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Sheridan Smith-Led Funny Girl to Screen in Cinemas
Sheridan Smith-Led Funny Girl to Screen in Cinemas

Sheridan Smith-Led Funny Girl to Screen in Cinemas

The Menier Chocolate Factory production of Funny Girl, starring Olivier Awards-winner Sheridan Smith, will be broadcast in cinemas globally for one day only. Wednesday, October 24, 2018, theatre fans can grab their popcorn and enjoy the production which will be released by Traflagar Releasing. Funny Girl, which is directed by Tony-winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), was recorded by Digital Theatre during the final weeks of its Manchester Place Theatre run.

Robert Delamere, Founder of Digital Theatre, offered these thoughts about the forthcoming screening: “Funny Girl is a bona-fide American classic, so it’s wonderful to be able to share this smash-hit West End production with American audiences. Sheridan Smith gives an unforgettable star turn as Vaudeville icon Fanny Brice in this new live capture from Digital Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions and London’s Menier Chocolate Factory.”

Sheridan Smith plays the role of Fanny Brice, one of vaudeville’s singularly original and hilarious talents. Joining her in this acclaimed revival are Darius Campbell as Nick Arnstein, Nigel Barber as Florenz Ziegfeld,  Zoë Ann Bown as Mrs. Meeker, Martin Callaghan as Mr. Keeney, Jennifer Harding as Emma, Rachel Izen as Mrs. Brice, Joshua Lay as Eddie and Myra Sands as Mrs. Strakosh. Rhianne Alleyne, Kit Benjamin, Lloyd Davies, Flora Dawson, Joseph Dockree, Abigayle Honeywill, Brontë Lavine, David Mcintosh, Peter Nash, Gillian Parkhouse, Tom Partridge, Nova Skipp, Alexandra Waite-Roberts, Sam Wingfield and Alexandra Wright round out the ensemble.

“Fanny Brice was an extraordinary woman who broke the mold for female entertainment, not only that, she was a brilliant comic! Her lack of vanity and her goofiness made her unique and very special, and the role was an utter joy to play. I’m beyond excited to be able to share our production of Funny Girl with audiences across the pond in North America” shared Sheridan Smith.

Funny Girl originally opened on Broadway in 1964. Featuring a score by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), and a book by Isobel Lennart, the musical was a career-defining step for Barbra Streisand who starred in the role of Fanny Brice. For the Menier Chocolate Factory revival, Harvey Fierstein made some revisions to Lennart’s book.

“Fanny Brice, who rose from the Lower East Side of New York to become one of Broadway’s biggest stars under producer Florenz Ziegfield.  While she was cheered onstage as a great comedienne, offstage she faced a doomed relationship with the man she loved.  With a score featuring now-classic songs such as “People”, “You Are Woman, I Am Man” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade”, this new production was a must-see theatrical event.”

For tickets and additional screening information visit www.FunnyGirlInCinemas.com.

Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals, The Disney Song Encyclopedia, and The Encyclopedia of Television Theme Songs. He maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.