Funny Girl at Orpheum Theatre
The brightest star on Broadway is here and life has never been sweeter than a ball of butter! Funny Girl is coming to the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis for a week-long run. Featuring one of the greatest scores of all time, including classic songs “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “People,” and “I’m the Greatest Star,” this love letter to the theater is the story of the indomitable woman who became one of the most beloved performers in history! Set in the early 20th century, the musical traces Fanny Brice’s journey from her humble beginnings in New York City’s Lower East Side to her rise to stardom in the glitzy world of show business. The box-office musical film starring Barbra Streisand gained critical success, earning eight Academy Award nominations and winning several awards for “Best Actress.” Invite your friends and watch Fanny as she takes center stage in this hilarious tale of dreams, love, and laughter. Don’t tell us not to live – reserve your seats now while tickets are still available!
Funny Girl Tickets
Funny Girl is a beloved Broadway musical that tells the story of the vaudeville star Fanny Brice. The grand Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island will host the official premiere of the Broadway revival tour from September 9 to September 16, 2023. After that, it will make stops in more than 30 cities from coast to coast, including Philadelphia, Dallas, Detroit, Cleveland, and San Francisco.
The act has won over audiences’ hearts for decades with songs like “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “People,” solidifying Fanny Brice’s reputation as one of the most adored performers of her age.
“VIVACIOUS AND DELIGHTFULLY GLITZY!” – Vogue
“The most thunderous standing ovation heard anywhere since theaters reopened.” – Los Angeles Times
“Lea Michele is delivering a tour de force for the ages.” – LA Times
“Absolutely exhilarating, Prompting frenzied excitement” – AM New York
Fanny Brice is portrayed as a young woman from the New York City slums who is driven to succeed in show business despite her awkward demeanor and unattractive appearance in the plot, which is primarily narrated in flashback. She first appeared in vaudeville, and Florenz Ziegfeld then engaged her to perform in his famed Ziegfeld Follies extravaganza. She abruptly enters the stage as a pregnant bride on opening night, turning a dramatic wedding-themed performance into a boisterous comedy skit. Her comic sensibility immediately makes her a household name. In the meantime, Brice develops a romantic relationship with charming gambler Nick Arnstein. They eventually get married, but their union is difficult since he starts to envy her success. Nick engages in a fraudulent bond deal in order to pay off rising debts and ends up in jail for embezzlement. After being freed, he goes to see Brice in her dressing room, and they decide to split ways.
The Broadway production debuted on March 26, 1964, at the Winter Garden Theatre after 17 preview performances. It then moved on to the Majestic Theatre and The Broadway Theatre, where it played for a total of 1,348 performances before closing on July 1, 1967.
The musical film garnered critical success, earning eight Academy Award nominations and becoming the highest-grossing movie in the United States in 1968. Barbara Streisand was named Best Actress, and it continued to become one of the greatest musical movies ever made. The United States Library of Congress designated Funny Girl as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 2016 and chose it for inclusion in the National Film Registry. Recently, the show was honored with a Dorothy Loudon Award for Excelling in the Theater.
Casting
The main cast for the North American Tour production has been announced:
- Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice
- 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 and Mrs. Nadler
- Christine Bunuan as Mrs. Meeker
- Eileen T’Kaye as Mrs. Strakosh
- David Foley Jr. as Tom Keeney
Further casting will be announced soon, so stay tuned for updates.
“Fans have adored Melissa throughout her 50-year musical career, and Katerina is a star in the making who embodies the rising stardom of Fanny. We could not be more thrilled to have this dynamic and talented duo lead the Funny Girl tour,” Director and Tony Award winner Michael Mayer shares.
Main members comprising the creatives team include the following:
- Direction by Michael Mayer
- Classic Score by Jule Styne
- Lyrics by Bob Merrill
- Original Book by Isobel Lennart
- Choreography by Ellenore Scott
- Tap choreography by Ayodele Casel
- Scenic Design by David Zinn
- Costume Design by Susan Hilferty
- Lighting Design by Kevin Adams
- Sound Design by Brian Ronan and Cody Spencer
- Music Supervision by Michael Rafter
- Casting by Jim Carnahan
- Orchestrations by Chris Walker
- Music Arrangements by Alan Williams
