A tale with soaring ambition, bodacious humor, and undeniable chemistry hits the stage in Chico with “Funny Girl.”
The renowned 1964 musical about American comedian Fanny Brice, which played a pivotal role in establishing Barbra Streisand's stardom, is hitting the stage this week at the Chico Theatre Company.
“Funny Girl” is experiencing a renaissance, having just concluded a turbulent but ultimately successful Broadway run.
Casting the iconic lead role of Brice is no easy task. The revival opened to mixed reviews of Booksmart’s Beanie Feldstein and closed to glowing reviews by Glee’s Lea Michelle, who both played the “Funny Girl” lead.
Actor Leahana Mishelof understands the dedication and said she’s up for the challenge as she takes on the role of Brice for Chico Theatre Company.
"It was really exciting and kind of daunting to walk in," Mishelof said. "You have big shoes to fill. It's such an intense role."
Mishelof's journey with Chico Theater Company began in 2023 with her debut performance in "Fiddler on the Roof."
The ‘role of a lifetime’
For Mishelof, this is more than a regular acting part. This is a defining opportunity.
“It's like my dream role, so they didn't tell me that we actually had gotten the rights, and we were officially doing the show until maybe six months before it all started,” Mishelof said.
Mishelof caught the revival last year on Broadway in New York City, with Michelle as the lead, a performance that left a lasting impression.
“She is a female who is unafraid of stepping out and being different than others around her, she was before her time,”- Leahana Mishelof, actress
“That’s where the deep love for that show started,” she said.
The role of the trailblazing Jewish comedian resonated with Mishelof because she was raised with Jewish values in a Christian-Jewish household.
Despite all the similarities with the famous comedian, Mishelof still had to work on Brice’s accent.
“I worked so much on my accent, and trying to make that as believable as possible,” Mishelof said. “She’s also notoriously had this upper register, kind of nasally voice, trying to hone that in.”
Jewish culture is a significant aspect of Brice’s personality, shaping both her sense of humor and her ambitions. Her upbringing in a Jewish family and community also played a role in shaping her driven nature.
“She is a female who is unafraid of stepping out and being different than others around her, she was before her time,” Mishelof said. She was powerful, but also very vulnerable and willing to go through life with somebody whom she just loved.”
It takes two
Brice loved hard in “Funny Girl,” and all that love goes to debonair gambler Nick Arnstein, played by Owen Hansen.
“It's something that everyone can connect with, where it's part of the American dream, where you can aspire to be whatever you want in this life, where you can come from the lowliest of places and rise to the top,”- Owen Hansen, actor
“It's as if he's chasing the American dream of success, but the only way he knows how to do it is quick cash and with a flash in the pan,” Hansen said.
Much of “Funny Girl” relies on the chemistry between the two leads, which both Hansen and Mishelof have worked tirelessly to achieve.
“It's such a privilege to be able to work with her, because it's light, it's quick, and we feed each other's energy really well,” Hansen said. “I am so lucky to be in the cast with her.”
Nevertheless, the story is about the desire to succeed and an aggressive hunger to achieve your dreams.
“It's something that everyone can connect with, where it's part of the American dream, where you can aspire to be whatever you want in this life, where you can come from the lowliest of places and rise to the top,” Hansen said.
“Funny Girl” starts Friday April 25 and plays through May 18.
