Nashville's FUNNY Fannys: Catherine Mai Holder of Keeping Scores' FUNNY GIRL

In the upcoming Keeping Scores' concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 different, yet very funny and somehow uniquely qualified actresses to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice. First brought to national, then international, acclaim by the legendary Barbra Streisand, the role of Fanny Brice is a coveted role among musical theater performers. Despite that, however, things offstage seem to be going swimmingly at rehearsals; meanwhile we attempt to ferret out any backstabbing and catfights - as well as introducing you to all the Funny Fannys, one-by-one. You've met Alex Maddox (who plays a prominent role in today's interview), Cori Laemmel and Corrie Miller, who are all my favorites, of course. Today, the spotlight falls on relative newcomer Catherine Mai Holder, who remains inscrutable and mysterious throughout her interview. Read on, dear ones, and see what you can deduce from this funny Fanny...

Let's cut to the chase, Catherine: Where are you from? Since my family moved around so much when I was younger, the stage is really my hometown, as corny as that sounds.

 

Oh, I get it, you're the mysterious Fanny; so what are you gonna sing? I would tell you what song I'm singing but since it's one of the funniest parts of the show just for the surprise...But it's one of my gave parts of the show.

Okay, so you've decided to play hard-to-get. You Fannys are a dime a dozen, little missy (well, tickets are actually $15, I think), so I'll keep your secret...for now. What roles have you done that people around here might have seen? I have been at Miss Jeanne's Mystery Dinner Theatre for the past four years and my fave roles there were playing Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. Other than that I enjoyed playing the southern trollop in The Further Adventures of Cootie Simone.

Who's your favorite, most inspirational, funny woman? One woman who always comes to mind is the incomparable Madeleine Kahn, who played Lily von Stupp in Blazing Saddles. I love the song "I'm Tired." This is a dream role of mine if Mel Brooks ever wants to make another cool million, because I want to say "He has an enormous swanstucker!!" onstage!

Here's a question for ya, toots: Who's your favorite Fanny (other than yourself, of course)? I don't know who my favorite is but I will say who my least favorite is... Alex Maddox! She is the meanest, most untalented and all-around most un-fun person I've ever met! (And when I say all of those things I mean the total opposite it all, since she's one of my best friends and I love her dearly. Even if she loses her phone all the time!)

It's about time one of you told the truth. What's the funniest thing you've ever done? Gosh...I don't know if that's an appropriate story to write in print.I just get myself in funny situations because I'm very clutzy and clumsy!

What's your favorite funny movie? Waiting for Guffman will always make me pee my pants no matter how many times I see it - Oh! There's something funny! - I've peed my pants in the middle of an intersection while trying to bungee poles to the top of a truck because my best friend started laughing with his honk...And it was a little much for me to handle...Obviously...So, yeah, I peed my pants in public - and I own it!

What show on TV makes you laugh out loud (but not to the point of peeing your pants)? There are two shows that I can watch in reruns into infinity: Golden Girls and The Cosby Show! Both are brilliant in their own ways. I think what I love most about both of those shows are that the characters you really love are caricatures and are so funny because of it.

What's your favorite funny musical? I think the funniest musical I've ever seen is Fiddler on the Roof. I've been in it twice and each time I found it so hard to keep a straight face during "Anatevka" - man the mass exodus of the townsfolk makes me giggle every time!

- Funny Girl in Concert. Music and lyrics by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. Book by Isobel Lennart. Directed by Scott Logsdon. Musical direction by Jamey Green. Choreographed by Laurie Gregoire. Presented by Keeping Scores Concerts at Boiler Room Theatre, Franklin. For reservations, call the box office at (615) 794-7744.

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