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.
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 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!
The North American tour of Funny Girl lands in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson April 2, 2024, and later at Segerstrom May 28. 2024. Tony Award winner Michael Mayer directs the cast of Melissa Manchester, Katerina McCrimmon, Stephen Mark Lukas, Izaiah Montaque Harris, Walter Coppage. Leah Platt, Cindy Chang, Eileen T’Kaye, David Foley Jr., Vinny Andaloro, Lamont Brown, Kate E. Cook, Julia Grondin, Jackson Grove, Alex Hartman, Dot Kelly, Ryan Lambert, Kathy Liu, Meghan Manning, Bryan Charles Moore, Sami Murphy, Emily Anne Nester, Hannah Shankman, Jordon Taylor, Rodney Thompson, Sean Thompson and Annaliese Wilbur. I had the chance to chat with Stephen (Nick Arnstein to Katerina’s Fanny Brice) over the phone during his stint at the Connor Palace Playhouse Square in Cleveland.
FUNNY GIRL, the sensational musical comedy revival, is coming to the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles for a limited four-week engagement from Tuesday, April 2 to Sunday, April 28, 2024. The press opening is Wednesday, April 3.
The North American Tour of FUNNY GIRL is coming to BroadwaySF’s Orpheum Theatre for a limited four-week engagement this spring. See who is starring in the tour and learn how to purchase tickets.
FUNNY GIRL is coming to the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles for a limited four-week engagement this spring. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.
Looking for a show to see in a city near you? Check out our guide of current and upcoming Broadway tours, and learn about each production as they make their way across the United States and Canada on their North American routes, including musicals and plays.
We chat with Minnesota native and cast member Jackson Grove about Funny Girl and being back in Minnesota!
The producers of FUNNY GIRL, the sensational musical comedy revival, are delighted to announce full casting for the North American Tour coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis for a limited two-week engagement from January 23 to February 4.
Funny Girl is a semi-autobiographical comedic musical about the life and times of comedian and Broadway star Fanny Brice, and her tumultuous relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein. With a musical score by Jules Styne, lyrics by Bob Merill, and featuring a book by Isobel Lennart, Funny Girl first opened on Broadway in 1964 featuring Barbara Streisand in the starring role, and was produced by Fanny’s own son-in-law Ray Stark. The first Broadway production received 8 Tony Nominations at the 18th Annual Awards Ceremony, and the OBC (Original Broadway Cast) Recording was inducted into the Grammy’s Hall of Fame in 2004.
Hello, gorgeous! All new photos and video footage have been released from the North American Tour of Funny Girl. Check them out here!
The National Tour of Funny Girl launched in September in Providence, Rhode Island. Read the reviews for Funny Girl here!
Discover the full cast and tour dates for the highly anticipated FUNNY GIRL North American Tour. Don't miss out on this exciting production of the beloved musical.
The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts has announced the cast and creative team for its production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast this holiday season. Running from Nov. 30-Dec. 31, 2022, the Broadway @ the Ordway 2022-2023 show will be the first musical the Ordway has produced since 2019.
Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that Britta Cowan (Chaska High School) and Jackson Grove (Alexandria Area High School) will represent Minnesota at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (the Jimmy Awards) - a national celebration of outstanding achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performance.
Hennepin Theatre Trust announced its 2017-2018 finalists for the Jimmy Awards and Triple Threat Awards. Twenty-six high school musical theatre students have been recognized for their accomplishments and community leadership while participating in the Trust's Spotlight Education program.
The Ithaca Shakespeare Company will be performing Macbeth throughout the month of July. The performance will be located in Jackson Grove, in the F.R. Newman Arboretum at Cornell Plantations (near the ponds and sculpture garden) in Ithaca, New York. Tickets are no necessary, but donations to the theatre are recommended. Performances will begin on July 15 and run until August 1.
The Ithaca Shakespeare Company will be performing Macbeth throughout the month of July. The performance will be located in Jackson Grove, in the F.R. Newman Arboretum at Cornell Plantations (near the ponds and sculpture garden) in Ithaca, New York. Tickets are no necessary, but donations to the theatre are recommended. Performances will begin on July 15 and run until August 1.
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