When Brice stuck to broad farce and Yiddish-accented parodies of other female stars, the critics loved her. Despite her desire for universality, Brice found her niche as a “Jewish” entertainer. Ironically, a year later, she would make her first Broadway mark in a musical comedy, The College Girls, singing Irving Berlin‘s “Sadie Salome, Go Home” with a put-on Yiddish accent while dancing a parody of the seductive veil dance in Richard Strauss’ opera Salome. Grossman speculates that Fanny probably changed her name to escape limited Jewish stage roles. By the end of that year, she changed her last name to Brice. In 1908, dropping out of school after the eighth grade, the gangly, strong-voiced Fanny Borach worked as a chorus girl in a burlesque revue.
Just as Al Jolson donned blackface to make his mark in show business, Brice affected a Yiddish background she did not possess. Despite her efforts to succeed as a serious actress and singer, Brice - who spoke no Yiddish - rose to stardom performing comedy with a Yiddish accent. Historian Barbara Grossman notes that, in an era that typically based entertainment on ethnic stereotypes such as the drunken Irishman, the ignorant Pole or the Yiddish-accented greenhorn, Brice’s “Semitic looks” slotted her into Jewish roles. No career illustrates the limits and possibilities of being a Jewish comedian better than that of Fanny Brice.īorn on the Lower East Side of New York in 1891, the third of four children of saloon-owning immigrant parents, Fania Borach chose a performer’s career early in life. In the first half of the 20th century, these expectations were almost impossible for Jewish comics to escape. With the exception of Burns and Seinfeld, the majority of successful American Jewish comedians attained popularity by fulfilling widely accepted ethnic Jewish stereotypes, or by employing a manic, burlesque style of humor. Jewish comic geniuses such as Eddie Cantor, George Burns, Milton Berle, Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Lenny Bruce, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Alan King, Gilda Radner, and Jerry Seinfeld, to name but a few, have enriched the nation’s culture by allowing Americans to laugh at themselves. Jewish comedians have made significant contributions to American popular culture. None.My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help Donate While speaking with Playbill earlier this month, the actress said, "It has nothing to do with not wanting to see Lea. Lynch has asserted that Michele joining the show didn't contribute to her early departure. Brice since August 16 and will continue to do so until Tovah Feldshuh takes over the role on Michele's first night. Standby Liz McCartney has been playing Mrs. Her exit was moved up from September 4 because of a planned vacation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Brice, Fanny's mother - departed the show on August 14. Lynch - who starred alongside Feldstein in the revival as Mrs. Meanwhile, Michele's former "Glee" co-star, Jane Lynch, like Feldstein, was originally set to star in "Funny Girl" until late September. Benko has been starring as Fanny and will continue to do so until Michele takes over on September 6. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.įeldstein's last performance was on July 31, before standby Julie Benko stepped in. "Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated," she added. In her post, Feldstein said she would be leaving "Funny Girl" at the end of July, and shared that playing Fanny on Broadway "has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so for the last few months has been a great joy and true honor." The "Lady Bird" actress was originally set to star in the show until September 25. The news came just one day after Feldstein revealed on Instagram that she'd be departing "Funny Girl" earlier than expected. "I'm so incredibly honored to join this amazing cast and production and return to the stage playing Fanny Brice on Broadway. See you at the August Wilson! /nQatXGOzee- Funny Girl on Broadway Aug dream come true is an understatement," she wrote on July 11.
Lea Michele joins the cast of FUNNY GIRL as Fanny Brice beginning September 6.
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