For 57 years, the musical Funny Girl sat on the shelf collecting dust! A once-beloved show that helped launch the career of Barba Streisand, who played the role of Fanny Brice in the Broadway show and subsequent film adaption, earned Academy awards and sold-out theaters. Following its 1964 debut, the show closed in 1967 where it remained dormant until a 2022 revival.
Not in the Cleveland Union Depot, but at Cleveland’s Connor Palace Theater, Funny Girl is making its stop at Cleveland’s prized Playhouse Square complex. At the outset, the audience is introduced to Fanny Brice (Katerina McCrimmon). Following in the footsteps of Streisand, who set an impossibly high standard for all who play her former role moving forward, McCrimmon made the character her own and showcased her incredible vocal talents immediately during “Who Are You Now?” Fanny has enjoyed a high level of success as a performer but is struggling to get back to the level she once enjoyed.
At the start of her career, as she is on the road to being discovered, Fanny Brice meets Nicky Arnstein (Stephen Mark Lukas). Despite his love of gambling, drinking, and shenanigans, Fanny can’t help but stay away from the charming fellow. (Who could resist that mustache?) Lukas is on his first-ever tour and is excited to be in Cleveland! On the other hand, his character, Nicky, might not have the same success in Cleveland. The love between Fanny and Nicky is constantly challenged, and Nicky might be the worst part of Fanny’s career.
While Fanny is working on her stage career with the Ziegfeld Follies, she meets another fellow vaudeville dancer named Eddie Ryan (Izaiah Montaque Harris). Eddie is a talented tap dancer who is friends with Fanny as he helps support her on the road back to stardom. On several occasions, Harris breaks into elaborate tap dancing numbers that wow everyone in the Connor Palace audience. Tap dance is a specialty art not used often in shows today. It added an element of excitement to Funny Girl.
We had a chance to receive a tap demonstration from Izaiah Montaque Harris shortly after opening night. Take a look at this special demo; just for CleveRock. (To share with you, of course!)
It’s enchanting to watch a young star’s dream come true right before one’s eyes, and even more enchanting when she can belt songs out the way McCrimmon does. During intermission, one could hear patrons murmuring to their neighbors about how awestruck they were by her rendition of “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” It’s truly a show-stopping number.
While McCrimmon takes on the challenging role of Fanny, other hidden gems in the show truly help her shine. The roles of Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Meeker, and Mrs. Strakosh, played by Barbara Tirrell, Cindy Chang, and Eileen T’Kaye, respectively, stole the show every time they stepped on stage. They brought comedic value and a sense of motherly love that only the three of them together could display.
Director Michael Mayer did as well as one could with dusting off this show for its revival. With Music by Jule Styne and Lyrics by Bob Merrill, this musical from the 1960s has been updated for the 2022 audience. The revised book by Harvey Fierstein from the original by Isobel Lennart has helped make these changes for new audiences. The vaudeville performances and comedy make the whole show entertaining from the start. The costumes by Susan Hilferty are stunning. To bring the audience back to the 1930s, with over-the-top excitement and full dance ensembles, really shows off the elaborate nature Hilferty designed.
At times, the story is a bit confusing to follow, and truth be told, the show is dated, but the cast and creative team alone make it worth the trip to the theater.
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