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THEATER TALK: "Funny Girl" Revival Postponed Indefinitely

Katie Buenneke |
November 4, 2011 | 4:35 p.m. PDT

Theater Editor

 

 

The highly anticipated revival of "Funny Girl" that was set to open at the Ahmanson early next year and then transfer to Broadway has been indefinitely postponed. This came as a surprise to many in the theater community, and saddened more than a few.

"I weep," said our Senior Arts Editor and theater aficionado, Jason Kehe, in response to the news.

Producer Bob Boyett cited raising a $12 million capitalization as the main reason for the delay. This is understandable, as in this economy, producers are less willing to gamble on anything other than a sure bet, but the Bartlett Sher-directed "Funny Girl" looked to be the surest bet of any show opening on Broadway this season. It's been receiving attention from the mainstream media, though the buzz quieted substantially after Lauren Ambrose's casting as Fanny Brice.

It is not clear when "Funny Girl" will appear at the Ahmanson or on Broadway, but the Center Theatre Group (who runs the Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre) plans on finding a replacement show for the season calendar. "Funny Girl" will be a tough act to follow, given that most national tours are probably booked for the season, and January and February are notoriously difficult months for theater. The high-profile nature of this production of "Funny Girl" could have easily enabled it to succeed. It will be interesting to see if the Center Theatre Group can pull together a similarly high-profile show to attract a sizable audience in time.

Reach Katie here.

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