With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, Funny Girl has become one of the most beloved Broadway classics, famous for skyrocketing Barbra Streisand to stardom. This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she'd never be a star, but then something funny happened-she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway. Michael Mayer's bold new production marks the first time Funny Girl has returned to Broadway since its debut 58 years ago.
When Feldstein opened the show, she could not handle the songs, and as Helen Shaw pointed out, the 'songs are the whole caboodle.' In Michele's case, this works to her advantage. The way that the show's written, Fanny's voice is the metonym for her stardom, so as long as you really believe she's got the magic, you don't necessarily need to buy her comedic skills, or really any other aspect of her character. It's like in Shakespeare, where the weather clears up when the right king is on the throne. Michele is not a natural comedian, but she finds a way to be charming with Fanny's jokes, which are as broad as the East River, just by trying so very hard to sell every one. It's like she's hoping her Sketch Comedy 101 teacher will give her a gold star.
From the moment she begins to sing the opening number 'Who Are You Now?,' audiences relax in the assurance that this musical, for whatever its other merits - or lack thereof, and there is plenty of lack thereof - will be sung by a voice that can do it justice. No, more than justice, because Michele is so good in the role of Fanny that she lifts the entire mixed-bag production if not up to her level then pretty darn close. She makes performers who were fine the first time around - Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, Peter Francis James as Florenz Ziegfeld - seem all that much better, and raises the general level of performance to such a degree that the terrific Jared Grimes, as dance teacher Eddie, now no longer seems adrift during his spectacular tap dance routines: He seems a part of the show, rather apart from the show.
Price: $47.50
Where: https://www.luckyseat.com/shows/funnygirl-newyork
When: Digital lotteries will begin each Monday at 10 a.m. ET and close the day prior to the performance at 10:30 a.m. ET. Winners will be notified at approximately 11 AM ET the day prior to the performance via email and SMS. Once notified, winners will have a limited time to claim and pay for their ticket(s).
Limit: 2 per customer
Information: ottery entrants must be 18 years or older. Tickets are non-transferable. All sales final. No exchange, no refunds. Ticket limits and prices are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change.
Price: $42.50
Where: August Wilson Theatre box office
When: On the day of the performance, only if the show is sold out.
Tickets Per Person: Limit 2
Information: Tickets will be in standing positions at the back of the orchestra. Subject to availability. Available when the show is sold out.
1964 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1966 | West End |
London Production West End |
1986 | Off-Off-Broadway |
Equity Library Theatre Revival Off-Off-Broadway |
2001 | Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
Paper Mill Production Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
2002 | Broadway |
Actors' Fund Concert Broadway |
2012 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
2015 | West End |
Menier Chocolate Factory West End Revival Production West End |
2016 | West End |
Menier Chocolate Factory West End Transfer West End |
2022 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Production Broadway |
2023 | US Tour |
North American Tour US Tour |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Theatre World Awards | Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater | Julie Benko |
2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Ayodele Casel |
2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical | Susan Hilferty |
2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Jared Grimes |
2022 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Awards | Beanie Feldstein |
2022 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Awards | Jane Lynch |
2022 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Michael Mayer |
2022 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Funny Girl |
2022 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Jared Grimes |
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