“Funny Girl” — the acclaimed Broadway musical and hit film that made Barbra Streisand a superstar – opens May 22 at the Diamond Head Theatre, for a run through June 6.
Already, many playdates are sold out, so it’s prudent to secure tickets sooner than later, if you intend to go.
“Funny Girl” is the biographical musical about the feisty, determined wanna-be performer Fanny Brice, who is from New York’s Lower East Side, and her inspired journey to become a stage star as a headliner in the Ziegfeld Follies in the era when vaudeville was king.
It’s a tale of big dreams, challenging goals and immense hurdles, fueled by tuneful staples from the Bob Merrill and Jule Styne musical score, including such evergreens as “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” The show — with book and original story by Isobel Lennart –has become a star-maker; two years ago, Lea Michele famously resuscitated the Brice role on Broadway and turned a so-so interpretation into a magical blockbuster.
John Rampage, veteran artistic director of Diamond Head Theatre, is charged with directing and choreographing “Funny Girl.”
Becca Brake will portray the effervescent and Indefatigable Fanny Brice; Mark Sanders will enact Nick Arnstein, her financially unstable gambler-husband; Shari Lynn will be Mrs. Rosie Brice, Fanny’s mom not immediately convinced about Fanny’s quest; and Joe Martyak will play Florenz Ziegfeld Jr, who gives Fanny the nod to put her stamp on his famous Ziegfeld Follies show.
Others in the cast are David Weaver (Eddie Ryan), Brianna Johnson (Emma), Tracey Villiger (Mrs. Strakosh), Betty Bolton (Mrs. Meeker) Lee Nebe (Tom Keeney), Jody Bill (Keeney Girl, Showgirl, Fanny Brice understudy), Landon Ballesteros (John the Stage Manager), Mary Rydell (Mrs. O’Malley), Federico Biven (Heckie), Brandon Yim (Workman), Presley Wheeler (Workman, Ziegfeld Production Tenor), Christina Sutrov (Keeney Girl, Showgirl), Anastasia Chrysler (Keeney Girl, Showgirl), Alexandra Langley (Keeney Girl/Showgirl), Salote Vaha’i (Mimsey, Showgirl), Timmy “Tino” Nozaki (Paul), Bob Calvert (Mr. Renaldi), James Lauer (Coronet Man, Jody) and Suzanne Green (understudy for Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Strakosh, Mrs. Meeker, and Mrs. O’Malley)..
Ensemble members are Casey Kekoa Lauti, Jaiyu-Li, Brittany Lewis, Ani O’Hanlon, Emily Lane, and Teagan Staskawicz.
Performance days are at 7 p.m. Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. DHT’s website may not list certain sellout dates. Tickets range in price from $43 to $70, available at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and (808) 733-0274…
And that’s Show Biz…