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 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.
The national tour of FUNNY GIRL features a knock-out performance by the show's leading lady, Hannah Shankman, and culminates with an audience-pleasing big finish.
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.
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.
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.
FUNNY GIRL, the sensational musical comedy revival, is playing now at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles! Go inside the show's glitzy opening night celebration at Center Theater Group in the new video!
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.
The laughs keep coming with Funny Girl at the Fabulous Fox! Originally staged with Barbra Streisand in 1964 and revived to great acclaim on Broadway in 2022, this playful romp about the life of comedian, actress, model, singer, and radio star Fanny Brice, is highlighted by great performances and spry musical numbers.
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.
What a way to open a brand-new year of live theater in Nashville: in Funny Girl, audiences may have found exactly what they were longing for as Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s touring presentation provides a portentous kick-off to 2024. In fact, we can’t recall a standing ovation more gratifyingly sincere and genuine in the 35+ years we’ve been reviewing shows at TPAC than the one with which the company was rewarded on opening night in Andrew Jackson Hall. It was appreciative and effusive – downright enthusiastic and straight from the heart – the thunderous and sustained reaction to two-and-a-half hours of gloriously exhilarating musical theatre straight out of the golden age.
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.