Beanie Feldstein in a promotional photo for ‘Funny Girl.’ (Photo: Matthew Murphy)
Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis and David Babani — the producers of the upcoming revival of Funny Girl — have announced the rest of the cast for this musical comedy, led by the previously announced Beanie Feldstein, Ramin Karimloo, Jane Lynch, and Jared Grimes.
Martin Moran (Wicked) will play Tom Keeney, Peter Francis James (Hillary and Clinton) will play Florenz Ziegfeld, Eephie Aardema (The Bridges of Madison County) will play Emma and Mrs. Nadler, Toni DiBuono (Wonderful Town) will play Mrs. Strakosh, and Debra Cardona (Broadway debut) will play Mrs. Meeker.
This production of Funny Girl marks the first Broadway revival of the 1964 musical (written by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, with Harvey Fierstein revising the book, originally written by Isobel Lennart).
The company will also feature Amber Ardolino, Daniel Beeman, Colin Bradbury, Kurt Thomas Csolak, Leslie Donna Flesner, Afra Hines, Masumi Iwai, Aliah James, Jeremiah James, Danielle Kelsey, Stephen Mark Lukas, Alicia Hadiya Lundgren, John Thomas Manzari, Liz McCartney, Katie Mitchell, Justin Prescott, Mariah Reives, and Leslie Blake Walker. Julie Benko will serve as Feldstein’s standby for the role of Fanny Brice.
The first preview for Funny Girl, playing at the August Wilson Theatre, will be on March 26, ahead of an April 24 opening night.
The production, directed by Michael Mayer, announced additional creative team members Monday, including Susan Hilferty as costume designer, Kevin Adams as lighting designer and Brian Ronan as sound designer. They join previously announced choreographer Ellenore Scott, tap choreographer Ayodele Casel and scenic designer David Zinn.
This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable 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, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway. The 1968 film starred Barbra Streisand, and now Feldstein will give the show, and its iconic song “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” her own twist!
