Jessie Mueller as Fanny Brice: Why has this not happened!?

[Kelly2]

After watching some YouTube videos and having seen the incredible Ms. Mueller in her handful of wonderful performances on the New York stage, I have to wonder why she's never played Fanny, even regionally? She even looks almost like a young Barbra, and she is one of very few actresses I can think of who could handle the comedy and the vulnerability of that role, and sing it so beautifully. I have pretty passionate feelings about this and was wondering if anyone else ever thought of her as an obvious candidate for the role.

Can someone Kickstarter this? Broadway revival of Funny Girl...that's about, what, 10 mil? Let's go guys. This is our time. Let's do this.

[fredric47]

I am intrigued by your suggestion after recently seeing Jessie Mueller in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." But before there is the long awaited Broadway revival of "Funny Girl," I think someone should do an overhall of Isabel Lennart's original book, which was only serviceable for the stage version and disgraceful for the film version since she allowed Barbra to hog all of the scenes. None of the characters except for Fanny,Nick, and Florenz Ziegfeld are fully realized in the film version of the show. I also hope that all of the songs from the Broadway version of "Funny Girl," with the exception of "Rat Tat Tat" are included in the new script, leaving out "My Man" in favor of the closing number, "The Music That Makes Me Dance," which Jule Styne and Bob Merrill wrote for the original production.

[GavestonPS]

"The Music that Makes Me Dance" isn't the closing number. A reprise of "Don't Rain on My Parade" closes the stage version. I know a lot of songs were shuffled in and out of the score during tryouts, so maybe you are saying "Music" was the second act closer at some point.

"The Music that Makes Me Dance" AND "Who Are You Now?" are replaced in the film by a new song, called "Funny Girl".

[kadu335]

I thought exactly the same thing when I saw ON A CLEAR DAY last year. Jessie's rendition of "Every Night at Seven" blew me away!

After seeing Edwin Drood a couple of weeks ago, I think she could handle comedy well. I would love to see her take on Fanny Brice.

[Kelly2]

Based on ON A CLEAR DAY, INTO THE WOODS, and DROOD, as far as I can tell, this girl's got a pretty extensive bag of tricks to pull from. The three roles couldn't be more different and I thought she was marvelous in all of them.

Can someone uber rich get on board with this plan? Pretty please?

[Mildred Plotka]

Roundabout would be wise to do a Funny Girl revival. They've redeemed themselves with Anything Goes and Drood, as far as I'm concerned. Mueller would be sensational.

[Younger Brother]

I think she'd make an incredible Daisy in "Side Show"

[PalJoey]

If it didn't happen with Leslie Kritzer, it's not going to happen with Jessie Mueller.

[Kelly2]

I still don't get the buzz behind the idea of Kritzer. I saw her at Papermill and I always find that she lacks warmth onstage, I've never felt like I was rooting for her in anything. The appeal of Mueller is the raw talent, I think she'd bring so much more to the material in a way that is so much fresher than most of her contemporaries.

And to me, Mueller is ten times the singer and a hundred times the actress that Kritzer is.

[bjh2114]

^This! I've NEVER understood the Kritzer appeal. I find her bland in everything, and ver voice really irritates me. I liked her in Sondheim on Sondheim enough, but everything else I've ever seen her in has been mediocre at best.

I think Mueller is FAR more talented.

[little_sally]

I've never seen Kritzer disappear into a character.

[newintown]

It's nice to dream, but it would be a foolish project, sure to lose money.

If someone really wants to lose money, have a bit of class about it and produce a new show that was actually written for Mueller, how about that?

[PalJoey]

'Zackly.

[dreaming]

Also-maybe Jessie Mueller would rather not have a career of re-creating Streisand roles? (I mean this will be the second role Streisand played that she'll play if it ever comes to fruition.)

[GavestonPS]

(This is not a reference to any poster in particular.)

I think we sometimes forget that Barbra Streisand had two top-ten albums and various hit singles before she starred in FUNNY GIRL. She had a Tony nomination (as does Mueller), but also numerous appearances headlining in nightclubs and guest-starring on TV variety shows, two forms of entertainment which were still popular in the early 1960s.

She wasn't quite the "unknown" or "known-only-in-New-York" that we often remember her being when we look back. Had she been, who knows what would have happened to a vehicle show with as creaky a book as FUNNY GIRL? Obviously, she's a huge and unique talent, so perhaps it wouldn't have mattered.

But given how much of the Broadway audience now comes from out-of-town or even overseas, I think having a star in the star role might matter very much.

[somethingwicked]

Sure, Mueller has a unique look and a strong voice, but I don't think she's anywhere near as ideal a fit for FUNNY GIRL as some other people here seem to think.

Fanny Brice requires someone with an incredibly unique and specific comedic sensibility. Say what you will about Leslie Kritzer, but she has that to a t, which is why she had such success when she played the part. I've found Mueller perfectly lovely in everything I've seen her in thus far, but she's not a particularly dynamic personality, which is the fundamental requirement for a character who proclaims herself to be "the greatest star." Lest we forget that the New York shows Mueller has popped in have been ensemble pieces like DROOD and INTO THE WOODS. Her part in ON A CLEAR DAY didn't require much in the acting department, so her chops carrying a piece on her back are largely unproven.

I'm curious to see more of what she can do in the coming years, but I see her finding more success as an ingenue than as a comedic character actor.

[little_sally]

somethingwicked, do you think Mueller's been in roles that allow her to be a dynamic presence? I'm not arguing with you, I'm just curious.

[TheatreDiva90016]

"The Music that Makes Me Dance" AND "Who Are You Now?" are replaced in the film by a new song, called "Funny Girl".

Which never compared to the songe it replaced.

[GavestonPS]

^^^^Certainly doesn't compare to "Music". What a shame we don't have that in the film!

[somethingwicked]

little_sally, the kind of unique personality I'm talking about is inate in the performer. Look at Nina Arianda. Yes, she had one hell of a role to show off what she could do when she broke through in VENUS IN FUR, but even in listening to her talk in interviews, you completely grasp the vivid personality that makes her unique, which she totally brings to all her performances. That's critical to this part, and I just don't see that in Mueller.

I'm sure this will be a controversal statement to make, but I think the fact that she's proven to be as versatile as she has been is almost a hinderance when you're talking about a role like this. Look at Streisand- no one else could do what she could do, and that's a huge part of the urgency she brought to the role. Like Fanny Brice, her gifts were very specific and very much unlike those of her peers. It's crucial to the story that Fanny not fit in with the more conventional girls she's surrounded by, and I'd say Mueller is much more conventional than most who would ever be considered for this role. Her weird type (which so oddly straddles the line between ingenue and character actor) is a big reason behind people's fascination with her, I think.

[PurpleFanta]

And Jesse Tyler Ferguson wants her to play Fanny too!

"Just saw "Edwin Drood" on Broadway & had a great time! When is Jessie Mueller playing Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl"? I mean, come ON! Obvious! " (@jessetyler)

I think she'd be fabulous. I'm surprised this wasn't a role she tackled back home in Chicago, it seems so right for her. She talks about the role a little bit in her Show People interview with Paul Wontorek.


Show People Interview

[Kelly2]

Love that there is some support for this idea from others besides me! I completely disagree with your assessment of Kritzer, somethingwicked, and I think there is something about her that always makes me feel like I'm watching Leslie Kritzer, and not watching a character or a show. I agree that I have never seen her get lost in a character, and for me, one of the most important attributes in a Fanny is authenticity. The show rests on her back, the audience needs someone with the charm to pull them through what can be a plot that drags a bit. To say that she only "pops" in ensemble pieces is a bit of a slight to Jessie Mueller. Look at the names she was competing against in those productions. Amy Adams, Donna Murphy, Chita Rivera, these are HUGE people to have to share a stage with, and she was a standout in both Into the Woods and Drood.

I also disagree that Mueller doesn't have innate charm as a performer and honestly, I don't see her as an ingenue at all. Betsy Wolfe, her co-star in Drood, IMO is much more of an exciting new ingenue type. Mueller, to me, has not gotten enough opportunity to show her comedic chops, and I think Drood is a HUGE step in the right direction on that front.

Anyway, obviously this is a far-off fantasy, and possibly more realistic for a production in her hometown or regionally somewhere, but I really do believe she'd be wonderful. Obviously if someone wants to write or build a show around her talents, I think that's a fabulous idea. Can't wait for it.

[somethingwicked]

Kelly2, what I'm talking about is not "innate charm" in a performer. Mueller totally has that. What I'm talking about is individual specificity, and that's an entirely different thing.

Agree to disagree. As you say, she certainly is an exciting talent, and I'm sure we'll see much more of her in the coming years (though I'd argue that the fact that she just played Cinderella in INTO THE WOODS makes it hard to say she's "not at all" an ingenue, no matter how quirky that role may be.)

[Kelly2]

I do think she has an individual specificity, though. I would absolutely say she does. I guess we have yet to see that fully borne out onstage, but I would imagine she'll have plenty of opportunity in her future to prove that she can carry a show and, more than that, that she has something unique to bring to the table.

I'm just happy to see someone newer to the New York theatre scene have such early success, I hope this is just the beginning for her.

[little_sally]

I think you're right, Kelly, in that I get a sense that Mueller does have specificity. It's evident in the small role she plays in Drood.

[CurtainPullDowner]

I've yet to see Mueller display any "inner charm".
The girl has talent in spades and quite a damn fine voice but would anyone consider her a "belter"?
I missed OACDYCSF, I thought she sang WOODS just fine but she was totally miscast. in DROOD she sang well, again, but was way too muggy for my taste. I see her much more of a character actress than leading lady.

She should be offered Fanny in some regional arena to try her chops in the role. I don't think it's a bad idea but she ain't there yet for me.

And Kritzer needs to do MATTRESS before she's too old.