This Broadway classic is back! Funny Girl, which embarked on a national tour following its hit Broadway revival, is dazzling audiences at the Kravis Center all week long. Directed by Michael Mayer, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill, and book by Isobel Lennart (revised for the revival by Harvey Fierstein), the semi-biographical musical is based on the life and career of comedienne, singer, and actress Fanny Brice (Hannah Shankman), chronicling her dreams of becoming a star, subsequent rise to fame, and tumultuous relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nick “Nicky” Arnstein (Stephen Mark Lukas). Fanny was a true trailblazer for Jewish women in the entertainment realm, particularly in terms of her work in theater and comedy, and was unapologetic about her Jewishness even in a world that would have once rather had her blend in than stand out. First brought to the stage in the 1964 Broadway production and 1966 West End run, then translated to the screen in the 1968 film, all three starring icon Barbra Streisand as Fanny, Funny Girl has captivated a wide variety of fans for decades. Now, it’s South Floridians’ turn to be wowed by the incomparable Fanny and her story!
The role of Fanny Brice has certainly left some big shoes to fill over the years. Hannah Shankman is a perfect fit, nailing both the comedic timing and the vocal demands of the role, the silly and the serious sides of Fanny’s personality. She’ll make you laugh in numbers like “His Love Makes Me Beautiful” and “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat,” and take your breath away in famed songs like “I’m the Greatest Star,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” and “The Music That Makes Me Dance.” Shankman takes the audience on Fanny’s emotional journey from starry-eyed girl who dreamed of seeing her name in lights, the self-described “bagel on a plate of onion rolls” who always knew her unique gifts made her stand out, to successful woman who wonders if fame is truly all it’s cracked up to be. It could be said that your level of investment in Fanny’s story will decide your overall viewing experience, and with Shankman’s performance, you will certainly be rooting for this leading lady from start to finish! Stephen Mark Lukas, who understudied the role of Nick Arnstein in the Broadway revival, sweeps viewers off their feet—despite Nick’s rocky past (and how it might repeat itself), you’ll surely be charmed by him at first sight, just like Fanny is, thanks to Lukas’s fantastic performance. The duo’s chemistry shines through onstage as well, as the audience follows Fanny and Nick through the ups and downs of their relationship.
The show’s supporting cast—and stellar ensemble—is equally as strong as its leading lady and her man! Singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester is wonderful and laugh-out-loud funny as Fanny’s mother, Mrs. Brice, and Izaiah Montaque Harris will have you wanting to dance as the talented tapper, and Fanny’s good friend, Eddie Ryan. I was so impressed by both of their performances, and also really enjoyed how the ensemble was used throughout the show. Because Fanny is a part of the famous Ziegfeld Follies (a lavish stage revue produced by the renowned Broadway showman Florenz Ziegfeld, played in this production by Walter Coppage), the musical includes a few show-within-a-show numbers wherein the ensemble is also heavily featured, such as the aforementioned “His Love Makes Me Beautiful” and “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat.” While I personally wished we had gotten to see even more of the ensemble, I thought they did a fabulous job, making the audience feel as if they were truly at a Follies show!
