national tour funny girl cast

Tours To You

Your home for information about the touring broadway productions in north america, ‘funny girl’ north american tour announces principal cast.

The producers of  Funny Girl , the sensational musical comedy revival, are thrilled to announce principal casting for the North American Tour.

The cast will feature Grammy-Award® winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. They will be joined by Stephen Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein, Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie Ryan, Walter Coppage as Florenz Ziegfeld, Leah Platt as Emma/Mrs. Nadler, Christine Bunuan as Mrs. Meeker, Eileen T’Kaye as Mrs. Strakosh, and David Foley Jr. as Tom Keeney. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Manchester has been an icon in the music industry since the 1970s, best known for celebrated songs such as “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “You Should Hear How She Talks About You,” and “Through The Eyes Of Love” (Ice Castles). In her national tour debut, McCrimmon steps into the role of Fanny Brice, on the heels of becoming a YoungArts Winner in Theater and a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

“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,” said director and Tony® Award winner Michael Mayer .

The tour will officially open at Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI, from September 9-16, 2023, before continuing on to more than 30 cities coast-to-coast, including Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Philadelphia. For casting, additional tour cities, and more information, visit funnygirlonbroadway.com/tour.

The “vivacious and delightfully glitzy” (Vogue) Broadway revival features iconic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” Breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice. As 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. The Observer describes the revival as “sparkling and explosively entertaining!”

Funny Girl is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and features the classic score by Tony, Grammy, and Academy® Award winner Jule Styne and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winner Bob Merrill , (comprising additional songs from Styne & Merrill). The original book by Isobel Lennart , from an original story by Miss Lennart , is revised by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots, Newsies).

Funny Girl features choreography by Ellenore Scott ( Falsettos ); tap choreography by Ayodele Casel ; scenic design by Tony Award winner David Zinn ( SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical ); costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty ( Wicked ); lighting design by Tony Award winner Kevin Adams ( Hedwig and the Angry Inch ); sound design by Tony Award winner Brian Ronan ( Beautiful: The Carole King Musical ) and Cody Spencer ; hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates ; music supervision by Emmy Award winner Michael Rafter ; casting by Jim Carnahan , CSA, and Jason Thinger ; orchestrations by Chris Walker ; dance, vocal, and incidental music arrangements by Alan Williams , and additional arrangements by David Dabbon and Carmel Dean . The associate director is Johanna McKeon ; the associate choreographer is Jeffrey Gugliotti ; the assistant director is Torya Beard ; the assistant tap choreographer is Dre Torres .

The Funny Girl tour stage management team is led by production stage manager Jovon Shuck and is supported by Stage Manager Stacey Taylor and assistant stage manager Mariah Young . The company management team is led by company manager Justin Sweeney with assistant company manager Ryan Mayfield . The tour music director/conductor is Elaine Davidson .

The Funny Girl tour is produced by NETworks Presentations in special arrangement with Sonia Friedman Productions , Scott Landis and David Babani .

Biographies

Thanks for stopping by! If you enjoy this content, and want to help support the site, visit my Buy Me A Coffee page here .

Share this:

One thought on “ ‘funny girl’ north american tour announces principal cast ”.

• Pingback: ‘Funny Girl’ North American Tour Announces 2023-2024 Route and Full Cast – Tours To You

Comments are closed.

Privacy Overview

Discover more from tours to you.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• Cast & Creative

CAST & CREATIVE

Cast & creative.

Katerina M c Crimmon

FANNY BRICE

KATERINA McCRIMMON ( Fanny Brice ) is originally from Miami, FL and she’s thrilled to be playing Fanny in this gorgeous production. Broadway:  The Rose Tattoo  (Roundabout Theater Company). Other NY Theater:  The Light in the Piazza  (City Center Encores!). Regional:  AZUL  (Eugene O’Neill Center),  Ride the Cyclone  (McCarter Theatre Center),  Ah, Wilderness!  (Hartford Stage). Katerina is a YoungArts Winner in Theater, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and received her BM in Musical Theatre from Florida State University. Love to Mom, Dad, Abuela, Brett, Steve, and Matias for their endless support. Los amo tanto. @breathekaterina

Melissa Manchester

MELISSA MANCHESTER (Mrs.Brice) returns to the theatrical stage to celebrate a versatile 50-year career. With 19 Billboard charted hits including “Midnight Blue” and “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” the GRAMMY-Award winning singer/songwriter was the first artist to have two Oscar-nominated songs in the same year, received the NARAS Governor’s Award and is in the Great American Songbook Foundation’s Hall of Fame. National tours: Song & Dance (Emma), Music Of The Night (Lead). Film: For The Boys (Corrine). TV: Blossom (Maddy Russo). Her 25th album, RE:VIEW, is due to release in 2024. melissamanchester.com

Stephen Mark Lukas

NICK ARNSTEIN

STEPHEN MARK LUKAS  ( Nick Arnstein ) is thrilled to bring  Funny Girl  to audiences across North America after understudying the role in the Broadway revival. Broadway:  Funny Girl, The Book of Mormon . Regional:  Beauty and the Beast  (Gaston),  Damn Yankees (Joe Hardy),  Oklahoma! (Curly), South Pacific  (Lt. Cable), Camelot (Lancelot), and  Guys & Dolls  (Sky Masterson). TV:  Gossip Girl  and  FBI: Most Wanted . Love and gratitude to my family, Brian, HCKR and the  Funny Girl  team. Instagram: @smlukas

Izaiah Montaque Harris

IZAIAH MONTAQUE HARRIS ( Eddie Ryan ). First Broadway National Tour! Since being put in tap classes taught by his mother as a child, he has learned to shine from Chicago to NY. Recent highlights: NY City Center’s Artists at the Center,  Riverdance, The Tap Dance Kid ,  After Midnight  (Tap Mathematician). BTA Award for Outstanding Actor, Jeff Award for Best Ensemble, Jacob’s Pillow Alumni, MADD Rhythms. Sending love, light, and many thanks to his family, friends, and Ayodele Casel. @izaiahharris

BARBARA TIRRELL

MRS. BRICE At Some Performances

Barbara Tirrell was most recently a standby for the roles of Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Strakosh and Mrs. Meeker in the Broadway production of Funny Girl starring Lea Michele. She can be seen as Masha in the upcoming feature film Queen of Knives . She can also be seen in the recurring role of Mrs. Murray in the HBO series “Pretty Little Liars, Original Sin”. Other Broadway/National Tour credits: Wicked (Madame Morrible) , Fiddler on the Roof (Shandel, u/s Golde & Yente), Annie (Sophie & Mrs. Pugh, u/s Hannigan); Off-Broadway: A Man of No Importance (Mitzi Newhouse Theatre), Night of the Hunter ( Vineyard Theatre workshop), No Way to Treat a Lady (Atlantic Theatre workshop). Regional: The Kennedy Center, Guthrie Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, Pioneer Theatre Company, Casa Manana, Coconut Grove Playhouse. TV/FILM: “FBI”, “Bull”, “Broad City”, POP TV’s “Nightcap” (recurring role of Sonya), MCU’s “Jessica Jones” (role of Sal Blaskowski), HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” (recurring role of Edith Mauer), “The Seagull” (role of Olga directed by Michael Mayer), HBO’s “Vinyl” (recurring role of Gert), “Law & Order”, “Law & Order SVU”. As always, this is for my Micky.

Walter Coppage

FLORENZ ZIEGFELD

WALTER COPPAGE (Florenz Ziegfeld). Theatre: The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, The Curious Incident …, Radio Golf, The Royale , A Christmas Carol , Pride & Prejudice , Fences , To Kill A Mockingbird, Master Harold And The Boys , Hamlet , The Mountaintop , Water By The Spoonful , The Clean House , Ruined , Our Town , The Miracle Worker. TV: Somebody Somewhere , Chicago Med , Leverage: Redemption , Black Mafia Family , The Chi , 61st St , The Shining Girls , Detroiters , Sprung . Film: All Creatures Here Below , Jayhawkers 

EMMA/MRS. NADLER, U/S FANNY, U/S MEEKER

LEAH PLATT ( Emma/Mrs. Nadler, u/s Fanny, u/s Meeker ) is thrilled to join the Funny Girl family! Leah most recently performed across the country as Tzeitel in the first national tour of Fiddler on the Roof. Recent credits: Which Way to the Stage (Signature Theatre); Frozen (Disney Cruise Line); The Prom (White Plains PAC); The Marvelous Wonderettes (The Palace Theater). Proud graduate of Northwestern University and even prouder to have the most supportive family! LeahPlatt.com @leahsplatt

Cindy Chang

MRS. MEEKER, U/S MRS. BRICE/MRS. STRAKOSH

CINDY CHANG  ( Mrs. Meeker, u/s Mrs. Strakosh, u/s Mrs. Brice ) is thrilled to join the  Funny Girl  national tour! Regional:  The Brothers Paranormal  (Tasanee);  Brownsville Song b-side for Tray  (Merrell);  Avenue Q  (Christmas Eve);  Annie Get Your Gun  (Ensemble);  Asphalt Beach  (Sister Joy Luck);  Yeoman of the Guard  (Kate),  The Beautiful Helen of Troy  (Chloe). Film:  Family Weekend, Alex/October, Rain Beau’s End, Baby on Board, Yellow Dress, Technically Marvin, Silent River.  TV: HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” (Soon Hee Meeh), NBC’s “Chicago Fire” (Mari, recurring), Amazon Prime’s “Electric Dreams,” NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” BA Speech Communication/Prelaw from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Special thanks to Gray Talent Group and to my husband!

Eileen T’Kaye

MRS. STRAKOSH, U/S MRS. BRICE

EILEEN T’KAYE ( Mrs. Strakosh, u/s Mrs. Brice ). Recent credits: A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Anne Marie, ICT) and Sisters in Law (Ruth Bader Ginsburg, World Premiere-Phoenix Theatre). Other regional: Coney Island Christmas and A Funny Thing Happened… (Geffen Playhouse); Wing on Wing and The Rehearsal (Disney Hall); Collected Stories (CV Rep); Doubt and Other Desert Cities (ICT); The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (La Mirada); The Fantasticks (Reprise!). Eileen is also an award-winning producer and Founding Producing Director of Boston Court Pasadena. For my David.

David Foley, Jr.

DAVID FOLEY, JR. ( Tom Keeney ). Select New York/touring credits: The Phantom of the Opera (Reyer, Firmin), Forbidden Broadway , and the title ogre in Shrek The Musical . Favorite regional: Oz (L. Frank Baum, freeFall Theatre Company), Finding Nemo: The Musical (Marlin, WDW), and Guys and Dolls (Nathan, Kevin Kline Award nomination, Best Actor). TV/Film: The Flight Before Christmas (Hallmark), Broadcasting Christmas (Lifetime). 2023 MAC Award nominee (Manhattan Association of Cabarets, Best Male Performer). All my love Kerry & Davey! IG @itsdavidfoleyjr

Vinny Andaloro

VINNY ANDALORO ( Swing ) is thrilled to be a part of this iconic show! National Tours: Cats . Regional: Ogunquit, NSMT, The LEX. BFA, The Boston Conservatory. Endless thanks to The Collective Talent. “Love to my amazing family, friends, mentors, and incredible partner, Jackson.” IG: @vinny__andaloro

Lamont Brown

ENSEMBLE, U/S EDDIE RYAN

LAMONT BROWN ( Ensemble, u/s Eddie Ryan ). Nat’l Tour:  Mean Girls  1st Nat’l,  White Christmas ,  42nd Street  (Andy Lee),  Riverdance  (Radio City),  After Midnight.  Selected Credits:  Hercules  (Workshop),  Chasing Rainbows  (PaperMill),  42nd Street  (Goodspeed/Ordway/Drury Lane). Film/Tv:  Wutang: An American Saga . Agency: @hudsonartistsagency    @LamontBrownNyc

Kate E. Cook

ENSEMBLE, U/S EMMA

KATE E. COOK ( Ensemble, u/s Emma ). National tour debut! Select credits: Chicago , Camelot , Little Shop of Horrors , Mamma Mia! , Holiday Inn , Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion , Guys and Dolls , The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes . Love to my husband and crazy family! Enjoy! http://www.kateellacook.com @kate.ella

Julia Grondin

JULIA GRONDIN  ( Ensemble ) graduated with a BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University. Theatrical credits:  Escape to Margaritaville  (National tour),  Trading Places  (Regional) .  Commercial work: Knicks City Dancers. Off-Broadway:  The Empire Strips Back . Thanks to my amazing family and MSA Agency! @juliagrondin

Jackson Grove

ENSEMBLE, TENOR

JACKSON GROVE ( Ensemble, Tenor ) is thrilled to be making his National Tour debut in Funny Girl . Regional: Sacramento Music Circus, Pittsburgh CLO, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Ordway. Boston Conservatory Grad. Love and gratitude to Mom & Dad, CTG, and the Funny Girl team.

Alex Hartman

ALEX HARTMAN ( Ensemble, u/s Emma ) is honored to be making her Broadway National Tour debut in Funny Girl. Select credits include: ACT of Connecticut, Riverside Theatre, Transcendence Theatre Company, and Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Endless gratitude to CESD, my family, friends and incredibly supportive wife, Kayley. IG: @alexjhartman

DOT KELLY ( Ensemble ). National Tour debut! Credits:  Singin’ in the Rain (Ogunquit PH),  White Christmas ,  Christmas in the Air ,  Your Monster ,  Cupid for Christmas (Hulu),  Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC). Shenandoah University BFA & MS grad. Hampton, VA raised & former Miss Virginia 2019/20. Gratitude to my parents, @ResoluteArtistsAgency , and Matt. @realdotkelly

Ryan Lambert

ENSEMBLE, U/S NICK ARNSTEIN

RYAN LAMBERT ( Ensemble, u/s Nick Arnstein ). National Tour debut! Regional: The Muny, Arena Stage, Goodspeed, The Fulton, The Lex, MSMT, NSMT, and MTW. Oklahoma City University, Bachelors of Music in Music Theatre. Love to My Parents, Lauren, Jordan, and the Mo.  www.ryan-lambert.com @ryanjlambert

KATHY LIU ( Ensemble ) is a Bay Area native and graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA program. National tour debut! Credits: Cabaret (Goodspeed), Watch Night workshop (Perelman PAC), JChen Project, Dickinson (AppleTV). Much love to my family and friends for their support! Rep: MTA IG: @kathyliu_

Meghan Manning

MEGHAN MANNING ( Ensemble ). Metropolitan Opera ( Merry Widow , Traviata ). Cabaret , Grease , Oscars, Grammys, VMAS, Marvel’s Hawkeye (Black Widow / Rogers), Mrs. Maisel . Backup The Weeknd, Halsey, Panic! At The Disco. Endless thanks Mom, Dad, Bridget for unwavering support. I’m a real theater girlie now! IG: @momanni

Bryan Charles Moore

SWING, DANCE CAPTAIN, U/S FLORENZ ZIEGFELD, U/S TOM KEENEY

BRYAN CHARLES MOORE ( Swing, Dance Captain, u/s Florenz Ziegfeld, u/s Tom Keeney ) is originally from St. Paul, Minnesota and currently calls the DC area home. Tours: Radio City Christmas Spectacular , White Christmas . Regional: Signature, Arena Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse, Ordway, TUTS. Thanks to my team at the Luedtke Agency, and love to my husband Steven. IG: @bryancmoore

Sami Murphy

SAMI MURPHY ( Ensemble ), NJ native, is thrilled to join this revival! Tours:  My Fair Lady ,  CoComelon!  Regional:  Footloose ,  Mamma Mia! ,  42nd Street ,  Cinderella. Huge thanks to PMA, and to Mom, Dad, family, church, mentors, & Kyle for their continued love & support.  samimurphy.com   @samimurph34

Emily Anne Nester

Emily Anne Nester ( Swing ) is thrilled to be making her National Tour debut! Regional credits: 42nd Street  (Ensemble u/s Anytime Annie),  Kinky Boots  (Ensemble),  Wizard of Oz  (Ensemble) at Music Theater Wichita. Huge thank you to her family, and friends for their love and support, and special thanks to @ resoluteartistsagency ! IG: @ emilyannenester

Hannah Shankman

U/S FANNY BRICE, U/S MRS. STRAKOSH, U/S MRS. MEEKER

HANNAH SHANKMAN  ( u/s Fanny Brice, u/s Mrs. Strakosh, u/s Mrs. Meeker ). Broadway: Hair , Wicked , Side Show , Les Misérables . National Tour/West End: The Band’s Visit , Rent , Hair, Les Misérables . Regional: La Jolla Playhouse, The Kennedy Center, Williamstown, Syracuse Stage. TV/Film: “The Last Five Years,” “The Oscars.” For Shane & Charlie. Thanks to her family, Carnahan, FG team, & Daniel Hoff! IG: @hannahbshank and TikTok:  @hannahbshank

Jordon Taylor

JORDON TAYLOR  ( Ensemble ). National Tour debut! Credits: Singin’ in the Rain  (Ogunquit Playhouse),  A Chorus Line  (Drury Lane Theatre), &  The Cher Show  (Gateway Playhouse). Chicago College of Performing Arts BFA graduate. Many thanks to her family, friends, and @HudsonArtistsAgency for their support! IG: @jordontaylor18

Rodney Thompson

Ensemble, u/s Eddie Ryan

RODNEY THOMPSON (Ensemble, u/s Eddie Ryan) . National tour debut! Regional credits: The Color Purple (Adam, MUNY); Rock of Ages, Ragtime, Jersey Boys, 42nd Street, Kinky Boots and more at Music Theatre Wichita; Grease at Lyric Theatre OK. He is a recent Oklahoma City University Dance Performance Alum. Huge thanks to CESD and the Funny Girl team! @itzlilrodney

Sean Thompson

ENSEMBLE, U/S NICK ARNSTEIN, U/S ZIEGFELD, U/S TOM KEENEY

SEAN THOMPSON ( Ensemble, u/s Tom Keeney, u/s Nick Arnstein, u/s Florenz Ziegfeld ). Broadway:  Sunset Boulevard  (Joe Gillis u/s). Tours:  Love Never Dies  (Raoul);  The Sound of Music  (Captain u/s). Off-Broadway:  Penelope  (Barius, original cast album). TV: “The Walking Dead: Dead City” (AMC); “An Evening with Lerner and Loewe”(PBS). Regional favorites:  Hunchback  (Phoebus), Disney’s  The Little Mermaid  (Prince Eric),  Cabaret  (Cliff).    @oneseanthompson

Annaliese Wilbur

SWING, ASSISTANT DANCE CAPTAIN

ANNALIESE WILBUR (Swing, Assistant Dance Captain ). Broadway National tour debut! Boston Conservatory ‘23 grad (shoutout BoCo Tap Club)! Special hugs to family, friends, and Dustin & Marc with Daniel Hoff Agency. Big kisses for Harley. IG: @annaliese.wilbur

Michael Mayer

Michael Mayer ( Director ) Theatre credits include: the hit revival of Little Shop of Horrors starring Jonathan Groff at the Westside Theatre; Adam Driver and Keri Russell in Burn This, Head Over Heels (featuring the songs of The Go-Go’s), Neil Patrick Harris in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Tony Award, best musical revival, also National Tour), Spring Awakening (Tony Award/Best Musical and Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Director; also London, National Tour, Vienna, Tokyo, and Seoul productions); Green Day’s American Idiot (also co-author, Drama Desk Award for Best Director; also US, UK and Asia tours); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award/Best Musical also London and National Tour), Side Man (Tony Award/Best Play also London and Kennedy Center Productions), A View from the Bridge (Tony Award/Best Revival), Michael Moore’s The Terms of My Surrender, Everyday Rapture , You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown , and Triumph of Love ; off-Broadway credits include Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 21 Chump Street (BAM), Chess (Kennedy Center), Love, Love, Love (Roundabout), Brooklynite (Also co-author, Vineyard), Whorl Inside A Loop (with Dick Scanlan, Second Stage), 10 Million Miles (Atlantic): Angels in America . London: a record-breaking West End run of Funny Girl and UK tour. Tokyo: As You Like It (Toho Theatre).

Film: A Home at the End of the World (Excellence in filmmaking, National Board of Review, GLAAD nomination), Flicka, The Seagull. He was featured in the documentary Broadway Idiot.

Television credits include: “SMASH” (Pilot, producing director: Season One), two seasons of “Alpha House” (Amazon), Executive Producer on 27 Dresses and for the HBO film WIG.

He made his Metropolitan Opera debut with a celebrated new production of Rigoletto, followed by world premiere co-production (with the English National Opera) of Nico Muhly’s Marnie, and a new production of La Traviata, which broke box office records.

Additional Awards and fellowships: the inaugural Daryl Roth Creative Spirit, Drama League, Jefferson, Ovation, Alan Schneider, and Carbonell awards; Fox Foundation Fellowship, Two Drama League Fellowships, TCG/NEA Directing Fellowship. He serves on the Boards of New York Stage and Film and the Arthur Miller Foundation.

Recent work includes Swept Away at Berkeley Rep and Single All the Way for Netflix.

Ellenore Scott

Choreography

Ellenore Scott ( Choreography ) is a New York–based choreographer and content creator. Scott most recently choreographed the viral Ratatouille: The Musical with Seaview Productions and the Off-Broadway Revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theater. Upcoming projects include the Off-Broadway premiere of Fairycakes where she will serve as choreographer and associate director. Scott also served as the associate choreographer for Head Over Heels and King Kong on Broadway, and she was the assistant choreographer for the Broadway revivals of Cats and Falsettos . She choreographed Kate Hamill’s Off-Broadway’s production of Pride and Prejudice at Cherry Lane Theatre and Jeremy O. Harris’ Black Exhibition at The Bushwick Starr. Scott is the Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a New York City contemporary dance company. As a performer she was a finalist and an All-Star on the hit television show “So You Think You Can Dance.” She performed on numerous television shows ( Glee, Smash, The Ellen Show, The Blacklist, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to name a few) and danced with Janet Jackson. Instagram: @ellenorescott

Ayodele Casel

Tap Choreography

Ayodele Casel ( Tap Choreography ), “a tap dancer and choreographer of extraordinary depth” (The New York Times) and one of The New York Times’ “Biggest Breakout Stars of 2019”, most recently premiered “Chasing Magic” a dance film encapsulating the wonder of collaboration and artistry. Ayodele premiered her one-woman show “While I Have The Floor” at the Spoleto Arts Festival to rave reviews. A frequent New York City Center collaborator, she served as choreographer for Carole King and Maurice Sendak’s musical “Really Rosie” for its Encores! Off Center under the direction of Leigh Silverman, a soloist for Jeanine Tesori’s “Jamboree”, a soloist at Fall For Dance, and was the inaugural artist for their “On The Move” series. Ayodele was also a 2019-2020 fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and Artist in Residence at Harvard University. Born in The Bronx and raised in Puerto Rico, Ayodele began her professional training at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her origins in theater and love for storytelling and tap dance have significantly contributed to the narrative nature of her work, which is rooted in the expression of identity, culture, language, and communication. Ayodele is Artist in Residence at Little Island, a new outdoor performance park on the Hudson and is on the Artist Council for NY Pops Up!, a New York State lead initiative to jumpstart live performances in NYC. Ayodele is also a featured tap dancer honoring the art form of tap on a 2021 US Postal Service Forever Stamp. https://www.ayodelecasel.com/

Jule Styne ( Music ) Born December 31st, 1905, London. Died September 20th, 1994, New York City.

With the scores of such Broadway classics as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Peter Pan, Bells Are Ringing, Gypsy and Funny Girl to his credit, composer Jule Styne ranks as one of the undisputed architects of the American musical theater. Born in London’s East End, Styne’s family moved to the United States in 1912.

Young Julius showed such a talent for the piano that he had performed with the Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit symphonies by age 10.

He developed his feel for popular music working with the jazz bands of 1920s Chicago, and as a vocal coach to such 1930s Hollywood stars as Shirley Temple and Alice Faye.

Teaming with lyricist Sammy Cahn in the 1940s, he created a string of hit parade leaders including the Oscar-winning “Three Coins in the Fountain.” In addition to Sammy Cahn, Styne’s collaborators include Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Stephen Sondheim, Bob Merrill, Leo Robin and E.Y. Harburg, and their combined efforts have produced such showstoppers as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “The Party’s Over,” “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!,” “People,” and “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.”

Jule Styne was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972, the Theater Hall of Fame in 1981, and became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1990. On his 25th anniversary in show business, the following tribute was read into the Congressional Record : “The lives of Americans throughout our land, as well as the lives of people throughout the corners of the world, have been enriched by the artistry and genius of Jule Styne.”

Margaret Styne

Special Material

Margaret Ann Bissett Brown began her career as a model and actress. She was married to composer Jule Styne, and together, they composed “What Do Happy People Do?” Upon Margaret’s death,  Funny Girl  producers announced, “Margaret was a brilliant storyteller who represented her husband Jule Styne’s genius legacy with creativity and imagination … Her spirit will be imbued in our Broadway production of  Funny Girl .”

Bob Merrill

Bob Merrill ( Lyrics ) was an American screenwriter, Broadway composer, lyricist. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Bob could not read or write a note of music.

He would plunk out his cheerful melodies on a toy xylophone bought at a five and dime store. When ideas for songs struck him, he would write the words down on napkins or odd scraps of paper.

Bob turned out to be one of the most influential and prolific songwriters of the 1950s with hits on the U.S. and U.K. Singles Charts such as “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window,” “Mambo Italiano” and “Honeycomb.”

Merrill then transitioned to writing lyrics for beloved television musicals including “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” (1962), “The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood” (1965) and “The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (music and lyrics, 1998). Merrill also wrote five songs for the 1962 film The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm .

Longing to write more profound songs, he turned to the musical theatre. By the late fifties, he had written music and lyrics for Broadway’s New Girl in Town, Take Me Along, Carnival , and Henry, Sweet Henry .

In the early 1960’s Merrill formed an enduring partnership with composer Jule Styne, which would lead to his greatest artistic success, Funny Girl (1964). Hit songs such as “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” were made famous by Barbra Streisand, who starred in the original production of Funny Girl in 1964. He would partner with Styne again on Sugar (1972) and The Red Shoes (1993). Other stage musicals include Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1966), Prettybelle (1971) and The Prince of Grand Street (1978).

In the late 1970’s, Merrill returned to Hollywood where he wrote several screenplays including Mahogany starring Diana Ross, W.C . Fields And Me starring Rod Steiger and Chu Chu And The Philly Flash starring Carol Burnett.

Bob Merrill passed away in 1998, leaving behind a legacy of timeless songs that spoke to both his whimsy and his gentle poetry.

Isobel Lennart

Isobel Lennart ( Book ) (1915-1971) was born Isobel Fredrika Hochdorf on May 8, 1915, in Brooklyn. Her father was a dentist working out of their home on Crescent Street. Her mother, Victoria Lennart Livingston, died when Isobel was five years old. Afflicted by polio as a girl and in leg braces, Isobel became an avid reader, especially of movie magazines. She dreamed of escaping Brooklyn and becoming a film director. After attending Smith College and NYU, she moved to Los Angeles in 1937 and worked as a script girl for MGM. As a screenwriter, her first movie for MGM,  The Affairs of Martha , opened in 1942, followed by A  Stranger in Town , and her personal favorite,  Lost Angel .  Some 25 more scripts were made into popular movies over the next 30 years, among them,  Two for the Seesaw ,  Inn of the Sixth Happines s, the Oscar-nominated  Love Me or Leave Me , and  The Sundowners . She married actor-playwright John Harding in 1946, and had two children, Joshua (1947-1971) and Sarah (1951-). Despite her trials and tribulations with the House Un-American Activities Committee, she was never prevented from working. In 1964 she wrote the book for the Broadway musical  Funny Girl  and in 1968 wrote the screen adaptation, winning the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay. Ms. Lennart received many accolades and three Academy Award nominations during her career, but the 1966 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement bestowed by the Writers Guild of America was her most treasured. It is given to that member of the Guild who has advanced the literature of the motion picture through the years, and who has made outstanding contributions to the profession of the screenwriter. She died mid-career in a car accident in January 1971. In 2016,  Funny Girl  was deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress, and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Today, a documentary on the life of Ms. Lennart highlighting her most iconic work and featuring its first Broadway revival is in production with support from the Jewish Film Institute.

Harvey Fierstein

Revised Book

Harvey Fierstein ( Revised Book ) is the author of Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage Aux Folles , (both Tony Award winners) Kinky Boots, Newsies, Casa Valentina (all Tony Award Nominated), A Catered Affair (Drama League Outstanding Musical), Safe Sex, Legs Diamond , and last season’s Bella Bella . His television scripts include “Hairspray Live!” and “The Wiz Live!” as well as the HBO drama “Tidy Endings.” He’s written opinion pieces for The NY Times, Huffington Post, Hartford Courant and PBS’ In The Life. Theater goers know his Tony Award-winning performances in Hairspray and Torch Song Trilogy as well as star turns in Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage Aux Folles, Gently Down The Stream , and Bella Bella . His film roles include Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day and Mulan . On TV he’s been on “Sesame Street,” “Cheers” (Emmy nomination), “BoJack Horseman,” “The Good Wife” and “Hairspray Live!” Inducted into The Theater Hall of Fame and The Brooklyn Walk of Fame, Mr. Fierstein has a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. This spring Knopf will release his memoir, I Was Better Last Night .

Scenic Designer

DAVID ZINN ( Scenic Designer ). Broadway: scenery and costumes for Choir Boy, Boys in the Band, SpongeBob SquarePants, Amélie, Fun Home, The Last Ship; scenery for Kimberly Akimbo, Funny Girl, Diana, The Minutes, Torch Song, The Humans ; costumes for Almost Famous, A Doll’s House Part 2, Airline Highway, Xanadu. Also: Playwrights Horizons, The Public Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Second Stage, ACT, Berkeley Rep, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, National Theatre (UK), Young Vic (UK), Theater Basel, Berlin Staatsoper. Tony, Obie, Drama Desk, Hewes awards.

Susan Hilferty

Costume Designer

Susan Hilferty ( Costume Designer) has designed over 300 productions across the globe. Recent designs include Hamlet (St. Anne’s Warehouse and Gate Theatre, Dublin), Blood Wedding (Young Vic, London), Boesman and Lena (Signature Theatre), A Bright Room Called Day , (Public Theatre), Love, Love, Love (Roundabout Theatre; Lucille Lortel Award), Buried Child and The Spoils (New Group, NY and West End), Turn Me Loose (Arena Stage), and Richard Nelson’s What Happened? : The Michaels Abroad (Loewe Theatre). Her many Broadway designs include Wicked (Tony, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk awards and Olivier nomination), Present Laughter (Tony nomination), Hands on a Hardbody , Spring Awakening (Tony nomination), Lestat (Tony nomination), Annie (2013 Revival), Into the Woods (Tony and Drama Desk nominations; Hewes Award), and Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland . Her designs for opera include Rigoletto and La Traviata for the Metropolitan Opera and Manon at LA Opera and Berlin Staatsoper. Hilferty has designed over a hundred off-Broadway including Richard Nelson’s Apple Family Plays and August Wilson’s Radio Golf and Jitney . She works with such well-known directors as Athol Fugard (the South African writer with whom she works as set and costume designer and often as co-director on over 45 productions since 1980), Yaël Farber, JoAnne Akalaitis, Laurie Anderson, Arin Arbus, Christopher Ashley, Walter Bobbie, Anne Bogart, Gregory Boyd, Jonathan Butterell, Oskar Eustis, Robert Falls, Frank Galati, Garry Hynes, David Jones, Selina Cartmell, Moisés Kaufman, Tony Kushner, Mark Lamos, James Lapine, Michael Longhurst, Richard Nelson, Des McAnuff, Marion McClinton, James MacDonald, Emily Mann, Joe Mantello, Michael Mayer, Neil Pepe, Bart Sher, Rebecca Taichman, Robert Woodruff, Doug Wright, and the late Garland Wright. Hilferty also designs for Film, Dance (Alvin Ailey), the Circus (Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey) and Concerts (Taylor Swift SPEAK NOW World Tour). Hilferty’s many awards include the USITT Lifetime Achievement Award, Irene Sharaff Award for Lifetime Achievement, an OBIE for Sustained Excellence in Design, the Lilly Award and the Ruth Morley Design Award from the League of Professional Theatre Women. In addition, she Chairs the Department of Design for Stage and Film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. susanhilferty.com

Kevin Adams

Lighting Designer

Kevin Adams ( Lighting Designer) Kevin Adams has received four Tony Awards for his work on Broadway, which includes The Cher Show, Head Over Heels, SpongeBob The Musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot, Next to Normal, Passing Strange, The 39 Steps, Spring Awakening, Hair, Take Me Out , and solo shows by Michael Moore, Eve Ensler, and John Leguizamo. Off-Broadway credits include the original productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Scottsboro Boys , revivals of Carrie and Rent , and new work by Edward Albee, Tony Kushner, Neil Simon, Terrence McNally, Richard Greenberg, Anna Deavere Smith, Eric Bogosian, and Christopher Durang. Other work includes numerous productions at The Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, the Hollywood Bowl, Las Vegas, London’s West End, Disney Hall, and Sandra Bernhard’s 1990 feature film Without You I’m Nothing . Kevin has received the Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Award, Lucille Lortel Awards, Hewes Design Awards, Knights of Illumination Award, and an Obie for Sustained Excellence.

Brian Ronan

Co-Sound Designer

BRIAN RONAN (Co- Sound Designer ) has designed the sound for over 40 Broadway shows. Some recent designs include Some Like It Hot; Mrs. Doubtfire ; Tootsie ; Mean Girls ; Springsteen on Broadway ; The Prom ; The Last Ship ; If/Then ; Beautiful ; The Book of Mormon ; Anything Goes ; American Idiot ; Promises, Promises ; Next to Normal ; Curtains ; Spring Awakening ; Cabaret. His regional and Off-Broadway credits are extensive. Brian is the recipient of the Obie, Lucille Lortel, two Drama Desks, London’s Olivier and two Tony awards.

CODY SPENCER

CO-SOUND DESIGNER

CODY SPENCER (Co- Sound Designer ). Broadway: Co-Sound Design: Here Lies Love, The Pee-Wee Herman Show . Off-Broadway: Broadway Bounty Hunter and Joan of Arc: Into the Fire , Co-Sound Design Trevor and Here Lies Love (Lortel Award). Some of his work as Associate Sound Designer includes Springsteen on Broadway , Mean Girls , Lazarus , Beautiful , The Book of Mormon , Bring It On: The Musical , and Annie . In addition to theatre, Cody has co-designed some of New York’s biggest concert venues including Brooklyn Steel, Terminal 5 and Webster Hall.

CAMPBELL YOUNG ASSOCIATES

WIG AND HAIR DESIGNER

CAMPBELL YOUNG ASSOCIATES ( Wig and Hair Designer ). Broadway: The Music Man ; Company ; Tina–The Tina Turner Musical (Drama Desk); A Christmas Carol ; To Kill A Mockingbird ; Carousel ; Hello, Dolly ; Head Over Heels ; King Lear ; Misery ; Les Misérables ; The Ferryman ; Jerusalem ; Ghost ; Billy Elliot. West End: Back to the Future, Get Up Stand Up, Cinderella, Leopoldstadt. Film/TV: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Downton Abbey.

Chris Walker

Orchestrations

Chris Walker ( Orchestrations ) Chris orchestrated the highly acclaimed London production of Funny Girl which premiered at The Menier Chocolate Factory before transferring to The Savoy Theatre in the West End. Over the years, he has been associated with numerous productions across the UK and USA, West End and Broadway, as a Musical Director, Orchestrator and Dance Arranger. As well as being a prolific composer, he has also produced numerous cast recordings and his film work includes orchestrations for Shirley Valentine, Impromptu and Olympus Has Fallen . Theater shows include: Godspell, Oliver!, Side by Side by Sondheim, My Fair Lady, Tomfoolery, Me and My Girl (London and Broadway), Cabaret, Follies, The Secret Garden, Ragtime, Acorn Antiques, Sweet Charity, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London and Broadway), Lend Me A Tenor, Anything Goes, The Producers, Barnum and the first ever stage adaptation of Irving Berlin’s Top Hat . Chris has worked extensively for the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre providing orchestrations for their productions of Into The Woods, Ragtime and The Sound of Music . Having orchestrated Victoria Wood’s musical That Day We Sang for The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, he was invited to enhance the score for the BBC2 Christmas drama adaptation starring Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball. His frequent collaborations with Olivier Award-winning performer Maria Friedman include her London productions of High Society at the Old Vic and Stepping Out at the Vaudeville Theatre. When Covid-19 struck the London theater scene, Chris was conducting the UK Premier of Sleepless, The Musical based on the movie, “Sleepless In Seattle”. He is currently writing the music for a new show, Power Play , and orchestrating a production using music by Cole Porter which is due to open later in the year. He is very much looking forward to being in New York again and creating new orchestrations for Funny Girl.

Michael Rafter

Music Supervisor

Michael Rafter ( Music Supervisor) has served as music director/arranger for Sutton Foster: New York Pops, Live From Lincoln Center, and over 100 concerts world-wide. He has been the music director/conductor and/or supervisor for Broadway: Violet, Everyday Rapture, Sweet Charity, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Swing!, The Sound of Music, The King and I, The Most Happy Fella, Gypsy . He was the associate music supervisor for Jersey Boys . For Film and TV: CODA, Annette, Marriage Story, Music and Lyrics, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Gypsy starring Bette Midler (Emmy for Music Direction). He is an Associate Professor of Musical Theatre at Ball State University. Michael will next be the music director/supervisor for the upcoming Broadway revival of Funny Girl in 2022. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the proud father of Siena Rafter (Brown ’20).

Jim Carnahan, CSA

JIM CARNAHAN, CSA ( Casting ) has cast over 150 Broadway shows. His work on Broadway this season includes Merrily We Roll Along ; Shark is Broken ; Appropriate ; Doubt ; New York, New York ; A Beautiful Noise ; Funny Girl ; Harry Potter ; Moulin Rouge! ; as well as off-Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors . Film: Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid.

JASON THINGER, CSA

JASON THINGER, CSA ( Casting ). Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along, Funny Girl, A Beautiful Noise, Almost Famous, Take Me Out, A Christmas Carol, Tootsie . Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Medea (BAM). Regional/Tours: A Christmas Carol, The Light in the Piazza (Lyric Opera of Chicago). London: The 47th . TV/Film: The Week Of and The Sinner .

Alan Williams

Dance, Vocal and Incidental Music Arrangements

Alan Williams ( Dance, Vocal and Incidental Music Arrangements ) is an Arranger, Musical Director, Supervisor and Orchestrator. He studied piano and conducting at Chetham’s School of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Recent credits include: Hairspray (London Coliseum), The Boy in the Dress (Royal Shakespeare Company), Evita (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park), The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Southwark Playhouse), Big Fish (The Other Palace), Disney’s Aladdin (Prince Edward Theatre), Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Factory, Savoy Theatre, UK Tour & Cinema broadcast), A Damsel in Distress (Chichester Festival Theatre), Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), Urinetown (St James Theatre & Apollo Theatre), The Commitments (Palace Theatre & UK Tour), A Chorus Line (London Palladium), Shrek (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, two UK tours & Australia), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee & Passion (Donmar Warehouse), Monty Python’s Spamalot (Palace Theatre), Eric’s (Liverpool Everyman) and Little Shop of Horrors (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Recording credits include producing the original cast album of The Boy in the Dress , Matt Croke – Only Dreaming , conducting the 2016 recording of Funny Girl and playing on the Original Cast Album of Sister Act . His orchestration and arrangement of Overture of Overtures was a YouTube sensation in 2020, and will be performed at the Kennedy Center Washington 50th anniversary concert.

David Dabbon

Additional Arrangements

David Dabbon ( Additional Arrangements ) is an Emmy nominated composer for his song “Eat Shit, Bob!” which aired on HBO’s award-winning “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” On Broadway, he composed new music and wrote dance arrangements for the celebrated revival of  Bob Fosse’s Dancin’.   He also provided additional orchestrations for the Broadway bio-musical Sondheim on Sondheim (Grammy nomination). He has an ongoing collaboration with six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, regularly providing orchestrations for her concerts and albums. His work can be heard on both Audra McDonald New York Philharmonic: Sing Happy and Audra McDonald: Go Back Home. His film work includes: Six By Sondheim (Arranger) and All God’s Creatures (Composer). Education: Carnegie Mellon University and The Hartt School. www.daviddabbon.com .

Carmel Dean

CARMEL DEAN ( Additional Arrangements ). Composer: Renascence (Off-Broadway); Well-Behaved Women (Joe’s Pub and Australia). Upcoming: Maiden Voyage (commission). Broadway musical director, supervisor and/or arranger: The Notebook ; If/Then ; American Idiot ; Hands on a Hardbody ; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee . Other collaborations: Green Day; Phish; The Trey Anastasio Band, Chita Rivera.

KIMBERLEE WERTZ 

Music Coordinator

Kimberlee Wertz  ( Music Coordinator ). Red was awarded the 2007 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. Broadway credits include over 100 shows. Kim: Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, Oscars. Together this season:  The Lehman Trilogy, The Music Man, Funny Girl !

ELAINE DAVIDSON

MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR

ELAINE DAVIDSON ( Music Director/Conductor ). National tours include: Annie, Phantom of the Opera, Wizard of Oz, Catch Me If You Can, Mamma Mia!, Sound of Music (China), and more. She has worked with directors Cameron Mackintosh, Hal Prince, Billy Porter, Dan Knechtges, Jeffrey Seller, Baayork Lee, and Gabe Barre.

JOHANNA McKEON

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

JOHANNA McKEON ( Associate Director ). Broadway: Funny Girl, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, King Kong, American Idiot, War Paint, and Grey Gardens . Broadway Tours: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot, Rent. Upcoming: Swept Away at Arena Stage. She is a recipient of Drama League, Boris Sagal and Fulbright Fellowships. MFA: UT Austin.

TORYA BEARD

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

TORYA BEARD ( Assistant Director ). Director: Ayodele Casel: Chasing Magic , Artists at the Center (NYCC), Assistant Director: Funny Girl Broadway revival, Waitress Broadway revival. Producer: Bessie Awards 2023, Jesus Christ Superstar: Highlights from the All-Female Studio Cast Recording . APAP’s Inaugural CIPA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Producing. For Valerie Payne Foster.

JEFFREY GUGLIOTTI

ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER

JEFFREY GUGLIOTTI ( Associate Choreographer ) is a Choreographer and Teacher based in New York City. Credits include: The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The View , the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Most recently: Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, Mr. Saturday Night at Barrington Stage; Broadway: revival of Funny Girl . @jeffgugliotti

ASSISTANT TAP CHOREOGRAPHER

DRE TORRES ( Assistant Tap Choreographer ). Chasing Magic , City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival, and Little Island’s Music and Dance Festival . Career highlights: Comedy Central, Radio City, FOX, BBC, PBS, Harvard, and five-year Principal with Tapestry Dance Company, directed by Acia Gray. For Mom, Dad & Mona. @dretorres14

JOVON E. SHUCK

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

JOVON E. SHUCK ( Production Stage Manager ) is a proud graduate of Michigan State University whose credits include the National tours of: Dear Evan Hansen, Miss Saigon, Waitress , Hedwig and the Angry Inch , The Phantom of the Opera , Disney’s The Lion King , and Monty Python’s Spamalot as well as Radio City Music Hall, The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, George Street Playhouse, and Gateway Playhouse. Much love to Sheila Marie, always.

MARIAH YOUNG

STAGE MANAGER

MARIAH YOUNG ( Stage Manager ). Tours: The Book of Mormon, Anastasia , A Bronx Tale , Elf the Musical, The Nutcracker, Flamenco Vivo’s Voces del Sur , and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Infinite thanks to my ever-supportive family, friends, and Brian.

Rachael Wilkin

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

RACHAEL WILKIN  ( Assistant Stage Manager ) (she/her). National Tours: Mean Girls , Oklahoma! , Miss Saigon , Waitress , Fiasco’s Into The Woods , Pippin . Off-Broadway: Our Class . Scenic fabrication/painting: The Humans (Broadway).

BRILLIAN QI-BELL

SUB STAGE MANAGER

Brillian Qi-Bell ( Sub Stage Manager ). Advocacy/Educational Programs: Cody Renard Richard Scholarship, Beyond the Stage Door (Baseline Theatricals). PA: Jagged Little Pill (Tour, RCI Theatricals), SUFFS (Development 101 Productions), The Harder They Come (Public Theater). ASM: Bees & Honey (MCC Theater), Marathon of One-Act Plays (Ensemble Studio Theater) SM: BREATHE (New Professional Theater), BLKS (UIowa)

JUSTIN A. SWEENEY

COMPANY MANAGER

JUSTIN A. SWEENEY ( Company Manager ) (he/him). Broadway: Monty Python’s Spamalot . National Tours: To Kill a Mockingbird (First National), The Phantom of the Opera (Spectacular New), Les Misérables (25th Anniversary), Movin’ Out (First National); American Ballet Theatre: national and international tours, including Cuba and Oman. Shout out to Jackson!

RYAN MAYFIELD

ASSISTANT COMPANY MANAGER

RYAN MAYFIELD ( Associate Company Manager ) (he/him). National Tours: To Kill a Mockingbird (First National).  (Regional Theatre) Cabaret (Goodspeed Musicals), World Premiere – Anne of Green Gables ( Goodspeed Musicals), 42nd Street (Goodspeed Musicals). Hometown: Portland, OR. Huge thanks and love to his family, friends, and the Funny Girl Company. Insta: @ryan_mayfield_

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

SETH WENIG ( Executive Producer ) has been with NETworks since its inception in 1995. He spearheaded the international tours of Fosse starring Ben Vereen and Ruthie Henshall. Seth has produced the Lincoln Center Theater production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific and the National Theatre production of War Horse. Together with Cameron Mackintosh, Seth served as Executive Producer for both the US and UK tours of the National Theatre’s My Fair Lady , the 25th Anniversary US tour of Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera tour, Miss Saigon. Currently, Funny Girl, The Book of Mormon, and To Kill a Mockingbird, . He is most proud of his greatest productions – Marlo and Camden.

GENTRY & ASSOCIATES

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

GENTRY & ASSOCIATES ( General Management ) has managed nearly 250 national and international touring theatrical productions over the past 25 years. Current and upcoming productions include Beetlejuice, The Book of Mormon, Come From Away, Funny Girl, Les Misérables, Mean Girls, Peter Pan, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

THE BOOKING GROUP

TOUR BOOKING AGENCY

THE BOOKING GROUP ( Tour Booking Agency ) has represented 28 Tony Award® winning Best Musicals and Plays. Current tours include The Book of Mormon, Chicago, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Funny Girl, Hadestown, Hairspray, Hamilton, Mamma Mia!, Mean Girls, MJ The Musical, Mrs. Doubtfire, My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman, Six, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, To Kill A Mockingbird, Waitress and The Wiz. Future tours include: A Wonderful World, How to Dance in Ohio, The Karate Kid, Parade, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Some Like It Hot and Sweeney Todd.

ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING

TOUR MARKETING & PRESS

ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING ( Tour Marketing & Press ) is an integrated marketing agency working with the world’s largest entertainment, sports, consumer, and lifestyle brands, including 80+ Broadway shows over 25 years. Current tours: Ain’t Too Proud ; Beetlejuice ; The Book of Mormon ; Hadestown ; Mamma Mia! ; Mean Girls ; Mrs. Doubtfire ; Pretty Woman ; Wheel of Fortune LIVE! ; A Wonderful World . Upcoming tours: Back to the Future ; The Hip Hop Nutcracker ; The Kite Runner ; New York, New York ; Some Like It Hot.

DIGITAL MARKETING & ADVERTISING

ARTHOUSE ( Digital Marketing and Advertising ), is a full-service digital agency that partners with forward-thinking advertisers in the strategy and design of innovative brand campaigns. Our services include branding, content creation, social management and media buying with a focus on how creativity & connection drives campaign success. We work with our clients to create campaigns that are beautiful and strategic, converting users into active and engaged customers. Visit arthousenewyork.com .

talent card modal

" * " indicates required fields

Funny Girl National Tour Announces Principal Casting

Melissa Manchester and Katerina McCrimmon

Off the heels of a highly acclaimed Broadway revival, Funny Girl has announced principal casting for the North American Tour. The cast will feature Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. They will be joined by Stephen Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein, Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie Ryan, Walter Coppage as Florenz Ziegfeld, Leah Platt as Emma/Mrs. Nadler, Christine Bunuan as Mrs. Meeker, Eileen T’Kaye as Mrs. Strakosh, and David Foley Jr. as Tom Keeney. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Manchester has been an icon in the music industry since the 1970s, best known for celebrated songs such as "Don't Cry Out Loud," “You Should Hear How She Talks About You,” and “Through The Eyes Of Love” (Ice Castles). In her national tour debut, McCrimmon steps into the role of Fanny Brice, on the heels of becoming a YoungArts Winner in Theater and a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

“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," said director and Tony® Award winner Michael Mayer.

The tour will officially open at Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI, from September 9-16, 2023, before continuing on to more than 30 cities coast-to-coast, including Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Philadelphia.

The Broadway revival features iconic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” Breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice. As 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. The Observer describes the revival as “sparkling and explosively entertaining!”

Funny Girl is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer and features the classic score by Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award winner Jule Styne and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winner Bob Merrill. The original book by Isobel Lennart, from an original story by Miss Lennart, is revised by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein.

Funny Girl features choreography by Ellenore Scott; tap choreography by Ayodele Casel; scenic design by Tony Award winner David Zinn; costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty; lighting design by Tony Award winner Kevin Adams; sound design by Tony Award winner Brian Ronanand Cody Spencer; hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates; music supervision by Emmy Award winner Michael Rafter; casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA, and Jason Thinger; orchestrations by Chris Walker; dance, vocal, and incidental music arrangements by Alan Williams, and additional arrangements by David Dabbon and Carmel Dean. The associate director is Johanna McKeon; the associate choreographer is Jeffrey Gugliotti; the assistant director is Torya Beard; the assistant tap choreographer is Dre Torres.

The Funny Girl tour stage management team is led by production stage manager Jovon Shuck and is supported by Stage Manager Stacey Taylor and assistant stage manager Mariah Young. The company management team is led by company manager Justin Sweeney with assistant company manager Ryan Mayfield. The tour music director/conductor is Elaine Davidson.

The Funny Girl tour is produced by NETworks Presentations in special arrangement with Sonia Friedman Productions, Scott Landis and David Babani.

The Broadway production of FUNNY GIRL began performances at the August Wilson Theatre on March 22, 2022, with the official opening on April 24, 2022, where it will continue its record-breaking run through September 3, 2023. Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis, and David Babani together with Gemini Theatrical, Accidental Jacket, and Sony Masterworks Broadway released Funny Girl– New Broadway Cast Recording, which is now available wherever you stream music. Produced by David Caddick and David Lai and featuring the classic score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, the album is co-produced by Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis, David Babani, Michael Mayer, Brian Gillet, Huck Walton, Sean Keller, and Marc Levine. The album is executively produced by Evan McGill and the associate producers are Joanna Drowos, Abby Green, and PickleStar Theatricals.

Originally from South Florida, Jordanna Brody graduated from Emerson College with a BFA in Theatre Education and Performance in 2019. Her experience teaching, performing, directing, and working behind the scenes informs her perspective on theatre in every way. She is passionate about uplifting marginalized voices and innovative theatrical experiences.

Thornton Wilder's OUR TOWN on Broadway Announces Cast, Theatre, Dates

April 3, 2024

Love, Lust, and Loneliness in BATHHOUSE.PPTX — Review

April 2, 2024

Caroline Aaron, Ashlyn Maddox, Richard Kind, And Jennifer Laura Thompson Join Cast Of The Kennedy Centers Broadway Center Stage Production Of Bye Bye Birdie

Broadway celebrates earth day returns april 20th.

A fresh look at features, news, reviews, and interviews of theatre across the globe, from Broadway to London and everywhere in between. Your one-stop shop for the latest information in arts and culture by the next generation, for the next generation.

Stage and Cinema

Arts and Entertainment Reviews

Tour Preview: FUNNY GIRL (North American Tour Star Katerina McCrimmon Sings “Don’t Rain on My Parade”)

by Jim Allen on September 7, 2023

in Theater-New York , Tours

Funny Girl Tour Starts This Week

The North American tour of  Funny Girl launches on September 9, 2023, at the Providence Performing Arts Center before continuing on to more than 30 cities coast-to-coast, including recently announced engagements in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Here’s star Katerina McCrimmon singing the iconic “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

The production’s previously announced principals include McCrimmon as Fanny Brice, Grammy winner 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/Mrs. Nadler, Christine Bunuan as Mrs. Meeker, Eileen T’Kaye as Mrs. Strakosh, and David Foley Jr. as Tom Keeney.

The full touring ensemble includes Vinny Andaloro, Lamont Brown, Kate E. Cook, Julia Grondin, Jackson Grove, Dot Kelly, Alex Hartman, Ryan Lambert, Kathy Liu, Zoey Lytle, Meghan Manning, Bryan Charles Moore, Sami Murphy, Hannah Shankman, Jordon Taylor, Rodney Thompson, Sean Thompson, and Annaliese Wilbur.

Manchester, a 50-year veteran of the music industry, is best known for songs such as “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “You Should Hear How She Talks About You,” and “Through the Eyes of Love” ( Ice Castles ). In her national tour debut, McCrimmon steps into the role of Fanny Brice on the heels of becoming a YoungArts Winner in Theater and a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

Funny Girl  is directed by Michael Mayer and features a classic score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. The original book by Isobel Lennart was revised by Harvey Fierstein for this revival.

Share this post:

Leave a Comment

• Art and Museums
• Concerts / Events
• Theater-Boston
• Theater-Chicago
• Theater-D.C.
• Theater-International
• Theater-Las Vegas
• Theater-Los Angeles
• Theater-New York
• Theater-Palm Springs (Coachella Valley)
• Theater-Regional
• Theater-San Diego
• Theater-San Francisco / Bay Area
• Privacy Statement

Search reviews by title or key words.

Please help keep stage and cinema going, while we assert that it’s time to rethink the existence of facebook, here’s our page, casino reviews betsquare.

Sep 09, 2023

About this production.

• Production Staff
• Opening Night Cast
• Current Cast
• Replacements
• Songs music by Jule Styne ; lyrics by Bob Merrill Act 1 Sung By Overture The Orchestra Who Are You Now? Fanny Brice Poker Chant No. 1 Mrs. Brice and Mrs. Strakosh If a Girl Isn't Pretty Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Strakosh and Mrs. Meeker If a Girl Isn't Pretty (Reprise) Tom Keeney, Eddie Ryan, Stagehands, Keeney Chorus Girls, Mrs. Strakosh, Mrs. Meeker and Mrs. Brice I'm the Greatest Star Fanny Brice I'm the Greatest Star (Reprise) Mrs. Brice and Fanny Brice Cornet Man Fanny Brice and Cornet Men Nicky Arnstein Fanny Brice His Love Makes Me Beautiful Tenor, Fanny Brice and Ensemble I Want To Be Seen With You Nick Arnstein and Fanny Brice Henry Street Company People Fanny Brice You Are Woman, I Am Man Nick Arnstein and Fanny Brice Poker Chant No. 2 Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Strakosh and Mrs. Meeker Don't Rain on My Parade Fanny Brice Act 2 Sung By Entr'acte The Orchestra Sadie, Sadie Fanny Brice and Company Who Taught Her Everything She Knows? Mrs. Brice and Eddie Ryan Temporary Arrangement Nick Arnstein and Men Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat Fanny Brice and Ensemble Who Are You Now? Fanny Brice and Nick Arnstein You're a Funny Girl Nick Arnstein What Do Happy People Do? Follies Girls The Music That Makes Me Dance Fanny Brice Finale Fanny Brice
• Current and Future

Engagement Dates

City and state.

• & Juliet
• A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
• An Enemy of the People
• Appropriate
• Back to the Future
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Hell's Kitchen
• Kimberly Akimbo
• Left on Tenth
• Merrily We Roll Along
• Mother Play
• Moulin Rouge! The Musical
• SIX: The Musical
• Stereophonic
• Sunset Boulevard
• Sweeney Todd
• The Book of Mormon
• The Great Gatsby
• The Heart of Rock and Roll
• The Lion King
• The Mousetrap
• The Notebook
• The Outsiders
• The Who's Tommy
• Uncle Vanya
• Water for Elephants
• Yellow Face

‘Funny Girl’ will embark on a North American tour

Sonia Friedman Productions, Scott Landis, David Babani and NETworks Presentations have announced a North American tour of "Funny Girl," scheduled to launch in fall 2023. The tour will officially open on Sept. 9 at Rhode Island's Providence Performing Arts Center.

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share via Email

Sonia Friedman Productions, Scott Landis, David Babani and NETworks Presentations have announced a North American tour of “Funny Girl,” scheduled to launch in fall 2023. The tour will officially open on Sept. 9 at Rhode Island’s Providence Performing Arts Center. A full list of cities and tour dates will be announced.

Currently running on Broadway, the revival is directed by Michael Mayer and choreographed by Ellenore Scott, with tap choreography by Ayodele Casel. The production features scenic design by David Zinn; costume design by Susan Hilferty; lighting design by Kevin Adams; sound design by Brian Ronan; hair/wig design by Campbell Young Associates; music direction and supervision by Michael Rafter; casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger; orchestrations by Chris Walker; dance, vocal and incidental music arrangements by Alan William; and additional arrangements by David Dabbon and Carmel Dean.

Casting for the tour has yet to be announced.

With a score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, “Funny Girl” features an original book by Isobel Lennart revised by Harvey Fierstein. The musical follows the path of real-life comedian Fanny Brice on her road to stardom.

The Broadway revival began performances on March 22, 2022, at the August Wilson Theatre. As previously announced , a cast album is currently available digitally and will be released on CD on Jan. 20.

In a statement, producers Friedman, Landis and Baban said, “It’s been 27 years since ‘Funny Girl’ last toured the country and we are excited to introduce this classic musical to a new generation of theatergoers.”

Infusing New York City into the choreography of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

Capacity numbers reach a season-high, as broadway’s attendance and gross soar, ‘the who’s tommy’: maximum hertz, maximum heart, broadway box office sees small bump while remaining slightly behind last season, how one woman is working to make broadway accessible across all of its theaters, the broadway review: ‘water for elephants’ explores familiar territory through novel theatrics, exclusive: broadway licensing global acquires john leguizamo’s catalog of plays, broadway’s ‘aladdin’ used to be an entirely different show.

'Funny Girl' tour will launch in Providence. Meet the new star and her famous onstage mom

When Katerina McCrimmon learned she’d been cast as the lead in the touring production of “Funny Girl” – her first major role – her mother sobbed.

Tears of pride? Most likely, McCrimmon says, but a more telling clue was when her mom shared memories of singing the Melissa Manchester hit “Don’t Cry Out Loud” into a hairbrush in front of her childhood bedroom mirror.

McCrimmon plays feisty vaudeville star Fanny Brice, with the Grammy Award-winning Manchester as her mother in “Funny Girl,” which opens its national tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center on Sept. 9.

“It’s thrilling to work with someone I admire so much,” McCrimmon says.

The tour comes after Broadway’s successful reboot of the biography of Brice, child of early 20th-century immigrants who defied the odds and followed her dreams onto the stage. Brice’s confidence – and her mother’s relentless nudging – plays out against a lush score, featuring familiar songs like “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

The parallels between the Brices and the tour leads are evident when listening to the women’s banter in a telephone interview.

More: 'Funny Girl', Disney's 'Frozen', and 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical': Here's what's coming to PPAC

“Katerina is so special. I just know America is going to fall in love with her like the others and I have,” Manchester says. “This is a landmark show that has not toured in 60 years. It’s such a rich experience.”

McCrimmon says she approaches the Providence kickoff with “a bunch of different emotions.”

“I’m excited, nervous, eager,” she says, adding that working with Manchester helped her grow into the lead. “I know that, over time, I’ll pull myself up by my bootstraps and you won’t be able to hold me back.”

Calling herself the tour’s “village elder,” Manchester adds that she happily shares wisdom collected over her 50 years in show business, often from moments when she was the only woman in the room.

“It was all men back then,” she recalls. “It’s a different world now, but I learned so much. It was a hard walk, but I’m so grateful to find grace in the midst of it all.”

On stage: What's on tap for Trinity Rep's 2023-'24 season? Check out the 60th anniversary lineup

Having seen multiple renditions of “Funny Girl” – Barbra Streisand’s Fanny in the 1960s, Lea Michelle in the 2022 Broadway revival and now McCrimmon – Manchester says the Cinderella story and the way each actress conquers stereotypes and naysayers is inspiring.

“Fanny was a product of her time,” she explains. “She would use Yiddish-isms to get people laughing with her instead of at her. And, her mother was a strong woman who raised three kids alone. She knew Fanny had the light, and she wanted her to walk in her light.

“She sounds like all the women I grew up with in the Bronx!”

This legacy proved somewhat daunting to McCrimmon, who worked tirelessly with a dialect coach and studied the Jewish culture and nuances of 1920s New York to “get it right.”

“I have to allow myself to be myself, but I also have to get it right,” she says with a laugh. “I feel like Fanny in many ways. She was one in a million, with drive and passion. She always knew she had it and just had to trust in herself.”

Manchester, who says her role in “Funny Girl” marks the first time she was hired as an actress, says the music and cadence of the show “triggers my engines.”

“It’s a beautiful musical – so funny and heart-soaring,” she says.

If you go ...

What : "Funny Girl"

Where : Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence

When : Sept. 9-16

Tickets : $45 and up

Info : ppacri.org , (401) 421-2787

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content

JHP Entertainment

Entertainment News, Reviews and Interviews

Theatre Review: National Tour of ‘Funny Girl’ playing Jackson Hall now thru January 7 as TPAC says “Hello Gorgeous” to second half of their 23/24 Broadway Season

January 4, 2024 by Jonathan

Telling the highly fictionalized story of vaudeville queen Fanny Brice , the National Tour of recent Broadway revival musical Funny Girl opened the Nashville tour stop Tuesday night at Tennessee Performing Art Center ’s Jackson Hall, not only kicking off the new year, but also the second half of TPAC ’s 23/24 HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC season.

While there’s definitely a percentage of the audience who are no-doubt devotees of the original 1964 Broadway debut of Funny Girl , it’s subsequent 1968 film and Barbara Streisand , who starred in both, it’s been more than half a century since Streisand laid claim to Fanny Brice. There’s likely just as many who are experiencing this show for the very first time, thanks to 2022’s Broadway revival that features a reworking by Harvey Fierstein of Isobel Lennart ’s original book of the musical. I count myself among the latter. At the risk of having certain ‘memberships’ revoked, I’m just gonna admit it from the get…I’ve never been the biggest Streisand fan. There. I said it. Heck, I wasn’t even 100% sure I’d ever seen the film adaptation of Funny Girl and I’d certainly never seen Funny Girl on stage. Being a fan of Brice’s era of vaudeville, in particular Ziegfeld and his follies—mostly because of my obsession with Lucille Ball and the comedic similarities between Ball and Brice—I have fallen down more than one internet rabbit hole searching out the few rare clips of Brice, so I was familiar with her story and   I knew the songs from Funny Girl . I mean how can you be a theatre nerd and not know the music of Jule Styne and lyrics of Bob Merrill featured in one of the most beloved musicals of all time, right? Here’s the thing though. None of that mattered once the familiar notes of the Overture began to swell from the orchestra pit as conducted by Elaine Davidson . With each note, my anticipation grew and I somehow instinctively knew I was in for a grand night of musical theatre.

It’s not just McCrimmon’s talents as a singer that reels you in, as she equally adept showcasing the funny and the girl. When scenes call for McCrimmon to honor Brice’s physicality as a comedic entertainer, her facial expressions and body language rival those of greats of the craft like Ball and Carol Burnett. When the plot goes deeper, McCrimmon steps it up and evokes emotion, not only in her performance, but in the audience reaction. Case in point, at the end of Act 1, when McCrimmon exquisitely belts out the show-stopping Don’t Rain on My Parade , I was frankly surprised the entire audience didn’t bound to their feet for a pre-intermission Standing O.

While I would be satisfied to sit in a theatre and just witness McCrimmon in a solo performance and be completely satisfied, of course she isn’t alone. Guess what? The entire company is quite brilliant. While the real Fanny Brice was thrice married (I told you I’ve been down my share of Fanny Brice rabbit holes) Funny Girl takes place after husband number one and focuses on Brice’s life and tumultuous relationship and ultimate marriage to husband number two, Nicky Arnstein, played handsomely by Stephen Mark Lukas . I say handsomely because…have you seen his social media? Thanks largely to the way Funny Girl is written, and the ‘character’ of Nicky, in particular, we are to believe that Arnstein was matinee-idol good-looking, giving dual meaning to the infamous line, “Hello, Gorgeous”. In reality, Arnstein was tall, lanky and not what you’d call traditionally handsome. But back to Lukas and his matinee looks. Like his leading lady, he’s also go talent to back it up. Under the show’s director, Michael Mayer ’s watchful eye, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of Lukas’ portrayal of Arnstein. Not only does he look like an Old Hollywood movie star, he even sounds like one. His vocal delivery, in speaking and in song, sound as though you’re hearing him through a megaphone, with a deep, pure and enchanting vibrato.

While the entire ensemble is simply marvelous, other stand-out performances come courtesy a trio playing slightly older characters: Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Strakosh and Mrs. Meeker, played respectively by Barbara Tirrell , Eileen T’Kaye and Christine Bunuan . Tirrell , (who’s stepped into the role of Mrs. Brice while original tour cast member Melissa Manchester recuperates from recent surgery) is the perfect mensch of a mom to McCrimmon’s Fanny. She gets her comedic time to shine in scenes with T’Kaye ’s Mrs. Strakosh and Bunuan ’s Mrs. Meeker as three old-neighborhood friends who spend their time playing cards, gossiping and bragging about their children’s accomplishments. In their memorable stage-time, T’Kaye and Bunuan charm the audience with their relatable portrayals of ladies everyone grew up knowing. The trio get their own musical moment early on with the mother-knows-best, albeit antiquated tune, If A Girl Isn’t Pretty .

Walter Coopage as Florenz Ziegfeld and David Foley, Jr. as Tom Keeney, two men instrumental in Fanny’s stage success each show different sides of men in power, Foley’s Kenney presented as a bit hard-nosed and doubting Fanny’s appeal, while Coopage’s Ziegfeld is seen as the nurturing father figure Fanny seemed to be missing. More potentially useless/useful rabbit hole info…Fanny’s father was a good provider, they didn’t live on seemingly downtrodden Henry Street as one tune suggests, but he was a bit of a drunk and her mother ran the family saloon businesses. What’s more…the notoriously hilarious Follies scene in which Fanny’s bride apparently got the marriage and family order confused…never happened. As I previously admitted being a Lucille Ball fan, something tells me that sequence was created more for laughs a la the I Love Lucy ‘showgirl’ sequence, than based in reality, but I digress.

In addition to the showgirl bridal number, the ensemble proves their mettle as they tap their way to thunderous applause, with another comedic turn by McCrimmon in yet another tap number, the all-in Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat midway through Act 2. Who are You Now and You’re a Funny Girl see Lukas’s Nicky in a more mature light than the devil-may-care flamboyant gambler he’s playing earlier on, and his voice is up to the challenge.

McCrimmon also gets the chance to show her character’s maturity in the show’s closing number, The Music That Makes Me Dance, during which we get another chance to witness McCrimmon’s vocal goddessness. That lasting final note! Wow…just wow!

Sorry to end my review with a bit of a Spoiler Alert, but during the curtain call, the whole company breaks out into one last chorus of People, and as they gesture towards themselves and then the audience during the lyrics “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world” , they reveal an all new meaning to those words…as performers, they need the audience, and therefore feel lucky to have us there. Guess what, Funny Girl ? We, the audience are the lucky ones.

The National Tour of   Funny Girl at TPAC ’s Jackson Hall continues with shows through Sunday, January 7. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. You can also follow Funny Girl on Instagram , X (Twitter) and Facebook or visit The Official Funny Girl site for more info on the show or future tour stop details.

Following Funny Girl ’s January 2-7 Nashville tour stop, next up for Broadway at TPAC is a limited two-night engagement of the National Tour of The Cher Show with performances January 19 and 20. CLICK HERE for tickets or more info. Be sure to check out  TPAC  online and on socials by clicking any of the following:   TPAC.org ,   TPAC  on  Instagram ,   TPAC  on  Facebook ,  TPAC  on  Twitter  and  TPAC  on  YouTube .

As always, if you wanna follow  JHPEntertainment  to find out who I’m chatting with for my next  Rapid Fire Q&A , or for my take on the latest local and national theatre, music and movie offerings, find us at  JHPEntertainment  on  Facebook ,  JHPEntertainment  on  Instagram    and   JHPEntertainment  on  Twitter .

Got an event or show we should know about, drop us a line at the Contact tab. Till then,  #GoSeeTheShow !

Worcester native David Foley Jr. in national tour of Broadway revival of 'Funny Girl'

Worcester native, actor and singer David Foley Jr . had roles with the national Broadway tour of " Phantom of the Opera" that kept him on the road for six years during the time he was with the musical from 2013 to 2020.

He enjoyed it, often bringing his family along. "Six years with 'Phantom of the Opera,' I saw most of the country three or four times," Foley said.

Whether that happens with Foley's latest national touring production, "Funny Girl," remains to be seen.

But if a national tour of many miles begins with a single step (or show), to adapt the old Chinese proverb, the first shows for "Funny Girl" will be taking place at the  Providence Performing Arts Center  during a one-week engagement from Sept. 9 to 16.

'Don't Rain on My Parade'

"Funny Girl," with a score by  Jule Styne , lyrics by  Bob Merrill , and book by  Isobel Lennart , first opened on Broadway in 1964. The semibiographical  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 and set in New York City just prior to and after World War I. Barbra Streisand played Fanny Brice in the original Broadway production and won an Oscar for Best Actress in the 1968 film adaptation.

Memorable numbers include “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star” and “People.”

The "Funny Girl" national tour is based on the Broadway revival of the musical that ran 2022-23 with a revised book by  Harvey Fierstein . 

The production is directed by Tony Award winner  Michael Mayer (" Thoroughly Modern Millie"), who also directed the Broadway revival.

The cast for the tour will feature Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, Fanny's strong, quick-witted mother, and introduce Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice. Stephen Mark Lukas plays Nick Arnstein, and Foley plays Tom Keeney, a Vaudeville producer who gives Fanny Brice her “big break” in show business.

'If a Girl Isn't Pretty'

The opening of the national tour in Providence is a big deal, and there was excitement in the air as Foley spoke just after a recent rehearsal at the Providence Performing Ars Center during a telephone interview.

"It's a great show. A fantastic group of people playing these roles," Foley said.

Manchester is making her national tour debut.

"Melissa Manchester, she's wonderful. It's really very exciting to get to work with her. What she's bringing to Mrs. Brice is just brilliant and wonderful and people are going to love her," Foley said.

When you read about Kenney the word "temperamental" often comes up. "Temperamental — I think that's good way to describe him at first," Foley observed.

Initially Kenney is "not a fan" because Fanny, while determined to be a performer, isn't "pretty." It's only the beauties who make it in show business, Kenney believed at first.

Foley is one of the cast members who sings the song "If A Girl Isn't Pretty."

"But she (Fanny) wins him over," Foley said.

Keeney is "that hurdle for Fanny to get over. I think it's all in service of telling Fanny's story, which I can do to give her something to work against." It makes his role and interesting and fun, Foley said.

Meanwhile, "I'm 5 foot 9 with these six-foot tall dancers," he said of the show's accomplished dance ensemble. "Funny Girl" has choreography by Ellenore Scott and tap choreography by Ayodele Casel.

Foley does dance in a couple of numbers. "I don't do as much as some of the ensemble members. You are going to see some amazing dancing in this show. World class tap dancers," he said.

'Who Are You Now?'

Foley also had a supporting role his first time on stage in a 1993 production of Lionel Hart's "Oliver!" by the former Holy Name Summer Theatre  in Worcester, directed by Richard A. Booth Sr.

He got a good mention for his short scene as the deceitful, cowardly bully Noah Claypole in a review in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Similarly he was one of the cast members who "sparkled in their characterizations" in Holy Name Summer Theatre's "Oklahoma!"  A little later he was "right in the sprit of things" in the former New England Theater Company's "Dames at Sea." Something seemed to be working,

Ten years on from his stage debut, Foley was a professional actor in the former Foothills Theatre company 2003 productions of "Titanic" and "Proof."

Foley was born in Worcester and later lived in Shrewsbury. He was a student at St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, but it was the community theater group Holy Name Summer Theatre at the then Holy Name Name High School in Worcester (now St. Paul Diocesan Junior-Senior High School)  that paved the way to his theater career.

His brother had been in a theater camp at Holy Name and that "made me want to be in shows," Foley said.

"It was really Holy Name Theatre that made me want to be in theater, be an actor, gave me the bug."

Richard Booth was "the person I would credit with getting me excited about theater," Foley said.

Foley graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance, "but I knew it was theater I wanted to be doing."

He moved to New York City and pursued acting and "eventually booked the jobs," he said.

As for what was his big break, Foley said, "I don't know that there was ever was a big break moment. I had roles that gave me confidence to keep going."

When he was cast in a New York production of the satire "Forbidden Broadway," "I said 'OK, I'm in this business. I can do it.' I think that confidence is what gets you the big jobs."

' Temporary Arrangment '

"Funny Girl" is Foley's third national tour. In "Phantom of the Opera" he played Richard Firmin, co-owner of the Paris opera house, and Reyer, the maestro. He was the title ogre in the first national touring company of "Shrek The Musical."  

"Getting 'Shrek' I stepped out on stage in a lead role in a Broadway musical. That was a big moment for me as well," Foley said.

 Other New York credits include "NEWSical," and "Evergreen," and he's had notable regional theater appearances as Nathan Detroit in "Guys & Doll"s at STAGES St. Louis (Kevin Kline Award nomination, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical), Burrs in LaChiusa's "The Wild Party," (voted Tampa Bay's Best Play of 2010, Best Play of the Decade), and Marlin in "Finding Nemo the Musical" at Walt Disney World.  

Foley has ventured into film with a couple of roles in Hallmark Channel movies, and pivoted to doing voice-over work in the pandemic.

"I was tucked into a closet reading books. That sort of tided me over. I've had to put that aside as theater revved up," he said.

Foley auditioned for "Funny Girl" at first by tape, then he "got into a room" with the people who would be casting the tour. "Luckily it all worked out."

The Broadway revival of "Funny Girl" ran for 599 performances with   Beanie Feldstein  as Fanny Brice and later Lea Michele  in the role.

There were some mixed reviews.

However, "The Broadway show, it was bona fide hit. I saw the show twice myself," Foley said of seeing Feldstein and Michele in their roles.

"To my knowledge the show was a big success, and I hope the tour will be as well."

On previous tours Foley has often traveled with his family so that they can see the sights from city to city and explore the local "foodie" scene.

"Mostly with my wife (Kerry) and son (David Foley III) as much as we're able. When my son's in school it's a little more difficult. When he's on a school break we're all together and we're driving," Foley said.

The family lives in New York City and also has a home on Cape Cod.

Foley has family in the Worcester/Shrewsbury area and tries to get back to these parts at least twice a year, he said.

The close proximity of Providence means family and friends will have an opportunity to see Foley in "Funny Girl."

On opening night there will be "Mom, a lot of family which I'm excited to see in Providence."

Then after Providence, "Funny Girl" hits the road.

The next stops will be in Michigan — Grand Rapids and Detroit. Then back east including Florida, "winter in the Midwest and California next summer."

Currently, "We are booked through next summer. It (the tour) is opened-ended," Foly said.

"I don't know about six years but I'm very happy to be on the road. We'll ride this as long as we can," he said.

'Funny Girl'

When : Sept. 9 to 19

Where : Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence, Rhode Island

How much : $20 to $90. (401) 421-2787; www.ppacri.org

A Charlotte native returns home in national tour of 'Funny Girl'

The national tour of "Funny Girl" arrives in Charlotte this week. The Broadway show is based on the life of comedian and star of the stage Fanny Brice, who started as a bit player in vaudeville, before working her way up to Broadway stardom.

Jordon Taylor, a member of the tour’s ensemble, is a Charlotte native who might be on her own track to stardom.

Taylor joined WFAE's Nick de la Canal to share her story and some advice for young performers aspiring for a career in the arts.

Nick de la Canal: So let me know if I have this right. You were born in Charlotte, raised in Davidson, and graduated from Hough High?

Jordon Taylor: Yes.

De la Canal: And what year did you graduate?

Taylor: I graduated in 2018.

De la Canal: Got it. Were you a theater kid when you were in high school?

Taylor: Surprisingly I wasn't. I always loved theater, but I didn't start doing theater until my sophomore year of high school. I was in the guitar club, and the teacher ... she was also the chorus teacher, and she was looking for people for the show choir. She knew I danced, because I grew up dancing all my life. She was like, you should come an audition. I did. I got it, and then after that, like I got the bug for singing, acting and dancing, and then I did the school musical that year and the rest is history.

De la Canal: And what was the show?

Taylor: Yeah, it was "The Little Mermaid."

De la Canal: Ah, a classic. So was there anything that pushed you to then pursue theater in college and as a career? Because you know that can be a really tough decision sometimes.

Taylor: Yeah, it always, I mean after I did my first musical I was still on the track of wanting to do dance, and strictly dance. And it was my senior year, first semester, I did a community theater production of "In The Heights," and the director came up to me and asked if I'd be interested in doing musical theater as a career, possibly doing it in college. And so I just kind of made that split decision right then and there, and was like, I'm gonna just go audition for these colleges.

So I went to Unifieds in New York, which is when they have all the colleges come together in one place and you kind of audition for multiple at one time, and then Roosevelt University, which is in Chicago, saw something in me, and gave me the chance. So then I ended up going there for four years, majored in musical theater dance, and here we are.

De la Canal: So this is your first national tour.

Taylor: Yes.

De la Canal: What's it like? How would you describe the experience so far?

Taylor: Life on tour is great. I think the best part is getting to travel to these places that I'd never been to before, and also performing in some of the most gorgeous theaters. I'm so thankful for that. And also just getting to bring this show to people across America.

De la Canal: Do you have any advice for other theater kids in Charlotte who are thinking they might want to pursue theater as a career, but maybe aren't sure?

Taylor: I say go for it, you know. Life's too short. So this was not the path I planned originally, and when opportunities just kind of come to you and doors open, I say just take the risk — whether that be you know applying to schools for musical theater, and go and audition for them, or just going to audition for your school musical in high school, or auditioning for community theater. Just taking those first steps is a great way to get started.

De la Canal: That's Jordon Taylor, a Charlotte native who's here in Charlotte with the national tour of "Funny Girl."

"Funny Girl" opens Tuesday, Oct. 17, at Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center . It runs through Sunday, Oct. 22.

WFAE's weekly arts and entertainment email newsletter, Tapestry, will keep you in the loop on arts and culture in the Charlotte region.

•   Tapestry - A weekly arts newsletter. (Thursdays)
•   html
•   text

Get JTA's Daily Briefing in your inbox

I accept the JTA Privacy Policy .

By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org

‘Funny Girl’ national tour casts non-Jewish actor as Fanny Brice, reigniting ‘Jewface’ criticism

( JTA ) — The announcement this week that Katerina McCrimmon would star as Fanny Brice in the national tour of “Funny Girl,” the Broadway musical about a trailblazing Jewish comedian, has ignited criticism from some Jewish actors who say the role should be played only by someone who identifies as Jewish.

The casting, announced on Tuesday, is a breakout role for McCrimmon, who previously appeared briefly on Broadway in Tennessee Williams’ “The Rose Tattoo” but has mostly done smaller productions.

But it has disappointed some Jewish performers and their allies in the theater community who knew that the production had advertised itself as “specifically seeking actors of Jewish heritage.”

Jennifer Apple, one of the first actors to discuss the decision on social media, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that because Jewishness was central to Brice, a pioneering early 20th-century vaudevillian, it should be for anyone playing her as well.

“Fanny Brice was a real human being,” said Apple, who also auditioned for the role of Brice and appeared in the national tour of “The Band’s Visit,” about an Egyptian police band’s accidental stay in an Israeli town. “She was a Jewish icon. She was a heroine. She in and of herself paved the way for performers like myself to be able to have a career. If it wasn’t for her, and her chutzpah, many of us Jewish women specifically wouldn’t be able to be performers. So it’s integral to this role, specifically.”

Someone can have Jewish heritage without embracing a Jewish identity — just ask the actor Lea Michele, who replaced Jewish actor Beanie Feldstein as Brice in the recent Broadway revival of “Funny Girl.” Michele’s father is a Sephardic Jew, but she was raised as a Catholic and said she does not identify as Jewish. (For six seasons on the hit television show “Glee,” Michele played a Jewish character, Rachel Berry, who was set on one day portraying Fanny Brice.)

But none of the coverage of McCrimmon’s casting in arts outlets has suggested any personal connection to the Brice character’s Jewish identity, and in the show’s materials, she identifies as “a proud Cuban-American from Miami.” She did not respond to a request for comment.

“I have no doubt that Katerina is freaking terrific and … that she is more than capable of leading a nat’l tour,” Samantha Massell, an actor who appeared in the revival of “Fiddler on the Roof” on Broadway, posted on Instagram after the casting announcement. “But if you consider yourself an advocate for representation in casting and you’re AOK with this (or celebrating it), you need to check yourself.”

The casting adds to an ongoing debate over identity and performance. Some argue that actors should be able to play any role, regardless of their background. But the idea that at least some roles should be reserved for actors whose identities overlap with their characters’ has gained steam in recent years — opening the door for criticism when people who are not Jewish are cast as Jewish characters. (Helen Mirren, who is not Jewish but is playing the Israeli stateswoman Golda Meir in the upcoming film “Golda,” is among those who say they “adhere to both camps.”)

Some have criticized the casting of non-Jewish actors in Jewish roles as “Jewface.” The Jewish comedian Sarah Silverman, for example, lambasted the casting of Kathryn Hahn as Joan Rivers in a biopic that was ultimately scrapped ; another frequent subject of criticism has been Rachel Brosnahan as the fictional Jewish comedian Midge Maisel on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

The real-life Brice got her start in the 1910s headlining Florenz Ziegfeld’s revue, the “Ziegfeld Follies.” The 1964 musical and subsequent film “Funny Girl,” both starring Barbra Streisand, chronicle Brice’s rise to fame while she grapples with her own identity as a Jewish woman — including the shape of her nose, the cadence of her voice and the pacing of her humor.

“If there is something in the piece that when portrayed by somebody of a different identity could potentially be viewed as perpetuating a stereotype or veer into the land of cultural appropriation, you’ve made the wrong casting decision,” said Ari Axelrod, an actor and producer who organized a Broadway gathering in response to a neo-Nazi protest outside the first preview of “Parade,” the show about a 1915 antisemitic lynching, in which the main character is played by the Jewish actor Ben Platt.

Critics of the casting choice say specific lyrics and visual gags just don’t work as well when they are performed by people who do not have specific Jewish lived experiences because they are or can be offensive.

The song, “If a Girl isn’t Pretty,” for example, contains the lyric, “Is a nose with deviation such a crime against the nation?” referring to Brice’s own body image issues, which she partially resolved with one of the earliest rhinoplasties in the United States.

And in the song “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat,” Brice’s character plays the Jewish caricature “Private Schwartz from Rockaway,” who wears a harness outfitted with two suggestively placed bagels and sings in an exaggerated Eastern European accent about how his “bagels gave a spin, oy, oy.”

“The content of this show is specifically about how she was not considered a pretty Jewish woman, that she had to change her name and change her looks to ‘fit in,’ that she had to assimilate because of her Jewish identity,” Apple said. “To have somebody not be Jewish and do that could perpetuate stereotypes.”

Axelrod and Apple both pointed to the casting of actor Bradley Cooper as American Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein in the upcoming Netflix film “Maestro” as another example of a “Jewface” gaffe. (Early stills of Cooper wearing a prosthetic nose for the role reignited the debate; Silverman is set to appear in the film.)

The casting decision for the tour follows a 15-month Broadway run for “Funny Girl.” Beginning in April 2022, Feldstein starred as Fanny Brice in the revival, bringing a childhood dream of hers to life. (Feldstein’s 3rd birthday party was “Funny Girl”-themed.)

Beanie Feldstein, center, stars as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl.” (Matthew Murphy)

“I truly believe that any Jewish woman who wants to be funny and perform and sing owes something to Fanny Brice,” she told the New York Jewish Week last year.

But after three months, the production announced that Michele would replace Feldstein — after a one-month performance by Jewish actor Julie Benko .

Under the laws of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , it is illegal for a workplace to discriminate against an applicant or employee’s race, religion, sex or gender identity, national origin, age or disability. But the law allows employers to select for aspects of personal appearance if they are essential for fulfilling the requirements of the job — a leniency that opens the door to casting Black actors as Black characters, for example.

There are legal ways to stack the deck in favor of filling roles with actors of certain backgrounds, such as by encouraging people who hold specific identities to audition, or by encouraging others to choose not to.

Massell revealed in an Instagram story Thursday that when the casting directors of the musical “ Double Helix ,” which tells the story of the discovery of the structure of DNA, were auditioning for the other two Jewish roles (Massell plays the lead role of Rosalind Franklin), they asked people who do not identify as Jewish to “please pass” on auditioning.

“This feels like such a great actionable step for all of these types of roles that are specifically tied to an ethnic identity,” she said.

Those who are challenging the Brice casting on the national tour say there is room for actors to play characters unlike themselves. Apple — who said she has twice been one of just two Jews cast in professional productions of “Fiddler” — says it’s a “slippery slope” to argue that actors must only play their own identity.

“I don’t like that. I don’t subscribe to that. That’s not why I’m an actor,” she said. “It really just comes down to the integrity of the role and the story. And this one is literally about her Jewish identity. She was a Jewish icon.”

Who made the decision to depart from the character breakdown suggestion is not clear. Sonia Friedman Productions and NETworks Presentations, which are producing the tour that is set to launch in Providence, Rhode Island, this fall, did not respond to requests for comment.

“I do know that for this to have happened, a lot of people had to say yes,” said Axelrod.

He said that even though he disagrees with the casting decision, he believes it could have positive dividends for storytelling about Jews.

“Katerina has an incredible opportunity to use this moment to educate herself and empathize with Fanny’s story, but also the story of Jews today,” he said. “If we can’t change the casting decision — and I don’t necessarily think we should, it’s not up to me — we can leverage the moment as an opportunity for empathy and education.”

Share this:

Recommended from jta.

‘Testament: The Story of Moses’ is one of Netflix’s top shows — and it features multiple rabbis

On their ‘Schmuckboys’ podcast, two women share their passion for Jews dating Jews

Maurice El Medioni, Algerian Jewish pianist revered among Jews and Muslims, dies at 95

What these Jewish teens say they are not seeing on screen: themselves

Legendary comedy club Stand Up NY leaves Upper West Side and opens a Times Square outpost

Jewish comedian Lena Dunham discovers her family’s Holocaust story on PBS’ ‘Finding Your Roots’

Video: Meet Fanny Brice of the FUNNY GIRL National Tour, Katerina McCrimmon

The Funny Girl national tour will launch from Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence from September 2023.

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier today ,  Katerina McCrimmon is set to lead the national tour of Funny Girl as Fanny Brice . 

McCrimmon is a proud Cuban-American from Miami, and she's thrilled to be playing Fanny in this dazzling production. Broadway: The Rose Tattoo (Roundabout Theatre Company). Other NY Theater: The Light in the Piazza (New York City Center Encores!). Regional: AZUL (The Eugene O'Neill Center), Ride the Cyclone ( McCarter Theatre Center), Ah, Wilderness! (Hartford Stage). Katerina is a YoungArts Winner in Theater, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and received her BM in Musical Theatre from Florida State University.

Watch the show's new leading lady in action with some of her past performances below!

"The Music That Makes Me Dance" from Funny Girl:

"How Did We Come To This?" from The Wild Party: 

“Oh to be a Movie Star/Gorgeous” from The Apple Tree:

"Whenever I Dream" from  A New Brain:

The tour will officially open at Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI, from September 9-16, 2023, before continuing on to more than 30 cities coast-to-coast, including Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Philadelphia. 

The Broadway revival features iconic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” Breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice . As 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. The Observer describes the revival as “sparkling and explosively entertaining!”

FUNNY GIRL is directed by Tony Award winner  Michael Mayer  (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and features the classic score by Tony, Grammy, and Academy® Award winner  Jule Styne  and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winner  Bob Merrill , (comprising additional songs from Styne & Merrill). The original book by Isobel Lennart , from an original story by Miss Lennart, is revised by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots, Newsies).

FUNNY GIRL features choreography by Ellenore Scott (Falsettos); tap choreography by Ayodele Casel ; scenic design by Tony Award winner David Zinn (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical); costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty (Wicked); lighting design by Tony Award winner Kevin Adams (Hedwig and the Angry Inch); sound design by Tony Award winner Brian Ronan (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) and Cody Spencer ; hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates; music supervision by Emmy Award winner Michael Rafter ; casting by Jim Carnahan , CSA, and Jason Thinger; orchestrations by Chris Walker ; dance, vocal, and incidental music arrangements by Alan Williams , and additional arrangements by David Dabbon and Carmel Dean . The associate director is Johanna McKeon ; the associate choreographer is Jeffrey Gugliotti; the assistant director is Torya Beard ; the assistant tap choreographer is Dre Torres.

TICKET CENTRAL

Recommended For You

• Cast & crew

Back to Black

The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

• Sam Taylor-Johnson
• Matt Greenhalgh
• Marisa Abela
• Eddie Marsan
• Jack O'Connell
• 1 Critic review

• Amy Winehouse

• Mitch Winehouse

• Blake Fielder-Civil

• Cynthia Winehouse

• Janis Winehouse

• Raye Cosbert

• Nick Shymansky

• A & R Manager

• Aunt Melody

• Perfume Paul

• CID Officer

• Uncle Harold

• Island Records Senior Executive

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

‘Hamilton,’ ‘The Book of Mormon’ among Broadway in Columbus 2024-25 lineup

C OLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — “Hamilton” and “The Book of Mormon” are returning to the Ohio Theatre as part of Broadway in Columbus’ 2024-25 season lineup, which will also feature the central Ohio premiere of a jukebox musical based on the life of Neil Diamond.

The upcoming lineup spans nine productions, a seven-show package and two season options, Broadway in Columbus and CAPA announced Monday evening. Along with several returning favorites, this season includes five shows — “MJ,” “& Juliet,” “Funny Girl,” “A Beautiful Noise” and “Kimberly Akimbo” — performing at the Ohio Theatre for the first time.

“We’re excited to bring another great season of the best of Broadway to Columbus,” said Chad Whittington, CAPA President and CEO. “Five Columbus premieres, an appealing cross-section of shows, the return of “Hamilton,” we look forward to bringing this season to Columbus for our subscribers and all the Broadway fans.”

View the entire 2024-25 season below.

2024-25 Season Shows

‘MJ’ | Ohio Theatre from Sept. 10 to 15

Michael Jackson’s artistry comes to Columbus with “MJ,” a jukebox musical that follows the making of Jackson’s 1992 “Dangerous World” tour. MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status.

‘Peter Pan’ | Ohio Theatre from Jan. 14 to 19, 2025

This high-flying musical has been captivating audiences for nearly 70 years, and is now being brought back to life in a new adaptation. The production features the musical’s classic songs like “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow” and “I Wont’ Grow Up.”

“It’s always important to us to have a family-friendly show in the season, this year it’s ‘Peter Pan,'” said Lisa Minken, the Broadway in Columbus marketing manager. “We love creating that next generation of Broadway lovers. It’s a musical a lot of grew up with and now we can take our kids, our nieces and nephews and give them that same magical experience.”

‘& Juliet’ | Ohio Theatre from Feb. 18 to 23, 2025

Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this new musical asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including “Since U Been Gone‚” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life‚” “That’s The Way It Is,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”

“More people will know the music to this show than what they realize, it’s the songbook of Max Martin, who has written a ton of hits for Kelly Clarkson and Britney Spears,” said Minken. “It’s a really fun story because it tells the story of Juliet if she didn’t fall for Romeo and if she didn’t decide to end her life, what he life would look like then. It’s so fun.”

‘Funny Girl’ | Ohio Theatre from March 25 to 30, 2025

The Broadway revival features iconic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the

Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of 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.

‘A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical’ | Ohio Theatre from April 22 to 27, 2025

Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, “A Beautiful Noise” is the true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon. With 120 million albums sold, a catalogue of classics like “America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline,” an induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, Neil Diamond’s story was made to shine on Broadway.

“We also have the Neil Diamond musical, which is some of my parents’, aunts’ and uncles’ favorite music,” said Minken. “How can you go wrong with some of his songs? “Sweet Caroline,” how could you not sing and do the chants with it?”

‘Kimberly Akimbo’ | Ohio Theatre from June 3 to 8, 2025

‘Kimberly Akimbo’ is the winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical. Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. She’s forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush and possible felony charges.

“For the Broadway purists we have the 2023 Tony Award winner ‘Kimberly Akimbo,’ which is just a beautiful piece of theatre,” said Minken.

‘Hamilton’ | Ohio Theatre from July 8 to 20, 2025

Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, ‘Hamilton’ has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. In addition to its 11 Tony Awards, it has won Grammy and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

“We’re so excited to have our third engagement of ‘Hamilton’ back in Columbus,” said Minken. “It’s a show that so many people know and love and we are so happy to have it back.”

2024-25 Season Options

‘The Book of Mormon’ | Ohio Theatre from Oct. 8 to 13

Called “the best musical of this century” by The New York Times, this musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the “good word.” With standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, “The Book of Mormon” has become an international sensation.

‘Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical’ | Palace Theatre from Dec. 3 to 8

This musical is a record-setting holiday sensation which features songs like “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Welcomes Christmas” from the original animated special. Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the Holiday loving Whos.

How to buy tickets

Past Broadway in Columbus season ticketholders are currently able to renew their subscription for the 2024-25 lineup. Subscriptions for new ticketholders will be available starting on May 28, with prices ranging. A waitlist and more information are available at BroadwayinColumbus.com.

Prices for the seven-show season — “MJ,” “Peter Pan,” “& Juliet,” “Funny Girl,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Kimberly Akimbo” and “Hamilton” range between $332.25 to $1019.60 depending on seat location.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.