Saturday, November 6, 2010

Restored “Funny Girl” to Reopen Renovated Academy Theater in NYC

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Monday Nights with Oscar®” series returns with a screening of “Funny Girl” (1968), starring Barbra Streisand, on Monday, November 15, at 7 p.m. at the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in New York City. The series had been on hiatus for most of the year as the theater underwent major renovations.

Nominated for eight Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, “Funny Girl” is based on the hit 1964 Broadway musical. The film was directed by William Wyler from a screenplay by Isobel Lennart, who also wrote the Broadway book.

“Funny Girl” features an Oscar-nominated title song and score and such musical numbers as “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “People,” and “My Man.” Streisand, reprising her onstage role as legendary Ziegfeld Follies comedienne Fanny Brice, gave a star-making performance that garnered her a Best Actress Oscar. The film co-stars Kay Medford in an Academy Award®-nominated performance, as well as Walter Pidgeon, Lee Allen, and Omar Sharif as Brice’s husband, troubled gambler Nick Arnstein.

This recently restored print from the Sony Pictures vaults displays the vibrant Technicolor cinematography of Oscar nominee Harry Stradling, as well as costumes by Irene Sharaff.

Tickets for “Funny Girl” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org or by mail (a printable order form is available in the Events & Exhibitions section of the website). Tickets may also be purchased at the box office prior to the event (subject to availability). All seating is unreserved.

The Academy Theater is located at 111 East 59th Street in New York City. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved. For more information, visit www.oscars.org or call (212) 821-9251.