Nashville's FUNNY Fannys: Corrie Miller 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 one 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 and Cori Laemmel already and today the spotlight falls on Corrie Miller, who is my favorite Fanny of them all. (Note to Alex and Cori: Just ignore that last statement; I was contractually required to tell Mrs. Miller that in order to get her to deem me worthy of an interview. Jeez, what a prima donna!)

So where's home; where the hell are you from? Charleston, South Carolina, but I have lived in several places across the country.

What song do you thrill us with in Funny Girl in Concert? "Rat Tat Tat Tat."

What are your three favorite Nashville stage roles (and don't be shy, now's the time to blow your own cornet)? Annie Oakley, Baker's Wife and Rose (in Tennessee Women's Theater Project's Unravelling the Ribbon).

Who's your own favorite funny girl? Film: Judy Garland; TV: Carol Burnett; Theater: Bernadette Peters.

Who's your favorite Fanny you're sharing the stage with (please be honest, none of the other chicks will come clean and I so desperately want some backstage gossip)? I think it will be amazing to see every woman's unique take on and approach to Fanny, so that makes me excited to work with each one. But many of these talented ladies are not just colleagues, they're friends, so that alone makes me thrilled to share the stage with them.

Aww, c'mon, I need some juicy gossip: What's the funniest thing you've ever done? Funny as in laugh at me or with me; because Lord knows I can make a fool out of myself at any given moment. That's pretty much a multiple times-a-day occurrence with me. Onstage, too: I'm really good at getting tongue-tied on stage. Seriously tongue-tied. As in my brain completely stops communicating with my mouth and it's anyone's guess what comes out.

So, what movie makes you laugh out loud? Hmm...pretty much anything by Mel Brooks, especially History of the World: Part II. Oh, and I love the movies from the group that did Four Weddings and a Funeral. However, I do enjoy some raunch - i.e. Adam Sandler movies, Wedding Crashers and I recently saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall and, don't laugh - I liked it a lot.

What's your favorite TV comedy (and if you say Friends, I'll throw-up a little bit in the back of my throat)? I was a huge fan of Friends, until the last few years. I also loved the Cosby Show, Seinfield, Frasier and more recently, Scrubs.

So obviously all those kids of yours make sure you don't have time to watch any current TV. What's your favorite funny play or musical? There are so many I really love, but I guess to have to start naming, one of my all-time favorite musicals is Crazy For You. Love, love, love that show. And when I was in school I saw a play called All In the Timing and still quote it to this day. I laughed my fanny off....pun intended.

Cool. So who's your favorite critic of all-time? Really, Corrie, it's not polite to laugh in my face. I was being serious...where the hell are you going?

- 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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