In the Broadway comedy musical “Funny Girl,” Eddie Ryan is a devoted friend and ambitious dancer. The same can be said for Chicago native Izaiah Montaque Harris, who brings the role to life on the national tour.
“Funny Girl” is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
“I’m Fanny’s best friend,” Harris said of his character, Eddie Ryan. “I meet her at the start of her career, when she’s hungry for a chance to shine. I work at a place where Fanny wants a job, and I believe in her and help give her that chance.”
His first Broadway role, the part of Eddie Ryan seems to have been created especially for Harris, an avid tap dancer. Harris started dance lessons when he was five years old, though it wasn’t love at first shuffle.
“Tap dancing was really hard, and I didn’t like it because I wasn’t good at it,” he recalled. “But I kept practicing, and one day, I realized I can actually do this.”
In his late teens, tap dance became his creative voice.
“Tap dance became my art form, an instrument to express myself. I could be abrasive and strong, or vulnerable, moving slowly if I was sad or aggressively if I was angry. Tap dance became more than just work—it was my outlet,” explained Harris.
After high school, Harris joined Chicago’s Mad Rhythm Tap Dance Company, where he performed, taught and tackled some of the most challenging choreography of his career. Post-college, he landed a soloist role in “After Midnight” aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, wowing audiences with a three-minute tap dance solo.
Eager to break into musical theater, Harris auditioned for “Funny Girl” in August 2021. He was cast in an ensemble role as the Tap Dance Kid in a non-Broadway production. It was a valuable entry into musical theater and helped him land a three-month gig with “Riverdance” in Ireland.
Two years later, he received a call back for Eddie Ryan in the “Funny Girl” tour.
“As a lifelong student of tap dance, it’s an honor to support the show in this role,” said Harris.
Tap is an African American art form, and the show’s choreography pays tribute to the greats. Harris’ moves are inspired by tap legends Honi Choles, Cholly Atkins and John Bubbles. These groundbreaking Black dancers shaped choreography on entertainment stages through the early and mid-1900s.
Beyond the dancing and choreography, Harris connects with Eddie’s emotional journey.
“This role serves as a lesson for nice guys to create boundaries,” he said. “You can’t wait for someone else to change. Eddie waits for Fanny too long and lets her pursuits overshadow his own.”
Harris embraces the opportunity to act, sing and dance in a role that reflects his own growth as an artist.
“I love that this show allows me to explore parts of myself as a growing human and creative,” he said.
Touring with “Funny Girl” has also allowed Harris to travel the country. He’s excited to bring the production to Madison when it plays for eight performances at Overture Center for the Arts from Tuesday, Dec. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 5.
“Everyone in the audience can relate to at least one character—someone searching for fame, someone in love, someone making mistakes, someone figuring out life. There’s a spectrum of people who have real-life conflicts,” said Harris. “And the show has great singing and dancing—and tap dancing! You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll have a great time.”
A story of ambition, love and resilience, “Funny Girl” promises to be an unforgettable show.
