The 2023/2024 Broadway in Orlando season is in full swing at Dr. Phillips Center and up next on the stage to thrill Central Florida audiences is the fictionalized musical Funny Girl based on the life and times of the one and only Fanny Brice!
Based the 1964 Broadway musical and the 1968 movie, starring Barbra Streisand, FUNNY GIRL is a bold new revival of a classic musical comedy. Featuring one of the greatest musical scores of all time, including classic songs “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People,” this love letter to the theatre 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.
Funny Girl on Tour
Fresh off of Broadway, audiences around the country are thrilled to get a chance to see this new staging while it’s still hot! Like many audiences around the country we are familiar with the show from the popular movie and it being staging many times by local theatres and high schools- but the revival is a chance for Floridians to see Broadway in their backyard. This is a fully mounted show, straight from the Great White Way and a chance to see a new Star born on stage with the debut of Katerina McCrimmon playing the iconic Fanny Brice.
First National Touring Company of Funny Girl Photo By Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
About Funny Girl
“Funny Girl” is a musical based on the life of vaudeville legend Fanny Brice. It is far from an accurate depiction of the events of her life, but Fanny and her mother were real people and Mr. and Mrs. Brice did own a successful saloon that made them well-to-do for the time. The musical was produced by Brice’s son-in-law Ray Stark, who along with his wife Frances Arnstein Stark painted a highly romanticized picture of the Arnsteins’ marriage and Fanny’s life.
The show also introduced much of the world to another legend, Barbra Streisand. When Funny Girl originally debuted at the Winter Garden Theatre March 26, 1964 it starred a wonderful new talent ready to take the world on just like the character of Fanny Brice. Barbra Streisand starred in the production which played 17 previews and 1,348 shows before closing July 1, 1967, earning eight Tony Award nominations including Best Musical. In 1968, Funny Girl was adapted into a film that earned her an Academy Award for her screen performance as Fanny Brice.
This revival production has seen three wonderful actresses take the role on Broadway and is introducing North American stages to another debut with Katerina McCrimmon taking the lead on the tour. Beanie Feldstein lead the way when the show opened on April 24, 2022 at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City. Beanie was not new to the stage as she had made her Broadway debut as Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly! with Bette Midler. She opened to mixed reviews and left the role earlier than expected at the end of July 2022. Lea Michele then stepped into the role after campaigning quite publicly since her days on the TV show “Glee” to play the role of Fanny. She was not new to Broadway audiences though, as she made her Broadway debut at the age of eight as Young Cosette in Les Misérables. A true through line in the role with Broadway audiences was Julie Benko. She was a standby for the role of Fanny Brice from opening curtain to closing night during the Broadway run of Funny Girl and stepped into the role full time for Beanie Feldman when she left the show before Lea Michele’s run began. For her performance as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Julie Benko was named as the 2022 NYTimes Breakout Star for Theatre, honored with Theatre World’s Dorothy Loudon Award, and chosen as one of Variety’s 10 Broadway Stars to Watch in the 2023-24 season.
The Greatest Star
Well “Hello Gorgeous” indeed! A huge welcome back to Miami native and Florida State University alumni Katerina McCrimmon. What a force of nature and breath of fresh air you are. Stepping into the shoes of an iconic role is always a difficult task, but one that has practically been made into a mold in which every other actress has trouble fitting into, is something else. As much as parallels can be drawn between Barbra Streisand’s take of Fanny Brice and Katerina McCrimmon’s version, Katerina certainly found her own voice in the role and I personally thought she was a fresh new embodiment of a role that is almost cemented in history. She was like a live wire that I found very easy to believe as the girl that everyone around her couldn’t resist (and would be a fool to try). Her powerful belting made me nervous though. Her voice had no challenge at all filling up the large theatre, but I do truly hope that she can maintain that level of performance without doing Elphaba level damage to what is an incredible instrument. Her comedic skills were on point throughout and Fanny’s venerability and neediness was never in question. I have often heard it said that Fanny Brice has to be two of three things to be believed: Talented, Funny, or Beautiful. I think it is safe to say that Katerina has nothing to fear in the believability department as she possesses these qualities in spades.
The supporting cast is also to be noted in that not only did they bring Broadway level performances to the stage here in Central Florida, but they truly stepped up to support Fanny on stage just as their characters did. Fanny could have supported everyone in world on her comedic shoulders (and she tried) but it is tough to say if she would have gotten the chance without the support of her friends and family. Stephen Mark Lukas was a large presence in Fanny’s life and on the stage as Nick Arnstein and left his mark of every scene he entered. He is a seasoned performer and there are times that I think he may have held back vocally in order to preserve a bit of his voice, which ironically lined up in many ways with the essence of Nicky Arnstein. Barbara Tirrell dominated her scenes as the supportive and unsupported Mrs. Brice, lending her considerable stage presence to ever scene she was in. The performer that constantly threatened to steal the spotlight thought was Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie Ryan. Eddie was the ultimate support system and overlooked gem of Fanny’s world and Izaiah’s embodiment of him was a delight to share space with and experience live. His skills on stage in tap shoes are undeniable and breathtaking. His solo moments made the audience burst into applause, and rightfully so.
Often when shows come to Orlando on tour it is a blessing, but the expectations are tempered based on the limitations that touring puts on a show. In my opinion, Funny Girl truly embodied bringing Broadway to our backyards. Though scaled down in some ways, it felt just as big and “Broadway” as if we were sitting in a theatre on Broadway. If you can, get yourself to the theatre to share this experience with this wonderful production.
ATTENDING A SHOW AT DR PHILLIPS CENTER for Broadway in Orlando
Tickets for Funny Girl are on sale now. Click here for more information on how to secure your seat to the show! Have you attended a show at Dr. Phillips Center before? Before your visit here’s what to expect: Check out the “Know Before You Go” guide. The AdventHealth Broadway in Orlando 23/24 Season is presented by Florida Theatrical Association in partnership with Broadway Across America and the Dr. Phillips Center. The arts center’s Walt Disney Theater has been home to Broadway in Orlando for the past seven seasons, following Broadway’s two seasons at the former Bob Carr Theater before the Dr. Phillips Center opened in 2014.
If you are an AdventHealth Broadway in Orlando 22/23 subscriber, renewals will begin March 10. Join the waitlist at BroadwayInOrlando.com to be among the first to know when new subscriptions go on sale. Click here for more information on tickets for the 2023/2024 season!
Check out this post about the entire Broadway in Orlando season here!
First National Touring Company of Funny Girl Photo By Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
About Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in downtown Orlando supported by the City of Orlando, Orange County, the City of Winter Park, the State of Florida and generous donors and sponsors. The 698,312-square-foot venue includes the grand 2,711-seat Walt Disney Theater, the community-theater style 296-seat Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, the new adaptable 1,464–1,770-seat Steinmetz Hall and, opening in 2023, the dynamic cabaret-style music room Judson’s. In addition, the venue has various versatile event spaces like the DeVos Family Room, the Rooftop Terrace and the 3-acre outdoor Seneff Arts Plaza. In addition, the arts center’s AdventHealth School of Arts offers classes, camps and pre-professional productions. For more information, visit drphillipscenter.org.
Did you see Annie when it came to Orlando? Check out my review here!
