What did our critic think of FUNNY GIRL at Walton Arts Center? The power that came from the vocals of the cast of FUNNY GIRL at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, which is running through Sunday, March 23, will blow you away!
Funny Girl dazzles! A powerhouse lead, a lush score & a showstopping number in 'Don't Rain on My Parade' make this production a must-see. A story of love, loss & resilience that is still relevant #FunnyGirlTour #BWW
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has revealed its 2024 Season Award Finalists and Special Award Honorees for theatrical excellence. See the list of nominees here!
The road to success for Hannah Shankman has had plenty of roundabouts. Many a time she thought she was headed one way, and then she seemed to be veering in another, only to return to her original path.
FUNNY GIRL is one of the crown gems of the American Musical Theater. Kansas City audiences will be treated to a first-class production of a show that many theater buffs know about but have never seen. Tuesday night’s performance starred Leah Platt in the lead role of Fanny Brice. Leah has a gangbuster voice fully displayed as she plows through an excellent score with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Bob Merrill.
One of the fun parts of reviewing shows in Kansas City is the occasional opportunity to meet and interview some of the talented touring performers who come through with road productions of Broadway shows.
What did our critic think of FUNNY GIRL at Aronoff Center?
The national tour of FUNNY GIRL, currently playing at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, is a gorgeous rendition of a timeless classic that runs the gamut of emotion from self-deprecating comedy to heart-wrenching drama to chill-inducing performance.
And now we have the tour, currently playing at The Paramount Theatre. And it looks like the producers have learned their lesson with the “stunt casting” and just brought in people who can handle the part, such as Hannah Shankman as the irrepressible Fanny Brice, who is making her debut with the tour here in Seattle. And she has certainly left her mark on the role and on our town.
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is September 6, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
Hannah Shankman will take over the role of Fanny Brice when the tour opens in Seattle on September 24th, 2024. She joins returning cast members Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, Stephen Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein, Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie Ryan, Walter Coppage as Florenz Ziegfeld, Leah Platt as Emma/Mrs. Nadler, Christine Bunuan as Mrs. Meeker, and David Foley Jr. as Tom Keeney.
What did our critic think of FUNNY GIRL at BROADWAY AT THE HOBBY CENTER?
Funny Girl is a solidly entertaining vehicle for a high-profile performance by Katerina McCrimmon as beloved vaudeville performer Fanny Brice. Now playing at the Kennedy Center, this popular musical (from the original stage version starring Barbra Streisand and her Oscar-winning performance in the 1968 hit film –and the recent hit on Broadway starring Lea Michele) is a lively, sassy, and brassy summer musical treat.
This 2022 revival of the 1964 musical is quite enjoyable, not because of its new changes (via director Michael Mayer and Harvey Fierstein's new book) but thanks mostly to its lead star McCrimmon, who is reason enough to see this touring iteration. The show continues at Segerstrom Center for the Arts (with co-star Melissa Manchester) through June 9.
VJM: Thank you both for giving of your time to answer my questions. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of two Choreographers being hired for the same Broadway show, not even a revival, that I can think of. How did that come about for both of you? Ellenore Scott: Funny Girl was my Broadway debut as a choreographer. I was so happy when I got a call from Michael Mayer (the director) asking me to work on this revival with him. He knew I was NOT a tap dancer and was aware of the multiple tap routines in the show and asked if I would be down to share the billing with Ayodele Casel. Ayo is an extraordinary artist so I was thrilled to be by her side as she made her Broadway debut as well. Michael first met me initially at Head Over Heels on Broadway where I was an associate choreographer to Spencer Liff. In 2019, he asked if I would choreograph the Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors and we opened the show October 17th, 2019. I have loved working with Michael and feel as though he keeps his people close and I’m grateful he thought of me for this historic revival. Ayodele Casel: I met Michael Mayer in 2016 when he directed a New York City Center Encores! show I performed in. Later that fall he invited me to perform that piece in a Broadway for Hillary fundraiser he was also directing. We'd kept in touch over the years and in 2019, after seeing a show I’d premiered at The Joyce Theater, he asked if I would be interested in providing the Tap choreography for a revival he was working on. Like Ellenore shared, Michael wanted to work with us both to deliver the full choreographic vision of the show. I believe it was a very progressive vision on his part and I’m really thankful that I was able to make my Broadway debut with this team.
Watch Katerina McCrimmon wow the crowd with her rendition of the National Anthem at a San Francisco Giants game on Monday, May 13, 2024 in the video here!
In the video here, Katerina McCrimmon (Fanny Brice) and Melissa Manchester (Mrs. Brice) sit down with ABC7 News Bay Area to discuss the FUNNY GIRL national tour, making a stop at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco through May 26, 2024.
Watch Stephen Mark Lukas, who plays Nick Arnstein in the National Tour of Funny Girl, discuss the production on CBS Los Angeles in the video here!
FUNNY GIRL is a gold standard that has endured through the ages and the production that just hit downtown Los Angeles is a rollicking and heartfelt success.
Videos
