Full casting is announced today for the tour of Funny Girl which enjoyed critically acclaimed and record-breaking sold-out runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Savoy Theatre. Playing opposite Sheridan Smith is Chris Peluso as Nick Arnstein – they will perform in Manchester, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Southampton, Bradford, Southend, Cardiff and Dublin. Also announced today, the run will extend for a further two weeks, returning to Manchester to complete its run with Smith and Peluso playing the final dates. Natasha J Barnes and Darius Campbell will play Fanny Brice and Nick Arnstein in Stoke, Aberdeen, Woking, Canterbury, Glasgow, Nottingham, Norwich, Llandudno, Wolverhampton and Plymouth. Patrons should check with venues for the performance playing schedule.
They are joined by Nigel Barber (Florenz Ziegfeld), Zoë Ann Bown (Mrs. Meeker), Martin Callaghan (Mr. Keeney), Jennifer Harding (Emma), Rachel Izen (Mrs Brice), Joshua Lay (Eddie) and Myra Sands (Mrs. Strakosh); with Rhianne Alleyne, Kit Benjamin, Lloyd Davies, Flora Dawson, Joseph Dockree, Abigayle Honeywill, Brontë Lavine, David Mcintosh, Peter Nash, Gillian Parkhouse, Tom Partridge, Nova Skipp, Alexandra Waite-Roberts, Sam Wingfield and Alexandra Wright.
Funny Girl brought global fame to Barbra Streisand 50 years ago and boasts some of the most iconic songs in film and theatre history, including People and Don’t Rain On My Parade. This ‘iconic, legendary, laugh-out-loud’ (The Times) musical tells the story of Fanny Brice, whose vocal talents and comedic ability see her rise from Brooklyn music hall singer to Broadway star.
Sheridan Smith reprises her smash hit performance in the role of Fanny Brice. Her other theatre work includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Michael Grandage Company at the Noel Coward Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Old Vic), Flare Path (Theatre Royal Haymarket – Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress, Evening Standard Theatre Award and Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress), Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Tinderbox (Bush Theatre), The People are Friendly (Royal Court) and Into the Woods (Donmar Warehouse).
Chris Peluso plays Nick Arnstein. His theatre work in the UK includes Show Boat (New London Theatre) and Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre); and in the US, Mamma Mia! (Winter Garden Theater), Beautiful (Stephen Sondheim Theater), Wicked (tour), The Glorious One (The Lincoln Center), Assassins (Studio 54) and Lestat (Palace Theater).
Natasha J Barnes returns to play Fanny Brice, a role she performed to critical acclaim as alternate to Sheridan Smith during the West End run. She is currently playing the title role in the all-star Cinderella at the London Palladium. Her other theatre work includes American Idiot (Arts Theatre), The Boy Who Fell Into a Book (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Chess (Union Theatre), Snow White (Old Vic Theatre and tour), Come Dancing, I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Lend Me a Tenor (Gielgud Theatre) and Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith and Novello Theatre).
Following runs at the Menier and in the West End, Darius Campbell returns to play Nick Arnstein. His theatre work includes in the West End, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Gone with the Wind, and From Here to Eternity; Carmen (Europe and 02) and The History of the Big Bands (tour). Also a recording artist, his first single Colourblind went to #1 in the UK singles chart.
FUNNY GIRL UK TOUR
Manchester Palace*
18 – 25 February
7 – 19 August (on sale 13 January)
Box Office: 0844 871 3019
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
Milton Keynes Theatre*
28 February – 4 March
Box Office: 0844 871 7652
www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
Liverpool Empire*
7 – 11 March
Box Office: 0844 871 3017
www.atgtickets.com/liverpool
Bristol Hippodrome*
21 – 25 March
Box Office: 0844 871 3012
www.atgtickets.com/bristol
Stoke Regent Theatre#
28 March – 1 April
Box Office: 0844 871 7649
www.atgtickets.com/stoke
His Majesty’s Aberdeen#
April 10 – 15 April
Box Office: 01224 641122
www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/venues/his-majestys-theatre
Edinburgh Playhouse*
Box Office: 18 – 22 April
0844 871 3014
www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh
New Victoria Woking#
24 – 29 April
Box Office: 0844 871 7645
www.atgtickets.com/woking
Marlowe Theatre Canterbury#
2 – 6 May
Box Office: 01227787787
www.marlowetheatre.com
Birmingham Hippodrome*
8 – 13 May
Box Office: 0844 338 5000
www.atgtickets.com/birmingham
Newcastle Theatre Royal*
16 – 20 May
Box Office: 08448 11 21 21
www.atgtickets.com/newcastle
Mayflower Theatre Southampton*
22 – 27 May
Box Office: 023 8071 1811
www.mayflower.org.uk
King’s Theatre Glasgow#
30 May – 3 June
Box Office: 0844 871 7648
www.atgtickets.com/glasgow
Bradford Alhambra Theatre*
6 June – 10 June
Box Office: 01274 432000
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
Nottingham Theatre Royal#
12 – 17 June
Box Office: 0115 989 5555
trch.co.uk/
Southend Cliffs Pavilion*
19 – 24 June
Box Office: 01702 351135
www.southendtheatres.org.uk/Online
Norwich Theatre Royal#
26 June – 1 July
Box Office: 01603 630000
www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff*
4 July – 8 July
Box Office: 029 2063 6464
www.wmc.org.uk
Bord Gais Dublin*
11 July – 15 July
Box Office: +353 (1) 677 7999
bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
Venue Cymru, Llandudno#
18 July – 22 July
Box Office: 01492 872000
www.venuecymru.co.uk
Wolverhampton Grand#
24 – 29 July
Box Office: 01902 429 212
www.grandtheatre.co.uk
Theatre Royal Plymouth#
31 July – 5 August
Box Office: 01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com
*Sheridan Smith & Chris Peluso
#Natasha J Barnes & Darius Campbell
Photo: Johan Persson
