Funny Girl - 1964 - Broadway Articles Page 19

FUNNY GIRL, the 1964 musical that helped raise Barbra Streisand to stardom, will receive a revival next spring starring 'Six Feet Under' star Lauren Ambrose in Streisand's original role of Fanny Brice.

BroadwayWorld announced yesterday that Lauren Ambrose has landed the coveted role of Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL in the first Broadway production of the musical since it originally opened in 1964. FUNNY GIRL, which features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, will be directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher. The news came as a surprise to many, as Ambrose - while a screen favortie and sometimes stage star - is not a regular in the big musical circuit. In fact, the announcement had many asking...can she sing? Ambrose, in fact, has powerhouse vocals and has been singing since childhood. She is the lead singer of jazz, swing and ragtime-style Leisure Class band, and in trained in opera at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Many may also recall Ambrose's famous belt-out of the 'Rainbow of Reasons' gag in a 2006 episode of Six Feet Under. The theater world certainly has a lot to look forward to when this soulful songstress reimagines Fanny onstage.

It's just been announced that Lauren Ambrose will star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL, in the first Broadway production of the musical since it originally opened in 1964. FUNNY GIRL, which features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, will be directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher.

Summer afternoons just got a whole lot cooler. The Fantasticks will offer free backstage tours following all weekend matinee performances now through Labor Day.

Bradley Dean, who recently appeared as Carl-Magnus opposite Bernadette Peters in the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music, will begin performances as El Gallo, the charming and manipulative narrator in The Fantasticks, on Monday, July 25, 2011. Edward Watts, who currently plays the role, will give his final performance on July 24.

Bradley Dean, who recently appeared as Carl-Magnus opposite Bernadette Peters in the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music, will begin performances as El Gallo, the charming and manipulative narrator in The Fantasticks, on Monday, July 25, 2011. Edward Watts, who currently plays the role, will give his final performance on July 24.

HAIRSPRAY makes its Denver regional debut at the Arvada Center and follows the crazy adventures of Tracy Turnblad, a girl with a big heart, big hair and big dreams of integration!

Charles West, whose credits include the Broadway productions of The Scarlet Pimpernel and Show Boat and who is currently understudying the role of El Gallo in The Fantasticks, will assume that role for twelve performances from June 18 through June 26, 2011.

South Coast Repertory's 48th season will offer audiences an exciting blend of new plays and modern-day classics. The season begins with an adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice and will include works from some of theatre's master craftsmen: Horton Foote's touching The Trip to Bountiful, August Wilson's powerful Jitney, Donald Margulies' stimulating Sight Unseen and Suzan-Lori Park's gripping Topdog/Underdog. The new work includes the Southland debut of Molly Smith Metzler's comedy of class, Elemeno Pea, and the world premieres of three plays read at this year's Pacific Playwrights Festival: Catherine Trieschmann's pressure-cooker drama How the World Began, Steven Drukman's family comedy The Prince of Atlantis and Octavio Solis and Adam Gwon's emotional chamber musical, Cloudlands.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, Broadway producer Bob Boyett is planning to revive FUNNY GIRL on Broadway with famed director Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, Awake and Sing, The Light in the Piazza) at the helm. Though no official comment has been made on production plans, it has been reported that the pair are currently planning a six week out-of-town tryout in late 2011 prior to a swift Broadway transfer thereafter. This would be the first revival of the show on Broadway. Boyett currently secures the rights.

The world's longest-running musical is turning 51. On Tuesday, May 3, 2011 Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's romantic musical comedy The Fantasticks will celebrate its 51st anniversary when it plays its 19,019th New York City performance.

According to an AEA casting notice, the Broadway-bound production of FUNNY GIRL will play Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles from January 15 through February 26, 2012. Opening night is set for February 1, 2012.

TimeLine Theatre Company, dedicated to presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today's social and political issues, has finalized its four-play 2010-11 season. The Chicago premiere of In Darfur by Winter Miller, directed by Nick Bowling, joins three previously released titles: The Chicago premiere of Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan, the world premiere of Mastering the Art by William Brown and Doug Frew, and The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.

A particularly bold 2011-2012 season of four major musicals and an imaginative drama was announced today for the Ahmanson Theatre by Michael Ritchie, Center Theatre Group Artistic Director.

Funny Girl, the classic 1964 Broadway musical that helped cement Barbra Streisand's place in theatrical history, will be the first show featured in Keeping Scores, a new series of Broadway musicals in concert, to be presented at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre. Concerts in the series will be directed by Scott Logsdon (writer/director of the recent staged reading of An American Country Christmas Carol at the Boiler Room) with music direction by Jamey Green, a co-founder of BRT, and will be produced by Sondra Morton, director of operations for the professional theater located at The Factory in Franklin.

A little know fact is that Carol Channing was Betty's roommate in the early days of their careers, before either of them became successful. About Betty's death, Carol had this to say 'No one could have had a dearer sweeter more unselfish roommate than Betty Garrett. To save me after I was fired from the Borstht Circuit (Camp Cataminm), she kept encouraging me. She was gorgeously talented and funny herself. My deep gratitude goes with her.'

The Hollywood reporter talked to fellow Barbra Streisand MusiCares performers, Kristin Chenoweth and Darren Criss about whether they felt Lea Michele could handle the part. Their answers? Darren Criss said 'Maybe one day, Lea has many years ahead of her. She's very young and has all the time in the world.'

Court Theatre continues its 56th season with Edward Albee's Three Tall Women, directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell. The production will close February 13, 2011 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue.

Following the success of the 2002 Actors Fund Benefit in which stars such as Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Ricki Lake and more played the iconic lead role in FUNNY GIRL, the Actors Fund presents a Los Angeles edition on March 14th.

Following the success of the 2002 Actors Fund Benefit in which stars such as Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Ricki Lake and more played the iconic lead role in FUNNY GIRL, the Actors Fund presents a Los Angeles edition on March 14th.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater continues its inaugural season this spring with an unparalleled tribute to one of the nation's greatest living playwrights, Edward Albee. The company has mounted a two-month festival featuring 30 events, making nearly every one of his plays available in performance spaces throughout the Mead Center.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater continues its inaugural season this spring with an unparalleled tribute to one of the nation's greatest living playwrights, Edward Albee.

TimeLine Theatre Company, dedicated to presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today's social and political issues, has finalized its four-play 2010-11 season. The Chicago premiere of In Darfur by Winter Miller, directed by Nick Bowling, joins three previously released titles: The Chicago premiere of Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan, the world premiere of Mastering the Art by William Brown and Doug Frew, and The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.

Obsidian Theatre Company in association with Nightwood Theatre is thrilled to present the Toronto premiere of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize award-winning play Ruined. Written by Lynn Nottage and starring theatre and film veterans, Yanna McIntosh and Sterling Jarvis, the story is set in a small mining town in the civil war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, Broadway producer Bob Boyett is endeavoring to revive FUNNY GIRL on Broadway with famed director Bartlet Sher (South Pacific, Awake and Sing, Light in the Piaza) at the helm. The pair are currently planning a six week out-of-town tryout in late 2011 in preparation for a swift Broadway transfer later that season, according to the report. This would be the first revival of the show on Broadway. Boyett currently secures the rights.