Breaking news. (Not really breaking. I’ve been slow) The Broadway revival of Funny Girl has been postponed indefinitely. I read about it in this article.
This show was supposed to star Lauren Ambrose, a fabulously talented woman who was a lead on the tv series Six Feet Under, and on Broadway has worked in “Awake and Sing!” I was really looking forward to this production, because the movie is one of the most pivotal moments of my theatrical life. I’ve spoken with a lot of other young actresses about this movie, and I’ve heard a lot of people express emotion like mine. Barbara Streisand’s portrayal of Fanny Brice is one of my favorite cinematic portrayals of all time. It’s a performance that has inspired me in my acting greatly. And part of its charm is Barbara’s relative anonymity at the time of production. Her rise to fame in the movie was mirroring her life at the time.
Now the Broadway production is cancelled for the same reason Streisand’s was so succeful. The producers have declared that Lauren Ambrose isn’t well enough known. First of all, that’s ridiculous. She’s starred on Broadway before, and was a lead on the very popular Six Feet Under. She’s not Catherine Zeta Jones; she’s more talented. And this is reason enough to postpone this show indefinitely?? (Broadway speak for virtually canceled.)
If Lauren Ambrose isn’t a big enough name to lead this production, what are the hopes for anyone like me? Is Broadway so obsessed with big names that they won’t cast talent?
And let’s say that Lauren Ambrose won’t draw a big enough crowd, but they still want to produce Funny Girl. They cast someone rich and tabloid-able. Blake Lively is now giving a mediocre performance of Fanny Brice. It draws people to the theatre. What is more important? The young theatre goers that wouldn’t have been drawn without a gossip girl? Or the skill and magic that a lesser known (Ambrose) can bring?
And most importantly, when can I play Fanny Brice on Broadway???? Producers reading this post (I’m sure there are thousands of you), I have a lot of fans in the Greater Boston Jewish community. They think I am the greatest star in the entire synagogue. Cast me.
