Funny Girl!

 The national tour of Funny Girl opened in Omaha on Tuesday night. The 60 year old musical about the life of Fanny Brice is a classic for sure, made famous by Barbra Streisand and not really ever revived until recently probably because of that fact nobody can top Babs. Then came the Broadway revival that was a bit of a disaster because the lead wasn't very good and was replaced after a short period of time. But the national tour became the way to go so us out here in the sticks can see an epic musical.

Sometimes you get a bagel with everything and sometimes you get a bagel with just cream cheese. Streisand is everything, the touring show is the latter. Not to say that's bad, some of us don't want everything on the bagel and that would be me.

From the moment Hannah Shankman as Fanny says "Hello Gorgeous" to the moment the play ends abruptly, she owns the stage. She is a force of nature. Her voice is a powerhouse, her stage presence is dominating, and she is funny, ya know, like the title says. Shankman may be the greatest female singer I've seen on a stage in a long while. She really is phenomenal.

Steven Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein, Fanny's love and husband, is dashing and creepy at the same time. He's quite the cad, a con artist who has to be in control, but when Fanny becomes more successful than him, the marriage crumbles. Melissa Manchester (yes that Melissa Manchester) plays Fanny's Jewish mother. She is so good at both dominating the stage when she's on it with her fellow Jewish mothers and backing off to Shankman's power when necessary. A real pro. Izaih Harris as Fanny's best friend, Eddie, is phenomenal when he tap dances onstage to the woo hoos of the crowd. He's not onstage much but when he is, it makes the musical better.

The choreography is phenomenal in duplicating the Ziegfeld Follies of the 1920's, vaudeville, dancing, singing, chorus girls, and comedy. Fanny juggles her career, her marriage, and her insecurities. Nick spirals out of control as he loses money in one scam after another and when Fanny bails him out he resorts to embezzlement to deal with HIS insecurities and goes to prison. Fanny waits, she gives in to her need for love, and Nick rejects her. Bummer. Or was it?

Funny Girl isn't the greatest musical of all time for sure. It's something I'd probably never see again but it's a fun time for the 2 1/2 hours. It's a classic and you'll be happy you went.