Funny Girl (Musical)
| Musical dates | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Funny girl |
| Original title: | Funny girl |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Jule Styne |
| Book: | Isobel Lennart |
| Lyrics: | Bob Merrill |
| Premiere: | January 13, 1964 |
| Place of premiere: | Boston |
| Place and time of the action: | USA in the early 20th century |
| Roles / people | |
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Funny Girl is a musical in two acts by Jule Styne (music) and Isobel Lennart (book). Bob Merrill provided the lyrics. The work was premiered on January 13, 1964 at the Schubert Theater in Boston . The first time in New York was on March 26, 1964, at the Winter Garden Theater . In some reference works this date is mentioned as the day of the premiere. The musical covers part of the biography of the American actress and singer Fanny Brice .
action
first act
In the framework story you can see the famous Fanny Brice sitting in an artist's dressing room in front of her dressing table. It will take some time before she is called on stage. In her thoughts she looks back on her life.
Fanny is an ambitious young girl who has only one desire to be a star on the boards that mean the world. Her mother advises her not to go to the stage because she was naturally not blessed with enough beauty, but Fanny does not give up. One day she runs into the comedian Eddie Ryan, who immediately realizes what great talent the young lady is. He offers her his help and becomes her teacher. She spends every free minute with him and learns to sing, dance and play. Finally, the day comes when she can reap the fruits of her labor: a stage offers her to play the main role in a revue. Fanny enthusiastically accepts and delights the audience. After the premiere, the congratulations never end. Among the well-wishers is the elegant Nick Arnstein. Both are immediately sympathetic.
In the meantime, Fanny has accepted an offer from New York producer Florenz Ziegfeld to become a member of his troupe. After a performance, she meets Nick Arnstein for the second time. She invites him to go to her mother's house. This is giving a party in the evening. On this occasion they both get closer and confess their love.
Second act
When the Ziegfeld troupe made a guest appearance in Baltimore a few months later, Fanny and Nick Arnstein ran into each other a third time. Both take this as a sign of fate and decide to get married. Fanny breaks her contract. Without a word, she leaves the group and follows her admirer to New York. After the marriage, the couple moved into a villa on Long Island. Soon, however, Fanny regrets what she has done. The showbiz just won't let her go. Remorsefully, she steps under Ziegfeld's eyes. What she hardly thought possible happens: Ziegfeld forgives her and takes her back into his troop.
Nick Arnstein is happy that his wife has a good income again; because he is a gambler and always in need of money. Still, he has big plans. He wants to set up a casino and is looking for a business partner. He chose Florenz Ziegfeld for this. But the latter sees through the dubious deal and brusquely rejects it. Fanny sacrifices herself for her husband. She works like a madwoman until she has enough funds for Nick. However, Nick is not a born businessman. He invests wrongly and loses. For the first time since their wedding, Fanny doubts whether Nick is the right man for her. Nevertheless, she wants to help him a second time with her money. However, Nick does not want to be dependent on his wife and refuses. Now he senses his chance to make money quickly in a dubious stock business. He is convicted of fraud and sentenced to several years' imprisonment. Fanny has to put up with accusations from her mother that she is responsible for the fact that her husband ended up in jail.
While Fanny waits for her performance in her artist's dressing room, there is a knock on the door. Nick Arnstein enters, who has served his sentence. Anyone who expects the couple to hug each other overjoyed is mistaken. The two hardly have anything to say to each other. They notice that their love has grown cold and their marriage has failed. A ringtone signals to Fanny that she has to go on stage. The couple parted without a word.
Songs
- If a Girl Isn't Pretty (Mrs. Strakosh, Mrs. Brice and Eddie Ryan)
- I'm the Greatest Star (Fanny Brice)
- Cornet Man (Fanny Brice and Snub Taylor with choir)
- Who Taught Her Everything? (Mrs. Brice and Eddie Ryan)
- His Love Makes Me Beautiful (Ziegfeld, Ziegfeld Girls and Fanny Brice)
- I Want to Be Seen With You Tonight (Fanny Brice and Nick Arnstein)
- Henry Street (choir)
- People (Fanny Brice)
- I Am Woman (Fanny Brice and Nick Arnstein)
- Don't Rain on My Parade (Fanny Brice)
- Sadie, Sadie (Fanny Brice and friends)
- Find Yourself a Man (Mrs. Strakosh, Mrs. Brice and Eddie Ryan)
- Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat (Fanny Brice and the Ziegfeld Company)
- Who Are You Now? (Fanny Brice)
- The Music That Makes Me Dance (Fanny Brice)
filming
Director William Wyler filmed the musical in 1968 with Barbra Streisand in the title role and Omar Sharif as Nick Arnstein. See the main article Funny Girl (film) .