Why No "Funny Girl"?

It's because she is La Streisand. You can't cast that without having serious problems because it is Barbra's role. That is basically screaming "DANGER!".

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Updated On: 6/27/05 at 09:50 PM

*cough* Stephanie J. Block *cough*

just listen to any recording of her singing it and you'll see(hear?) my point:)

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Shoshana said she would kill for that role/show. Though she sin't a NAME in all households

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Stephanie J Block or Leslie Kritzer are the simply best choices to have a fantastic production. Just listen to Stephanie's Don't Rain On My Parade.

The script for the Broadway edition went through so many re-writes that it really is a cut-and-paste job.

The screenplay for the movie improves on it a lot, but the screenplay is owned by Columbia pictures and you can't just put it on stage.

The movie also cut a few of the better Jule Styne songs like "Cornet Man" and "The Music That Makes Me Dance" but these were not at all in the Fanny Brice style.

Barbra's rendition of "My Man" at the end of the movie is also not the way Fanny sang it but it does have power.

Still I regret the loss of the 7 songs cut from the movie and don't find any of the new songs written for the film to be improvements.

FUNNY GIRL was a smash hit on Broadway for the 18 months Barbra stayed in it and did OK for another year with Mimi Hines, but the stage show is not as strong as its reputation and original cast album would lead you to believe!

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Erricfan is totally correct. The book for that show needs major work.

I know I'm the only one, but I'd love for Ms. Menzel to do this.

Leslie isn't....but this could be a star making role for her! She needs it. Stephanie ahs said herself she would love to do it though...

I don't remember hearing a specific age in the movie...how old exactly is Fanny supposed to be?

She was THAT unique.

The role was very much tailored to exploit Streisand's unique combination of talents. In fact, before she had even secured the role, Styne (who always wanted Streisand for the role) rewrote certain songs increasing their ranges so that other candidates like Anne Bancroft and Carol Burnett wouldn't stand a chance of being able to sing them and they would only sound good with Streisand's voice.

The show is only very loosely based on Fanny Brice's real life. The songs and comedy bits are less Brice than Streisand (especially her club act at the time), which is why it's impossible for anyone to ever play the role and be able to completely escape her shadow.

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Updated On: 6/27/05 at 10:56 PM

Maybe I'm just being ignorant, but it always seems narrow-minded to say that it is "impossible" for another person to play a certain role. Obviously, no one is going to perform something in the same way. It is always possible to have another actress play the role, but how she plays it will have its own unique style, but it can still work.

To say that is impossible is denying that there is undiscovered talent out there...even in the actresses we may think we know very well.

Margo, I understood your post. Maybe I should've said things differently.

The comparisons are the case with so many things. Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls. On a smaller scaler maybe...The original cast of Rent. Idina Menzel in Wicked. SO many. It's just natural for anyone to compare someone playing a role they've already seen someone else do, especially if the actor or actress has made his or her mark. The difference here is that it is one particular actress. It is on a grander scale...there is no denying that.

Comparisons to the original should not stop a new actress from playing this. And how are we to know if one is funny enough or right for this role unless we see how someone new does it?

Updated On: 6/27/05 at 11:18 PM