| FUNNY GIRL and ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE |
| Last Edit: BroadwayTonyJ 07:47 am EST 03/12/22 |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 07:46 am EST 03/12/22 |
| In reply to: re: The big news is that they aren’t billing her like the star of the show - WaymanWong 01:38 am EST 03/12/22 |
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Probably because it would not have been good for the show as a whole. It's Fanny's story. There's not much development of Nick's life other than he's a gambler in love with Brice.
In 1939 20th Century Fox released Rose of Washington Square, a film obviously based on or inspired by Fanny Brice's life. Non-singer Tyrone Power was top billed in the role based on Nicky Arnstein. The musical numbers were performed by Alice Faye and Al Jolson (in a role similar to Eddie Ryan).
Isobel Lennart's libretto is strikingly similar, almost a scene for scene copy at times, to the Fox film. The decision to follow that film so closely may have been a factor in making it difficult for Styne and Merrill to musicalize the character of Nick. If you have time, check out the film and you'll see what I mean. Alice Faye's big musical number is even "My Man", a signature Brice song, which was subsequently interpolated into the 1968 film version of Funny Girl. |
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re: The big news is that they aren’t billing her like the star of the show - WaymanWong 01:38 am EST 03/12/22 |
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