1964 musical based on the life of Fanny Brice
Funny Girl is a musical with score by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill, and book by Isobel Lennart, that first opened on Broadway in 1964. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of comedian and Broadway star Fanny Brice, featuring her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein.
Barbra Streisand starred in the original Broadway musical, produced by Brice's son-in-law Ray Stark. The production received eight nominations at the 18th Tony Awards. The original cast recording of "Funny Girl" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.
A Broadway revival opened April 24, 2022, starring Beanie Feldstein as Brice and Ramin Karimloo as Arnstein. Lea Michele stepped into the lead role that September, with rave reviews prompting a new Broadway cast recording two months later.
Background.
Stark married Fanny Brice's and Nicky Arnstein's daughter Frances Brice in 1940. In telling Fanny's story, Stark produced the Broadway musical, film version and film sequel "Funny Lady".
Ray Stark commissioned an authorized biography of Brice, based on taped recollections that she had dictated, but the result of which she was unhappy with. Stopping the publication of "The Fabulous Fanny", as it had been titled by the author, eventually cost him $50,000. Stark then turned to Ben Hecht to write the screenplay for a biopic, but neither Hecht nor the 10 writers who succeeded him were able to produce a version that satisfied Stark. Finally, Isobel Lennart submitted "My Man", which pleased both Stark and Columbia Pictures executives, who offered Stark $400,000 plus a percentage of the gross for the property.
After reading the screenplay, Mary Martin contacted Stark and proposed it be adapted for a stage musical. Stark discussed the possibility with producer David Merrick, who suggested Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim compose the score. Sondheim told Styne "I don't want to do the life of Fanny Brice with Mary Martin. She's not Jewish. You need someone ethnic for the part." Shortly after, Martin lost interest in the project and withdrew.
Merrick discussed the project with Jerome Robbins, who gave the screenplay to Anne Bancroft. She agreed to play Brice if she could handle the score. Merrick suggested Styne collaborate with Dorothy Fields, but the composer was not interested. He went to Palm Beach, Florida for a month and composed music he thought Bancroft would be able to sing. While he was there, he met Bob Merrill, and he played the five melodies he already had written for him. Merrill agreed to write lyrics for them; these included "Who Are You Now?" and "The Music That Makes Me Dance". Styne was happy with the results and the two men completed the rest of the score, then flew to Los Angeles to play it for Stark, Robbins, and Bancroft. Bancroft was at odds with Merrill because of an earlier personal conflict, and after listening to the score, she stated "I want no part of this. It's not for me".
With Bancroft out of the picture, Eydie Gormé was considered, but she agreed to play Brice only if her husband Steve Lawrence was cast as Nick Arnstein. Because they thought he was wrong for the role, Stark and Robbins approached Carol Burnett, who said "I'd love to do it but what you need is a Jewish girl." With options running out, Styne recalled Barbra Streisand, whom he remembered from "I Can Get It for You Wholesale", and thought that she would be perfect. She was performing at the Bon Soir in Greenwich Village at the time; Styne urged Robbins to go see her there. He was impressed and asked her to audition. Styne later recalled, "She looked awful ... All her clothes were out of thrift shops. I saw Fran Stark staring at her, obvious distaste on her face." Despite his wife's objections, Stark hired Streisand on the spot.
Robbins had an argument with Lennart and told Stark he wanted her replaced because he thought she was not capable of adapting her screenplay into a viable book for a stage musical. Stark refused and Robbins quit the project.
"Funny Girl" temporarily was shelved, and Styne moved on to other projects, including "Fade Out – Fade In" for Carol Burnett. Merrick signed Bob Fosse to direct "Funny Girl", and work began on it again, until Fosse quit and the show went into limbo for several months, at which point Merrick suggested that Stark hire Garson Kanin. It was Merrick's last contribution to the production; shortly afterward he bowed out, and Stark became sole producer.
Streisand was not enthusiastic about Kanin as a director and insisted she wanted Robbins back, especially after Kanin suggested "People" be cut from the score because it didn't fit the character. Streisand already had recorded the song for a single release, and Merrill insisted, "It has to be in the show because it's the greatest thing she's ever done." Based on audience reaction to it, Kanin agreed to let it remain. By the time the show opened in Boston, audiences were so familiar with "People" that they applauded it during the overture.
There were problems with the script and score throughout rehearsals, and when "Funny Girl" opened at the Shubert Theatre in Boston it was too long, even after thirty minutes had been cut. The critics praised Streisand but disliked the show. Lennart continued to edit her book and deleted another thirty minutes before the show moved to Philadelphia, where critics thought the show could be a hit if the libretto problems were rectified.
The New York opening was postponed five times while extra weeks were played out of town. "Funny Girl" played two tryout periods in Philadelphia at the Forrest and Erlanger theaters. Five songs were cut, and "You Are Woman", a solo for Sydney Chaplin, was rewritten as a counterpoint duet. Streisand was still unhappy with Kanin and was pleased when Robbins returned to oversee the choreography by Carol Haney.
Kanin's novel "Smash" is based loosely on his experience directing "Funny Girl".
Productions.
Broadway.
After 17 previews, the Broadway production opened March 26, 1964 at the Winter Garden Theatre, subsequently transferring to the Majestic Theatre and The Broadway Theatre, where it closed on July 1, 1967 to complete its total run of 1,348 performances. The musical was directed by Garson Kanin and choreographed by Carol Haney under the supervision of Jerome Robbins. In addition to Streisand and Chaplin, the original cast included Kay Medford, Danny Meehan, Jean Stapleton, and Lainie Kazan, who also served as Streisand's understudy. Later in the run, Streisand and Chaplin were replaced by Mimi Hines and Johnny Desmond, and Hines' husband and comedy partner Phil Ford also joined the cast.
West End.
Streisand reprised her role in the West End production at the Prince of Wales Theatre directed by Lawrence Kasha, which opened April 13, 1966. When Streisand became pregnant and had to drop out of the show, her understudy Lisa Shane, wife of "The Italian Job" director Peter Collinson, took over, and continued to perform until the show closed.
Australia.
The Australasian premiere season commenced March 4, 1966, at the Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney. The production starred Jill Perryman as Fanny Brice, Bruce Barry as Nick Arnstein, Evie Hayes as Mrs. Brice, and Bill Yule as Eddie Ryan.
In 1999, The Production Company produced "Funny Girl" at the Arts Centre Melbourne, starring Caroline O'Connor and Nancye Hayes. The production was revived in 2016, with O'Connor and Hayes reprising their roles.
A concert version was staged at the Sydney Opera House from July 12–14, 2018. The role of Fanny Brice on stage was shared by Michala Banas, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Casey Donovan, Virginia Gay, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Dami Im, Maggie McKenna, Zahra Newman, Caroline O’Connor, Queenie van de Zandt and Megan Washington. The show also starred Trevor Ashley, Nancye Hayes and Don Hany as Nick Arnstein.
North American tours.
The First National Tour gave top billing to Lillian Roth as Mrs. Brice, Anthony George as Nick, with Marilyn Michaels as Fanny billed third.
A 1996 United States National tour starred Debbie Gibson as Fanny Brice and Robert Westenberg as Nick Arnstein. The planned 30-city tour started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in October 1996, but ended prematurely in November 1996 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
A 2023 United States national tour of the 2022 Broadway revival opened in Providence, Rhode Island on September 9, 2023, starring Katerina McCrimmon, Stephen Mark Lukas, and Melissa Manchester.
West End revival.
The show's first ever full-scale revival began previews at the Menier Chocolate Factory on November 20, 2015, officially opening December 2 for a limited run to March 5, 2016. The production starred Sheridan Smith, with Darius Campbell as Nick, directed by Michael Mayer, with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein. The entire run sold out within a day, making it the Menier's fastest selling show on record. Following this, the show transferred to London's Savoy Theatre on April 9, 2016, for a run through to September 10, 2016. The show subsequently extended until October 8 due to phenomenal public demand. However, Smith became indisposed on April 28, 2016, and the show was halted 15 minutes in. She was replaced by her understudy Natasha J Barnes, who continued to play the role until Smith's eventual return on July 8.
A UK tour of the Menier production began in February 2017 at the Palace Theatre, Manchester. After very favourable reviews, both Smith and Barnes returned to the role of Fanny Brice and alternative venues throughout the UK tour.
Paris.
A Paris production opened in November 2019 at Théâtre Marigny, directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear and featuring Christina Bianco as Fanny. The show received unanimous rave reviews, with significant praise for Bianco. The production was extended, doubling its initial run dates.
Broadway revival.
A revival production began Broadway previews on March 26, 2022, at the August Wilson Theatre with an official opening on April 24, 2022, starring Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice, directed by Michael Mayer, music directed by Michael Rafter, with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein. The production also starred Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, and Jane Lynch as Mrs. Brice. The production received mostly negative reviews from critics, though Grimes received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. On July 10, 2022, Feldstein announced that she would depart the production at the end of the month, instead of September as previously planned; the following day, the production confirmed that Lea Michele and Tovah Feldshuh would replace Feldstein and Lynch respectively from September 6, with Julie Benko as Fanny in the interim. On August 9, 2022, Lynch announced that she would depart the production on August 14 instead of the previously planned date in September and that standby Liz McCartney would play the role of Mrs. Brice until Feldshuh began her run. On March 28, 2023, Paolo Montalban and Anne L. Nathan replaced Peter Francis James and Toni DiBuono as Florenz Ziegfeld and Mrs. Strakosh, respectively. From June 27 to July 16, Stephen Mark Lukas played Nick Arnstein when Karimloo went to Italy to star in "The Phantom of the Opera".
Producers announced in March 2023 that the show would close September 3 after 599 performances. The production successfully recouped its $16.5M capitalization.
Lea Michele assuming the role of Fanny Brice parallels her "Glee" character storyline, where Rachel Berry lands her dream role in Broadway's (fictional) first revival of "Funny Girl". Michele's performance turned declining box office numbers around and received critical acclaim in the role with universally positive reviews, including many citing superior vocals compared to her predecessor.
Other productions.
On September 23, 2002, a concert version for the benefit of the Actors' Fund was staged in New York City at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Performers included Carolee Carmello, Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Ana Gasteyer, Whoopi Goldberg, Jane Krakowski, Judy Kuhn, Julia Murney, LaChanze, Ricki Lake, Andrea Martin, Idina Menzel, Bebe Neuwirth, Kaye Ballard, Alice Playten, Lillias White, Len Cariou, Jason Danieley, Peter Gallagher, Gary Beach, Brad Oscar, Richard Kind, and The Rockettes.
In regional theatre the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, production ran in April to May 2001 with Leslie Kritzer and Robert Cuccioli. The "New York Times" reviewer noted: "What makes it all the more impressive is that few actors, or theater companies outside of summer stock, dare to attempt Jule Styne's and Bob Merrill's grand spectacle that propelled Barbra Streisand's career nearly 40 years ago." The Westchester Broadway Theatre production ran from