Was the Lauren Ambrose funny girl revival gonna be a flop?- Page 2

[evic]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 10:28am

I love the show and the score but the only way it would make it in today's theater world is to cast a well known actress in the part. There is a super talented singer from Buenos Aires named Alejandra Radano who would be so good if only she spoke English well. She has the pipes, the look and is funny. She was Roxie in the production there in 2001. They have a one night performance every year call First Ladies Of Musical Theater and there is a clip on youtube of her singing Liza's famous "IF" (Si)- muy impresionante!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 11:12am

I don't think a lot of people question could she sing. I think people question whether she could sing that score 6 or 8 times per week.

Fanny is a deceptive role. She has to sing, she has to be funny, she has to carry that show without help.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 11:18am

Exactly, Gothampc. Tons of actors on Broadway could not handle the demands of Fanny. I remember Patti Lupone saying she was offered the chance to star in a revival of Funny Girl in the 80's and she declined saying she had no interests in filling Streisand's shoes. I actually think a young Patti would make a killer Fanny.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 12:24pm

Are you sure she was offered that? She told people in a concert she did funny girl in high school. That one doesn't make much sense though. Wouldn't funny girl have been still on Broadway When Patti was in high school?

[lovebwy]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 12:26pm

Years ago at the Hollywood Bowl Patti appeared with Audra and they sang the Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy duet made famous by Streisand and Garland. Before the sang it, Audra said "Do you wanna be Barbra or Judy. Patti responded very dryly "I'll be Judy". Only those of us in the know could really appreciate that moment.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 12:29pm

"Wouldn't funny girl have been still on Broadway When Patti was in high school?"

I've sort of forgotten Patti's autbio, but was Funny Girl the show she did that wasn't licensed?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 12:47pm

In 2002, a concert version of Funny Girl was performed in NYC with a different actress singing each of Fanny's songs.

None of the actresses who sang in that concert and could have possibly played Fanny (Sutton Foster, Idina Menzel, Julia Murney) could generate interest in a revival. So I'm not sure that Lauren Ambrose who didn't have that concert credit could generate enough interest in a revival.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 12:57pm

Sutton could play Fanny. Idina probably could have once upon a time. I remember Julia Murney singing "People" at that concert, she sang the **** out of it.

Updated On: 10/13/14 at 12:57 PM

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 1:28pm

If it were to come back in the next five years it would need someone like Sutton foster for star power. But I have a feeling Sutton won't be doing that much theatre anymore.

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 2:21pm

Barbara Cook starred in the show in 1967. I think I remember her saying that she played it in Connecticut. It doesn't seem like a perfect fit for her, but I would love to have seen it. I wonder if any bootleg recordings are around.

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 2:32pm

"I wonder if any bootleg recordings are around."

Audio bootlegs of 1967 theater? Seems pretty safe to say no.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 2:43pm

^^^^^^
There are shows from even the '50s circulating so you never know!

I'd love to hear Cook's Fanny, but can't really imagine it.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 2:51pm

I'm pretty sure there's a thread with some thoughts about Barbara Cook's Fanny Brice around BWW.
Discussing the commercial prospects of an Ambrose-led FUNNY GIRL is pretty moot since there are so many factors at play. We don't know if she'd have earned starmaking reviews that would have turned the show into a respectable hit in the style of a few dusty revivals that seemed like poor commercial prospects at the time they were announced (HAIR, PIPPIN, WONDERFUL TOWN). I'll always be disappointed that this didn't come to fruition as it sounded like such an interesting idea and Ambrose tends to be so spectacular that I really think she'd have made it worked. I wish they had gone the Encores! route or tried it out at a non-profit of some sort, since I imagine the issue getting investors had a lot to do with how difficult it was to imagine the show with her in the lead.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 3:09pm

"Audio bootlegs of 1967 theater? Seems pretty safe to say no"

There are audio bootlegs of Barbra Streisand's performance of Funny Girl on youtube...

[SweeneyLovett]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 6:16pm

I'd have loved to have seen Lauren in the role. She was a truly surprising choice, but that show...meh. The score is great, but the book needs a major overhaul if they're ever thinking of sticking it back on Broadway again.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 8:11pm

I'm with Sweeney. The book was never strong and it must be even weaker now that most of us aren't too sympathetic to men who can't deal with their wives' successes.

We bought tickets as soon as Ambrose was announced. I have no idea whether with good reviews she could have drawn an audience, but I think she could have been terrific (and non-Barbra) in the role.

(FWIW, the real Fannie Brice was more off-beat looking than meeskite.)

Our FUNNY GIRL tix became FOLLIES tix when the FG tour was cancelled, so we weren't disappointed. Still I wonder what might have been...

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 8:25pm

Gothampc wrote: "In 2002, a concert version of Funny Girl was performed in NYC with a different actress singing each of Fanny's songs.

None of the actresses who sang in that concert and could have possibly played Fanny (Sutton Foster, Idina Menzel, Julia Murney) could generate interest in a revival. So I'm not sure that Lauren Ambrose who didn't have that concert credit could generate enough interest in a revival.<<

Is that where Lillias White sang Don't Rain On My Parade?
(Also, this has been posted before - but Heather Headley played Fanny Brice in High School http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCpCsY7OO7o)
Lillias White is Fanny Brice

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 8:49pm

Yes, the concert version was when Lillias White sang "Don't Rain On My Parade."

Here is a list of which actress sang which song.
Link