The play...


I've never seen the play version. Does she sing "Funny Girl" in it? Does she do something else instead?

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The song "Funny Girl" that is heard in the movie was written for the movie. There was a completely different song called "Funny Girl" written along with the score for the Broadway show, and I know it was published, but it was not in the show during the Broadway run.

From this list of musical numbers from the Broadway show, it seems that the number most close to the "Funny Girl" spot would have been either "Who Are You Now?" or "The Music That Makes Me Dance" (both terrific songs, IMHO, and both much better than "Funny Girl").

Act 1
If a Girl Isn't Pretty (Mrs. Strakosh, Mrs. Brice, Eddie Ryan and People)
I'm the Greatest Star (Fanny Brice)
Cornet Man (Fanny Brice, Snub Taylor and Keeney Chorus)
Who Taught Her Everything? (Mrs. Brice and Eddie Ryan)
His Love Makes Me Beautiful (Ziegfeld Tenor, Ziegfeld Girls and Fanny Brice)
I Want to Be Seen With You Tonight (Nick Arnstein and Fanny Brice)
Henry Street (Henry Street Neighbors)
People (Fanny Brice)
You Are Woman (Nick Arnstein and Fanny Brice)
Don't Rain on My Parade (Fanny Brice)

Act 2
Sadie, Sadie (Fanny Brice and Friends)
Find Yourself a Man (Mrs. Strakosh, Mrs. Brice and Eddie Ryan)
Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat (Ziegfeld Company and Fanny Brice)
Who Are You Now? (Fanny Brice)
The Music That Makes Me Dance (Fanny Brice)
Don't Rain on My Parade (Reprise) (Fanny Brice)

Maybe someone who knows the show better than I do can clarify the exact context of "Who Are You Now?" and "The Music That Makes Me Dance." (I believe that the reprise of "Don't Rain on My Parade" is in the spot taken by "My Man" in the film, but I'm not definitely sure of this.)

BTW, "My Man" was the title originally announced for the original stage production. On Broadway, composers have much more power than they do in Hollywood, and Jule Styne saw to it that only his original music was used in the show.


Answer me. I know you have a civil tongue in your head because I sewed it there myself.

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That answers it. Thanks :)

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There's no song in the exact same spot in the musical as "Funny Girl" in the movie (the scene when Nick comes to see Fanny after he is released from prison). In the stage version, Fanny sings "Who Are You Now?" to Nick after their fight when he misses her opening night. She sings "The Music That Makes Me Dance" after she finds out from Eddie and her mother that Nick's been arrested. The next musical number is the closing "Don't Rain On My Parade" (which was replaced by "My Man" in the movie).

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The decision to use all-Styne music for the show was also an economic one - buying the rights to "My Man" and other songs associated with Brice would have inflated the show's budget. Musicals such as FUNNY GIRL were still brought to Broadway for $300,000 to $400,000 at the time (which even then was a lot of money).

"I don't use a pen: I write with a goose quill dipped in venom!"---W. Lydecker

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