie
Kept the laughers busy
That's how people are
Some laugh at Lauren as Fan
Say she is not "The Greatest Star”
But just suppose: Yes She Can!
Harty har har har har har!

They all laughed at Scarjo on Broadway
Before the tony she had won
They all laughed when Reba upped and got her gun
They all laughed at a show called Oklahoma
Said “No gags, no girls, no chance!”
They told Miss De Mille to stick to modern dance!

They laughed at Vivien Leigh
Said she could not “Fiddle-dee-dee!”
But, now, hear their plea:
“No one else could Scarlett be!”

They’ll all laugh like good old Mrs. Streikosh
At Bartlett’s Fanny TBA
But ho, ho, ho!
Who'll have the last laugh?
Hee, hee, hee!
Who’ll at the past laugh?
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
(A bit of pate?)
Ho, ho, ho, ho!
(I drink it all day)
Hee, hee, hee, hee!
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
(In this pickle, what would Sadie say?)
Ho, ho, ho, ho!
Ha, ha, hee, hee!
(Cuz if a girl’s just too pretty like a Miss Atlantic City
She’s a real Miss Nobody U.S.A.!)
Ho, ho, ha, ha!
(The Kaiser runs a blockaway!)

He, he, he (De Carlo as Carlotta! Stratas in a schmatta!)
Ha, ha, ha (Rex Harrison... in a musical? WTF!)
Ho, ho, ho, ho (So you're going to make a big budget movie from some English play about the death of Mozart to star Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham and you expect it to be a hit.... good luck!)
Ha, ha, ha (Estelle Parsons... is she still alive?)
Ho, ho, ho (Julie's leaving Victor, Victoria... they're NUTS if they don't get Liza; IT CAN'T MISS!)

Ha, ha, ha
Who has the last laugh now??

Updated On: 7/27/11 at 11:47 PM

Whoever plays Fanny certainly should be able to sing the score well, but SHE MUST be FUNNY!!! It should be a comedienne who can serve the score admirably. Thus the title: FUNNY Girl.

henrikegerman, in his question of whether FUNNY GIRL really needs to be revived, states, "...that leading lady's performance[Streisand's] is recorded in a famous and great film." I saw Barbra Streisand at the Winter Garden and I have seen the film. The two are miles apart, with the Broadway Musical's excellent first act taut and exciting, quickly moving from great scene to great scene, and with production numbers that filled the stage of the WInter Garden, not the giant sound stage of a Holywood studio. The believability of the stage show is not captured on film which has the look of a tired duck.

The stage show's second act and the film's second half slows down considerably, largely because of the interaction of Fanny with Nicky Arnstein, a wooden uninteresting character played by a bored Sydney Chaplin who can't sing his part in the show, and by a leaden Omar Sharif in the film. The film has the habit of having very long pauses in scenes involving Fanny and Nicky, providing further boredom. At least the second act of the show has some good musical numbers which perk things up; the musical numbers in the film's second half are enervating, with the lone exception of an exquisite "My Man" to end the film.

inlovewithjerryherman compares HELLO DOLLY with FUNNY GIRL, feeling that there are similarities, especially concerning Fanny Brice and Dolly Levi. I'm afraid I see little connection; they are such very different people. HELLO DOLLY has the edge over FUNNY GIRL in that its book is much tighter. True, production numbers in both stage shows are exciting and well executed, those in HELLO DOLLY arising out of characters and situations, while the big production numbers in FUNNY GIRL are designed as separate ZIEGFELD FOLLIES numbers. HELLO DOLLY 's starring role apparently has the advantage of being able to be cast more easily, from Carol Channing to Pearl Bailey to Ethel Merman, with no one worrying about those stars' different takes on the role of Dolly Levi. But everyone seems to have a very strong opinion as to,who should play Fanny Brice. Me, I have no idea. And I have never seen Lauren Ambrose, so I can't comment on her. But, given FUNNY GIRL's weaknesses, the producers and the director better find an amazing performer because the show rests on her shoulders alone.

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Updated On: 7/27/11 at 11:08 AM

Shoshana Bean has been officially cast.