We have our Fanny Brice

Lauren Ambrose will play the role of Fanny in the Los Angeles production of "Funny Girl" set to open at the Ahmanson Theatre in January. The plan is for the Center Theatre Group production to move to Broadway after about six weeks here. Terrific actress, but will Ambrose stand up to the Barbra Streisand comparisons as a singer? There's this: She is the lead singer of of a jazz and swing band, Leisure Class, and trained in opera at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Here's Ambrose (who is now 33 if you can believe it) and the band covering Bob Dylan at a Haiti benefit last year.

After the jump: the real Fanny Brice.