Funny Girl (musical) Funny Girl (musical) Funny Girl is a 1963 musical (opened on Broadway in 1964) with a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of Broadway star, film actress and comedian Fanny Brice featuring her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein. Its original title was "My Man." The musical was produced by Ray Stark, who was Brice's son-in-law via his marriage to her daughter Frances, and starred Barbra Streisand. The production was nominated for eight Tony Awards but, facing tough competition from "Hello,
Funny Girl (musical) until the show closed. The First National Tour gave top billing to Lillian Roth as Mrs. Brice, Anthony George as Nicky and Marilyn Michaels third billed as Fanny. The Australasian premiere season commenced March 4, 1966 at the Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney. The production starred Jill Perryman as Fanny Brice. A 1996 United States National tour starred Debbie Gibson as Fanny Brice and Robert Westenberg as Nicky Arnstein. The planned 30-city tour started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in October 1996, but ended prematurely in November 1996 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In 1999, The Production Company produced "Funny Girl" in Melbourne, starring