Review: Say “Hello Gorgeous” to a riveting revival of “Funny Girl” at Fair Park

In a captivating performance on Wednesday night, Katerina McCrimmon filled Fair Park’s Music Hall with plenty of laughs and incredible vocals as Fanny Brice in the ongoing North American tour of “Funny Girl,” now running through August 18 as the final production of Broadway Dallas’ 2023-24 season.

“Funny Girl” follows Fanny’s rise to stardom as part of the “Ziegfeld Follies” and her rocky romantic relationship with the suave but flawed Nick Arnstein along the way. The iconic show originally starred Barbra Streisand as Fanny for both its Broadway run and a silver-screen adaptation, leaving future productions with high expectations to say the least. The shows at Fair Park are part of the first tour of the 2022 Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein.

For those unfamiliar, the show begins with Fanny already at the peak of her star power on tour. It quickly transitions, however, into a runtime-filling flashback that begins with her as an ambitious New York teenager. Despite the objections of her mother (Grammy Award-winner Melissa Manchester) and her mother’s friends, Mrs. Strakosh (Eileen T’Kaye) and Mrs. Meeker (Christine Bunuan), Fanny is determined to make a name for herself on stage. She receives the support of her friend, Eddie Ryan (Izaiah Montaque Harris), even though her first attempt as a chorus dancer leaves a lot to be desired.

“Funny Girl” wastes no time setting its humorous tone or showcasing the breadth of its cast’s talents in these opening scenes. Manchester’s strong vocals and comedic timing immediately shine. Likewise, Harris dazzles in an impressive tap-dancing segment and helps emotionally ground the show with his earnest support of Fanny.

Throughout, the jokes are often quick and seamlessly flow into the pacing of the dialogue and story. Audiences also receive their first opportunities to experience McCrimmon’s incredible vocals early on with songs like “I’m the Greatest Star.”

As the show progresses and Fanny’s ascent begins in earnest, audiences meet Lukas’ stylish Nick Arnstein and a commanding Florenz Ziegfeld (Walter Coppage). Lukas plays Nick as every bit of the classic Clark Gable-style leading man. Even though audiences might see Nick as “slick,” as Eddie puts it, they’d be hard-pressed not to see him as a character with real heart despite his potential shortcomings.

His smooth style is a stark contrast to Fanny’s often self-deprecating attitude, but they immediately have a strong dynamic together. McCrimmon and Lukas don’t miss a beat when bantering and provide the show with some of its best comedic moments, particularly when they meet for a fancy dinner arranged by an overeager Nick. Their chemistry helps make songs like the classic “People” all the more impactful, especially considering McCrimmon’s range and strength as a singer.

It all leads to a much more emotional second act as “Funny Girl” dives deep into Fanny and Nick’s relationship. Although the show drops a bit of its comedy as a result, there’s no denying the earned emotional impact of these scenes. By the time McCrimmon sings the self-titled number “Funny Girl,” you’d be hard-pressed not to feel a strong tug at your heartstrings.

Overall, the script’s balance of laugh-out-loud comedy and poignant emotional moments creates a show that captivates from opening to close. When coupled with McCrimmon’s star-making portrayal of Fanny alongside stellar performances by Lukas and Manchester, this revival of “Funny Girl” is nothing short of gorgeous.