by Mark G. Auerbach
Funny Girl’s in Hartford this week, and the long-awaited revival offers a huge star turn by up and coming Katerina McCrimmon, a gold standard score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, and some sizzling tap dancing. It’s a nice season finale to The Bushnell’s Broadway Series, and it runs through Sunday.
It’s been a long road from original production to revival to Hartford. Funny Girl, the musical about Fanny Brice, was the show that catapulted Barbra Streisand from unknown to megastar. It opened on Broadway in 1964 in a season that also included Hello, Dolly!, Fiddler on The Roof, High Spirits, and 110 in the Shade. (Funny Girl lost to Hello, Dolly! In every musical category that year). The musical was never revived until a couple of years ago, probably because no one wanted to compete against the memory of Streisand.
Most people know Funny Girl from the movie, which is significantly different than the stage version. Harvey Fierstein retooled Isobel Lennart’s original script, and several Jule Styne / Bob Merrill songs, dropped from the film, were restored. The score, including “People”, “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “The Music That Makes Me Dance” is quintessential Broadway. But, the revival almost didn’t make it. The original lead was miscast, yet once Glee star Lea Michele took over, Funny Girl was big.
The touring production’s sets, costumes, and lighting are carbon copies of the Broadway show. David Zinn’s sets, Susan Hilferty’s costumes, and Kevin Adams’ lighting are serviceable, but unmemorable, as is Ellenore Scott’s choreography. But, Ayodel Cassel’s tap choreography is triumphant! Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie, Fanny’s friend, executes those tap sequences with brilliant precision, and the company turns the production number “Rat Tat Tat Tat” into a showstopper.
Katerina McCrimmon plays Fanny in the tour playing at The Bushnell through June 23, and she’s a Streisand in the making. (Local audiences may have seen her in Hartford Stage’s Ah Wilderness, and she comes to Funny Girl with lots of credits). Melissa Manchester (“Don’t Cry Out Loud”) plays her mom. Stephen Mark Lucas from the Broadway revival plays Nick.
The Bushnell presents Funny Girl. Book by Isobel Lennart revised by Harvey Fierstein. Music by Jule Styne. Lyrics by Bob Merrill. Direction by Michael Mayer. Choreography by Ellenore Scott. Tap choreography by Ayodele Casel. Scenic design by David Zinn. Costume design by Susan Hilferty. Lighting design by Kevin Adams. Through June 23. The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT. For details: www.bushnell.org.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and The Yale School of Drama. He has worked for arts organizations nationwide, and reported on the arts for print and broadcast. Mark produces and hosts ArtsBeat, Athenaeum Spotlight and On The Mark for WCPC15 and 89.5fm/WSKB. He’s a regular contributor to Pioneer Valley Radio and a member of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association.