Funny Girl is a musical with score by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill, and book by Isobel Lennart, that first opened on Broadway in 1964.

The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of comedian and Broadway star Fanny Brice, featuring her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein.

[1][2] Lea Michele stepped into the lead role that September, with rave reviews prompting a new Broadway cast recording two months later.

Stark discussed the possibility with producer David Merrick, who suggested Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim compose the score.

Styne was happy with the results and the two men completed the rest of the score, then flew to Los Angeles to play it for Stark, Robbins, and Bancroft.

[5] With Bancroft out of the picture, Eydie Gormé was considered, but she agreed to play Brice only if her husband Steve Lawrence was cast as Nick Arnstein.

[5] Robbins had an argument with Lennart and told Stark he wanted her replaced because he thought she was not capable of adapting her screenplay into a viable book for a stage musical.

[5] There were problems with the script and score throughout rehearsals, and when Funny Girl opened at the Shubert Theatre in Boston it was too long, even after thirty minutes had been cut.

Streisand reprised her role in the West End production at the Prince of Wales Theatre directed by Lawrence Kasha, which opened April 13, 1966.

The role of Fanny Brice on stage was shared by Michala Banas, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Casey Donovan, Virginia Gay, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Dami Im, Maggie McKenna, Zahra Newman, Caroline O’Connor, Queenie van de Zandt and Megan Washington.

[citation needed] A 1996 United States National tour starred Debbie Gibson as Fanny Brice and Robert Westenberg as Nick Arnstein.

[13][14][15][16][17] A 2023 United States national tour of the 2022 Broadway revival opened in Providence, Rhode Island on September 9, 2023,[18] starring Katerina McCrimmon, Stephen Mark Lukas, and Melissa Manchester.

[19][20] The show's first ever full-scale revival began previews at the Menier Chocolate Factory on November 20, 2015, officially opening December 2 for a limited run to March 5, 2016.

The production starred Sheridan Smith, with Darius Campbell as Nick, directed by Michael Mayer, with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein.

[30] A Paris production opened in November 2019 at Théâtre Marigny, directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear and featuring Christina Bianco as Fanny.

[39] On March 28, 2023, Paolo Montalban and Anne L. Nathan replaced Peter Francis James and Toni DiBuono as Florenz Ziegfeld and Mrs. Strakosh, respectively.

[44] Michele's performance turned declining box office numbers around and received critical acclaim in the role with universally positive reviews, including many citing superior vocals compared to her predecessor.

Performers included Carolee Carmello, Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Ana Gasteyer, Whoopi Goldberg, Jane Krakowski, Judy Kuhn, Julia Murney, LaChanze, Ricki Lake, Andrea Martin, Idina Menzel, Bebe Neuwirth, Kaye Ballard, Alice Playten, Lillias White, Len Cariou, Jason Danieley, Peter Gallagher, Gary Beach, Brad Oscar, Richard Kind, and The Rockettes.

[46][47] In regional theatre the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, production ran in April to May 2001 with Leslie Kritzer and Robert Cuccioli.

The New York Times reviewer noted: "What makes it all the more impressive is that few actors, or theater companies outside of summer stock, dare to attempt Jule Styne's and Bob Merrill's grand spectacle that propelled Barbra Streisand's career nearly 40 years ago.

Gary Griffin was the co-director with Drury Lane artistic director William Osetek, with the cast that featured Sara Sheperd.

[50] A revival directed by Bartlett Sher had been announced to premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in January 2012[51] with Lauren Ambrose starring as Fanny Brice and Bobby Cannavale as Nick Arnstein,[52] and then open on Broadway in April 2012.

[citation needed] The musical is set in and around New York City just before and following World War I. Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice, awaiting the return of her husband Nicky Arnstein from prison, reflects on their life together, and their story is told as a flashback.

When the venture fails and they lose their money, Fanny tries to make light of it, which propels Nick to get involved in a shady bond deal, resulting in his arrest for embezzlement.

Act 1 In the present, Fanny Brice sits in her dressing room whilst preparing to star in the Ziegfeld Follies, awaiting news to hear if her husband, Nicky Arnstein, has been freed from prison and reminiscing on her earlier life ("Who Are You Now?")

Nick appears backstage, congratulating Fanny on her performance, and escorts her home ("I Wanna Be Seen With You Tonight") where her mother and close friends have thrown her a party, celebrating her success ("Henry Street").

A few months later, as Fanny prepares to go back to rehearsals for a new show, Nick abruptly tells her that he is heading to Philadelphia to find investors for a casino he's building in Miami.

After her performance ("Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat"), Fanny's mother comforts her before Nick appears in her dressing room, revealing that a hurricane in Florida has destroyed the casino and lost them their money.

Flashing back to the present, ("Dream Ballet"), three years after the arrest, Fanny and Eddie share one last tender moment as Nick appears in the doorway.

The album received a commemorative 50th anniversary box set edition, released April 29, 2014, with an LP, remastered CD, and 48-page book of photographs from the original Broadway production.