May 26 - June 12, 2010
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| Music by JULE STYNE Lyrics by BOB MERRILL Book by ISOBEL LENNART catapulted an unknown named Barbra Streisand to superstardom literally overnight! |
| Fanny Brice Mrs. Brice Eddie Ryan Mrs.Strakosh Mrs. O'Malley Mrs. Rosetti Tom Keenney Emma Florenz Ziegfeld Heckie/Renaldi Paul John Bubbles Maude Mimsey Polly Jenny Vera |
| Music Director Costumes by Lighting Production Stage Manager Directed by |
| CAST |
DAMIEN GULDE
JULIE LENNICK
DAVID HAINES
LOUISE CASCONE
SUSAN SANDERS
PATRICIA BYRNE
ERIC BOTOSAN
CASILDA JOSEPH
VINCE CASCONE
DAVID GOODMAN
JACK LY
ALLAN ASHBY
KATIE RICHARDSON
SARAH JONES
ELIZABETH ROSE MORRISS
ANDREA STRAYER
HOLLY BURTON
AMANDA FRANKLIN
JULIE LENNICK
DAVID HAINES
LOUISE CASCONE
SUSAN SANDERS
PATRICIA BYRNE
ERIC BOTOSAN
CASILDA JOSEPH
VINCE CASCONE
DAVID GOODMAN
JACK LY
ALLAN ASHBY
KATIE RICHARDSON
SARAH JONES
ELIZABETH ROSE MORRISS
ANDREA STRAYER
HOLLY BURTON
AMANDA FRANKLIN
| Production Team |
Theatre review by Mark Andrew Lawrence
Funny Girl is a musical based loosely on the early life and career of comedienne-actress-singer Fanny Brice. Conventional wisdom has it
that without Barbra Streisand there is no show.
The Civic Light Opera Company begs to differ. They have found a leading lady who can handle 12 musical numbers – seven of which
are solos – as well as the many book scenes ranging from light comedy to pathos.
In many ways, Ashley Medeiros-Felix creates a character much closer to the real Fanny Brice than Streisand ever did. You root for her.
You want her to find happiness. Then there’s her voice. It can cut through the brass heavy orchestrations, soaring to the farthest
reaches of the theatre, balanced by warmth and infused with character insight. In the show’s most famous song, “People” she
communicates Bob Merrill’s lyric as well as Jule Styne’s ever-popular melody.
It is very much a star performance but she is given excellent support. David Haines plays her friend and confidant Eddie Ryan, who has
a charming duet with Fanny’s mother, “Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?” As Mrs. Brice, Julie Lennick manages to wring every
wry laugh out of her dialogue as she locks horns with her gossipy neighbours played to the hilt by Louise Cascone, Susan Sanders and
Patricia Byrne.
Amusingly these ladies frequently mispronounce the name of the great showman Florenz Ziegfeld saying Zig-FIELD. Ziegfeld is
portrayed here by Vince Cascone who mixes fatherly love with exasperation at some of Fanny’s antics. In the end he is there for Fanny
when her husband Nick Arnstein is sent to prison.
Damien Gulde is dashingly suave in his portrayal of gambler Arnstein who sweeps the impressionable Fanny off her feet. What is even
more remarkable is that Gulde took over the role one week before opening, yet he gives a solidly confident performance.
The original 1964 Broadway production was cut and pasted together during a tumultuous pre-Broadway try-out. Director Joe Cascone
covers all of this in his fascinating program notes. To solve the inherent problems, he has skillfully streamlined the script and does his
usual stage wizardry deftly moving performers and set pieces. Anyone looking to direct a musical should stop by Fairview Library
Theatre for a master class: You don’t need to stop the action just to change the set.
Is there room for improvement? Perhaps. Occasionally, it does seem that some of the supporting performers are “acting” the roles
instead of "being” the characters. It’s a fine line but one that divides the professionals from the amateurs. Fortunately the charismatic
leading players along with the production team turn this potentially problematic musical into enormously satisfying entertainment.
Funny Girl is a musical based loosely on the early life and career of comedienne-actress-singer Fanny Brice. Conventional wisdom has it
that without Barbra Streisand there is no show.
The Civic Light Opera Company begs to differ. They have found a leading lady who can handle 12 musical numbers – seven of which
are solos – as well as the many book scenes ranging from light comedy to pathos.
In many ways, Ashley Medeiros-Felix creates a character much closer to the real Fanny Brice than Streisand ever did. You root for her.
You want her to find happiness. Then there’s her voice. It can cut through the brass heavy orchestrations, soaring to the farthest
reaches of the theatre, balanced by warmth and infused with character insight. In the show’s most famous song, “People” she
communicates Bob Merrill’s lyric as well as Jule Styne’s ever-popular melody.
It is very much a star performance but she is given excellent support. David Haines plays her friend and confidant Eddie Ryan, who has
a charming duet with Fanny’s mother, “Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?” As Mrs. Brice, Julie Lennick manages to wring every
wry laugh out of her dialogue as she locks horns with her gossipy neighbours played to the hilt by Louise Cascone, Susan Sanders and
Patricia Byrne.
Amusingly these ladies frequently mispronounce the name of the great showman Florenz Ziegfeld saying Zig-FIELD. Ziegfeld is
portrayed here by Vince Cascone who mixes fatherly love with exasperation at some of Fanny’s antics. In the end he is there for Fanny
when her husband Nick Arnstein is sent to prison.
Damien Gulde is dashingly suave in his portrayal of gambler Arnstein who sweeps the impressionable Fanny off her feet. What is even
more remarkable is that Gulde took over the role one week before opening, yet he gives a solidly confident performance.
The original 1964 Broadway production was cut and pasted together during a tumultuous pre-Broadway try-out. Director Joe Cascone
covers all of this in his fascinating program notes. To solve the inherent problems, he has skillfully streamlined the script and does his
usual stage wizardry deftly moving performers and set pieces. Anyone looking to direct a musical should stop by Fairview Library
Theatre for a master class: You don’t need to stop the action just to change the set.
Is there room for improvement? Perhaps. Occasionally, it does seem that some of the supporting performers are “acting” the roles
instead of "being” the characters. It’s a fine line but one that divides the professionals from the amateurs. Fortunately the charismatic
leading players along with the production team turn this potentially problematic musical into enormously satisfying entertainment.