Funny Story

by Jill Duff-Hoppes

To Ephie Aardema, the term fanny pack means much more than the ubiquitous pouch that’s worn around the waist and favored by tourists everywhere.

Thirty-one-year-old Ephie, who grew up in Central Florida, is a professional actress who’s making a name for herself on Broadway. She’s also a member of an exclusive club – the Fanny Pack, a select group of women who’ve played the leading role of Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.

Ephie has her own part in the classic musical, that of Fanny’s assistant, Emma. But she’s also the understudy for Fanny, meaning Ephie is called upon to step into the formidable role whenever the regular performer is unable to go on. To date, Ephie has played Fanny twice and is scheduled to do so again on January 12.

The legendary Barbra Streisand starred in the original Broadway production in the 1960s and in the ’68 film version, belting out showstopper songs such as “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” The musical and movie are based on the true-life story of Fanny Brice, a comedienne, actress, and singer who worked in theater, radio, and film.

Funny Girl was Ephie’s first audition after the lengthy pandemic shutdown, which kept Broadway theaters shuttered for more than a year.

“I went in and felt alive again,” Ephie says of the audition process. “I was like, ‘This is home.’ When I got the call saying I’d been cast, I lost my mind. It was shock and disbelief even though I had felt really strongly about my auditions.”

Ephie’s show announcement on Instagram reflected her elation: “I am deeply grateful and bananas excited to be a part of this magical company.”

On opening night this past spring, Ephie’s mother gifted her with a family heirloom – a Star of David necklace that had belonged to Ephie’s great-grandmother. It was the perfect present and one that the actress treasures.

Ephie, whose given name is Stephanie, was born in Tampa and moved to Orlando at the age of eight. Her acting debut was as the title character in Annie with the Wekiva River Players, a local community theater group. The youngster booked her first professional acting gig at the age of 10 and performed at the Orlando Repertory Theatre and the Winter Park Playhouse as well as other local venues.

Ephie attended Sabal Point Elementary and Rock Lake Middle schools in Longwood and Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando before switching to homeschooling to accommodate her acting career.

When she was 15, Ephie and her mom moved to New York City. After finishing high school early, Ephie enrolled in Circle in the Square Theatre School at the age of 16. She became the youngest person to graduate from the theater conservatory besting the previous record-holder (actor Kevin Bacon) by a few months.

In 2014, Ephie made her Broadway debut as an ensemble member in The Bridges of Madison County and a few years later joined the first national tour of Waitress as one of the main characters. She has appeared in national tours of Fiddler on the Roof and The Sound of Music, performed in off-Broadway shows and regional theater productions, and dabbled in television work.

Acting isn’t her only arts-related pursuit, though. Ephie has many creative hobbies including writing, painting, crafting, and playing guitar and ukulele.

The Harder She Works, the Luckier She Gets

Performing on Broadway has been a dream of Ephie’s since she was a kid taking tap dance and voice lessons in the Orlando area. She says her resilience and grit – along with a little luck – helped make her dream a reality.

“Most of the people working on Broadway are here because they didn’t give up,” she says. “I feel things deeply, but I come back from rejection pretty quickly. I worked really, really hard for what I have, but I also know that I got very lucky.”

In addition to playing Fanny’s assistant and understudying the role of Fanny, Ephie has a bit part in Funny Girl as a minor character. She is also the understudy for another role in the show, an older woman who’s a poker buddy of Fanny’s mother. That’s a lot of characters to cover, but such is the life of a multitasking understudy.

“Playing the role of Emma helps with understudying Fanny because I follow her around almost the whole show doing her bidding,” Ephie says.

Ephie credits Beanie Feldstein, who originated the role of Fanny in the revival, with coining the punny Fanny Pack phrase. When Ephie filled in for the first time as Fanny, Beanie gifted her with a Welcome to the Fanny Pack present – an actual fanny pack with Ephie’s name inscribed in the leather. Beanie did the same for another actress, Julie Benko, the first time she filled in as Fanny. And recently, when Beanie left the production and Lea Michele of Glee TV fame took over as the leading lady, Ephie and Julie presented her with a similar fanny pack.

“We’re keeping the tradition alive,” Ephie says with a smile. “Funny Girl has been a total joy. It’s been amazing.”