Funny Girl Reviews

DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended

"...Funny Girl is a weird one. It’s a show with a handful of beloved songs and some leading stars who have made Broadway history in its 60-year legacy, Lea Michele included, but a plot that’s a serious downer. And yet the show has a reputation for being a must-see classic. When you mention Funny Girl, most people think of how great “Don’t Rain On My Parade” is, not how it centers on how a gambler ruined a nice lady’s life. It is a relief, then, that Funny Girl on tour — stopping at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House — is carried under Michael Mayer’s direction through its tough book and plot by a spectacular starring cast, costumes, orchestra, and set."

MetroWeekly- Recommended

"...Leading the tour, currently in its opening engagement at the Kennedy Center Opera House, Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice gave me what I wanted. Funny, quick, and blessed with powerhouse pipes, McCrimmon is a delight, capturing the verve and oddball confidence that were Brice’s bread and butter, while still creating her own unique Funny Girl."

Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended

"...The touring production of Funny Girl, now in Washington at the Kennedy Center Opera House, is a big, bright delight, beginning with the way the proscenium lighting flashes when the orchestra hits a crescendo during the overture. Katerina McCrimmon nails the star-making role of Fanny Brice, surrounded by a talented company including longtime pop singer Melissa Manchester as Fanny's wise mother."

Washington City Paper- Recommended

"...The main event of course is McCrimmon’s Fanny playing the hits. “Don’t Rain on My Parade” has the audience buzzing with excitement to get back to their seats after intermission. She nails the blend of zany comedian and soaring songstress, perfectly encapsulated in the finale number where she stretches out her final triumphant note for what feels like an eternity, before rolling her eyes up toward the ceiling while she finishes, as if to say “can you believe how long this is taking?” Funny Girl may be a tad stodgy after all these years, but McCrimmon proves that great talent can make an old standby feel brand spanking new."

MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended

"...On stage and singing for almost the entire duration of the show, McCrimmon is phenomenal in the challenging role of Fanny Brice. Blending great vocal range with the occasional growl, her performance of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” is a theatrical moment not to be missed. McCrimmon is a rising star who held the audience in rapt attention not only through song, but in her intimate scenes with Nick. Collective gasps could be heard at several lines of dialogue when Nick or Fanny revealed a hidden truth. “Funny Girl” is so much more than funny—it is heartfelt."

Theatre Bloom- Highly Recommended

"...This colorful, surprisingly fresh production of a vintage musical is decidedly worth a trip to The Kennedy Center, where Funny Girl lights up the Opera House, in grand old fashion, through July 14th 2024. A musical comedy-drama, written by Isobel Lennart (book), Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), Funny Girl follows the life of Broadway legend Fanny Brice as she negotiates early 20th century stardom and a troubled relationship with gambler Nicky Arnstein."