We're proud to announce: "PRESENTING FANNY BRICE"--Chip Deffaa's new big-cast musical comedy about the original Funny Girl--published by Eldridge Plays, and available for licensing now...
T.J. Thompson, Mary Cantoni Johnson
Here's the story of the fabulous Fanny Brice, formatted for a big cast. There are over 30 speaking parts.
This high-spirited, two-act musical comedy can be performed by anywhere from 12 actors ("doubling" some roles) to 35 actors.
Fanny Brice, on the air
The central role, of course, is Fanny Brice, star of stage, screen, and radio. And she gets many great numbers to sing by herself.
But in this show we also get to meet such intriguing supporting characters as Gypsy Rose Lee, W. C. Fields, Walter Winchell, Eddie Cantor, Madame Elise Friedman, and Flo Ziegfeld. Young Fanny Brice gets to sing duets with her father; the adult Fanny Brice gets to sing a couple of duets with her beloved Nicky Arnstein....
This is a perfect show for schools, colleges, community theaters, regional theaters eager to do a big musical with solid entertainment values.
Terrific opportunities for singing, dancing, and good old-fashioned showmanship, as we follow Brice's coloful career through burlesque, vaudeville, the Ziefgfeld Follies, and more.
You can order copies of the script, and find out about licensing the play, directly from the publisher, Eldridge Plays & Musicals, by clicking here:
The score is rich with rewards: "The Band Played On," "Ballin' the Jack," "Doin' the Grizzly Bear," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight," "Sadie Salome," "The Sheik of Araby," "Singin' the Blues," "You Made Me Love You"....
Comedy numbers, ragtime favorities, beloved, timeless torch songs--they're all here.
The role of Fanny Brice is this show offers a tremendous opportunity for a strong female performer.
The role requires a real triple-threat, who can sing, dance, act--make audiences laugh one moment, and cry with her the next.
THE SHOW IS AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING NOW...
If you would like more information on "Presenting Fanny Brice" or might like to license the show, feel free to contact Chip Deffaa Productions LLC, 50 Quartz Lane, Paterson, NJ 07501-3345, tel. (973) 684-3340, Email:
Self-taught, with virtually no formal education, Brice rose to the top as both a comedienne--starring in Ziegfeld Follies sketches that she wrote and directed herself--and as a singer.
Among Brice's signature numbers: "Rose of Washington Square" and "My Man."
"Presenting Fanny Brice" had its world-premiere production in New Ulm, Minnesota.
These photos are from the premiere production of "Presenting Fanny Brice" in New Ulm, Minnesota (produced by C.A.ST.--Community and Seniors Together).
This two-act musical comedy was developed via readings in New York City (at Roy Arias Studios) and in Naugatuck, Connecticut (at the Phoenix Stage Company). The photos below are from the readings.
Taking the role of Fanny Brice's formidable mother, Rose--and sitting at the head of the table, matriarch-style--is the one-and-only Amy Stiller. She's flanked by playwright/director Chip Deffaa, and actors Jack Saleeby, Emily Bordonaro, Ray Yucis, Eve Prouty, Michael Townsend Wright, Katie Brandenstein, and Kimberly Faye Greenberg.
The collective personnel in the readings (in New York and Connectitcut) has included: Amy Stiller, Michael Townsend Wright, Jack Saleeby, Emily Bordonaro, Ben Orlando, Ray Yucis, Brady Chin, Peter Dagger, Katie Brandenstein, LindaAnn Loschiavo, Eve Prouty, Brian Childers, Kimberly Faye Greenberg, Mary Cantoni Johnson, T.J. Thompson, Val Vitalo, Pat Hearn, Veronica Johnson, Emily Diedrich, Chuck Stango, Theron Johnson,Lyle Ressler, Moses Beckett, Patti Paganucci, Kimberly Sanders, Brian Elser, Brian Dann, Chip Deffa. With thanks to Sharon A. Wilcox, Agnes Duggan Dann, and Ed Bassett for their help in making readings possible.
Amy Stiller
Ben Orlando, Brady Chin, Peter Dagger
Jack Saleeby, Emily Bordonaro
Pat Hearn, Val Vitalo, Brian Dann, Mary Cantoni-Johnson, Emily Diedrich, Chuck Stango. (This photo, and all performance photos of this Connecticut reading taken by Emma Czaplinski.)
Emily Diedrich, Chuck Stango, Chip Deffaa, Ben Orlando, Lyle Ressler, Theron Johnson
Mary Cantoni-Johnson, Emily Diedrich, Chuck Stango
Front row (left to right): Lyle Ressler, Theron Johnson, Brian Elser. In back: Mary Cantoni-Johnson and Brian Dann, with music director T. J. Thompson (partially hidden)
Patti Paganucci, Veronica Johnson, Pat Hearn, Val Vitalo, Brian Dann
Back row (from left to right): Peter Dagger, Brian Childers, Kimberly Faye Greenberg, Ray Yucis, LindaAnn LoSchiavo, Chip Deffaa, Emily Bordonaro, Jack Saleeby, Katie Brandenstein; front row (from left to right): Eve Prouty, Michael Townsend Wright, Brady Chin, Ben Orlando
The play opens with Fanny Brice appearing at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York, in the "Ziegfeld Follies."
The above photo, taken in 1936, shows the billboard over the Winter Garden; Fanny Brice is top-billed in that edition of the "Follies." Among others in the cast that season: Bob Hope, Eve Arden, Josephine Baker, and the Nicholas Brothers.
Fanny Brice
From left to right: Patti Paganucci, Theron Johnson, Pat Hearn, Val Vitalo, Emily Diedrich, Brian Dann, Mary Cantoni-Johnson, Chip Deffaa, T.J. Thompson, Veronica Johnson, Ben Orlando,,Lyle Ressler, Brian Elser. (Photo by Sharon A. Wilcox)
Veronica Johnson, Theron O'Neill Johnson, Mary Cantoni-Johnson
"Presenting Fanny Brice" is a big-cast musical, with more than 30 speaking parts. It can be performed with anywhere from 12 actors ("doubling" some roles) to 35 actors. Chip Deffaa has also written a one-woman show about Brice, "One Night with Fanny Brice." (There is a separate page on this website devoted to that show.) "One Night with Fanny Brice" has enjoyed successful runs Off-Broadway in New York, as well as regionally, and is also available for licensing.
Playwright/director Chip Deffaa, with costume designer Renee Purdy
Chip Deffaa, Ben Orlando
If you would like more information on "Presenting Fanny Brice" or would like to license the show, contact Chip Deffaa Productions LLC, 50 Quartz Lane, Paterson, NJ 07501-3345, tel. (973) 684-3340, Email:
