Sara Sheperd, Star, Lights Up Oakbrook's 'Funny Girl'

Chills. I got chills! When Sara Sheperd as Fanny Brice let loose the other night with her remarkable voice at the end of those legendary Brice/Barbra standards "I'm The Greatest Star," "Don't Rain On My Parade" and (even) "The Music That Makes Me Dance" (in the Drury Lane Theatre production of "Funny Girl" now on the boards out in west suburban Oakbrook Terrace), a series of chills ran up and down my spine, the likes of which I have not felt in a theater in a very long time.

If parts of this production let its star down somewhat, it is certainly not her fault, and that occasional shortcoming does not diminish the overall impact of this surprisingly timely show. Though there are certainly similarities between "Funny Girl" and the show Jule Styne composed five years earlier for Ethel Merman, it is true that this is no "Gypsy." But it is an engaging and moving musical, nonetheless. And Sheperd's Fanny deserves to be seen and savored by a generation of Chicago theatergoers, folks for whom the name Fanny Brice means virtually nothing, and for whom the name Barbra Streisand means less and less as the days go by. 

The real life story of the early adult life of 1920s "Ziegfeld Follies" and 1930s radio star Fanny Brice (as "Baby Snooks"), told on the Broadway stage in 1964 by her producer son-in-law, Ray Stark, composer Jule Styne, lyricist Bob ("How Much Is That Doggie In The Window") Merrill and auteur Jerome Robbins (with assists from bookwriter Isobel Lennart and credited director Garson Kanin), "Funny Girl" is the show that show folks remember for propelling Barbra Streisand to superstardom. While she was a known New York cabaret singer and recording artist before then (and had appeared on Broadway in "I Can Get It For You Wholesale," where she met her future first husband, Elliot Gould), people's impression is not far from reality. In fact, Streisand's Grammy-winning recording of a song from "Funny Girl," "People," had already been released as a single before the show opened, so one could say that she made the show as much as the show made her. 

At any rate, that show has enjoyed frequent revivals in theaters around the country, though never in New York, and never before now at the Oakbrook Drury Lane. The production's directing team of William Osetek, Gary Griffin and David New looked far and wide for their Fanny, and boy, did they ever find her in the person of Broadway ("Cry-Baby") and national tour ("Legally Blonde") veteran Sara Sheperd. In this role, audiences never take their eyes off Sheperd, as she jokes and belts and dances and fights her way through a physically and emotionally demanding role as tough as any in the standard repertoire. Her metamorphosis from the strangely confident, young ugly duckling Fanny, from Manhattan's Lower East Side Jewish neighborhoods, to the radiant, internationally famous star of New York's biggest theatrical events is a wonder to behold. And when she struggles with being a bigger wage-earner than her husband, the handsome, bad-judgment-prone bon vivant Nick Arnstein (Paul Anthony Stewart), one realizes that women today are still judged by their looks and still hampered by too much success in the pocketbook department. Who could have predicted that 46 years ago? 

Aside from Sheperd, who ends both acts of this production down front and center, taking her rightful place (believe you me), the "find" here is the Eddie Ryan of young Jameson Cooper, a new Chicago resident who will find no trouble getting theater work now. He sings and dances like a dream, and he makes the role of Fanny's hoofer friend from the old neighborhood a real "coulda been" love interest for her, rather than the "gay best friend" this role usually becomes. It's a brave and meaningful feat. Bravo to him! 

Television and Broadway star Stewart is less fortunate as Nick Arnstein. Oddly stiff in the early scenes, in a tuxedo that he seems not to know how to wear, he warmed and loosened up by the time the seduction duet "You Are Woman, I Am Man" arrived, shortly before intermission. And thank goodness, too, because if Fanny isn't bowled over by his looks and charm, the audience can lose faith in her as a character to root for. But Stewart pulled it off, and in the second act was fine enough (despite some occasional pitch problems in his singing). Catherine Smitko and Iris Lieberman as Fanny's mother and surrogate aunt (Mrs. Brice and Mrs. Strakosh, respectively) suffered from the same pitch problems, though both brought a likeable presence to their scenes of comic relief and down-home advice. 

In other roles, Patrick Gagnon sang impressively as the Ziegfeld Tenor, Marc Grapey made a finely forceful Florenz Ziegfeld, and Tammy Mader supported Sheperd admirably as her best "Follies" friend, Emma. Adam Pelty, David New and Michael Accardo turned in fine character work, and Adrian Aguilar, Zach Zube and Nicole Hren shone among the ensemble. The chorus of singing dancers (smaller than I was hoping for) performed impressively, especially in the faux-"Follies" numbers "His Love Makes Me Beautiful" and "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat," showing off snappy jazz and tap choreography by Matt Raftery and great performance costumes by Elizabeth Flauto. The costumes, showing the progression of time and income of the main characters beautifully, went a long way all night toward making up for some skimpy or plain-looking sets by Jack Magaw. The unadorned brick wall that served as the back of some theaters' stages kept showing up again and again, and began to look unfinished, I'm afraid. 

Osetek and company keep this production's running time to a pleasant two and a half hours, and the only things I can remember that they've lost from the show's bulkier past are the operetta-like production number "Henry Street" from the first act and the brief comedy song "Find Yourself A Man" from the second act (not great losses). Jesse Klug's lighting design is fine, as is the musical direction by Ben Johnson. If this production's weak points are the leading man's stiffness in the early going and some scenery that betrays a few budget cuts, there is much to commend here. 

While not as searing or universal as some musicals, nor as funny as some, nor as flashy as some, there is a little bit of all that in "Funny Girl." And if you've ever doubted your acceptance in the world, even as you are sure you deserve it, you will find meaning enough in Fanny's struggles and big-lady ballads. If "People" is pleasantly underplayed, "Don't Rain On My Parade" is movingly and superbly delivered by Sara Sheperd, star. It's so nice to see and hear a famous musical comedy number in its context, where all its lyrics make sense and its theatrical arc is easy to follow. This song doesn't really belong in "Glee," kids. It belongs in "Funny Girl." And you have until March 7th to see why. I recommend you go west, and tell Fanny, Barbra and Sara that I sent you. 

"Funny Girl" opened January 7, 2010 and runs through March 7, 2010 at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakboork Terrace. Phone 630-530-0111 or visit www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.