‘Funny Girl’ @ Broadway Dallas (Fair Park)
Photos by Evan Zimmerman of MurphyMade
—Martha Heimberg
The lobby buzz and warm usher greetings are just the start. Live theater is a great antidote to bland Zoom meetings and clickable friends. Just step inside a performance space—even before the show starts—and you’ll feel the eager, electric vibes of people who need people.
From the enticing opening chords of the overture to the company reprise of “People,” the company of Funny Girl (presented by Broadway Dallas) brings the glamour and delight of the Ziegfeld era back to the historic Music Hall at Fair Park. The 16-member orchestra, led by Elaine Davidson, has the packed house nodding and tapping their toes to the vibrant score. And the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, the daughter of Jewish immigrants who became a vaudeville and film star, remains as appealing as ever in this lush staging of the show.
Michael Mayer crisply directs the touring production of the 2022 hit Broadway revival, with score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, and an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart.
Katerina McCrimmon’s Fanny Brice is dynamite in the role a young Barbra Streisand created in the original 1964 production and the 1968 film. McCrimmon is hilarious as the brash young teenager singing “I’m the Greatest Star,” already belting out her determination to be a headliner. Her heroic voice and nuanced delivery bring fresh feeling to songs like “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “His Love Makes Me Beautiful.” Her comic timing and fast-talking chutzpah light up the songs and the dialogue, whether putting the grand Ziegfeld (commanding Walter Coppage) in his place or holding her own with the legendary long-legged, curvaceous gals in his chorus line.
Melissa Manchester does a superb comic turn as Mrs. Brice, Fanny’s doting, bossy mother and stalwart of the neighborhood poker game; her scenes with McCrimmon are textbook mother-daughter dramedy.
Stephen Mark Lukas is a hunky, compelling Nick Arnstein, the high-stakes gambling man Fanny loves too much. McCrimmon and Lukas exude chemistry in “You Are Woman, I Am Man.” She jokes when he arranges a seduction scene, and bursts into song when he proposes at last. “Sadie, Sadie” is a terrific, high-stepping ensemble number celebrating the hugely important moment when a Jewish girl is no longer doomed to spinsterhood. Lukas also makes us feel Nick’s despair as Fanny’s fame and wealth overtake his own luckless enterprises. It’s tough for a poor guy to keep on loving a rich and very funny girl.
Izaiah Montaque Harris, as Fanny’s loyal friend and promoter Eddie, is all rhythm (and fitness inspiration) in his big tap-dancing numbers, including “Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?” Manchester sings and swings right along with him.
Ayodele Casel’s tap choreography and Ellenore Scott’s intricate ensemble choreography is beautifully performed throughout by the ensemble. “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat” is patriotic zeal in dance form. Susan Hilferty’s gorgeous costumes reflect the era, and handsomely recreate the Ziegfeld numbers we’ve seen only in photos or on film. Dancers fill the stage with shimmering butterfly wings, white-feathered headdresses, silver tuxedos and glittering sequined gowns. Fanny’s bright costumes are almost as intense as she is.
David Zinn’s set design includes stunning, detailed scrims of plush red curtains, lively Jewish neighborhoods, and backstage Broadway theater walls, all dramatically enhanced by Kevin Adams’ lighting design.
From comic start to bittersweet ending, Fanny’s show is a must-see for those special people who love musical theater.
WHEN: August 6-18, 2024
WHERE: Music Hall at Fair Park, Dallas
WEB: broadwaydallas.org
