Lea Michele announces on WWHL she wants to return to Broadway in FUNNY GIRL- Page 4

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 3:52pm

And Peggy said: "I want Fanny Brice to be played by Pregnant Betsy Wolfe, who will be replaced in Waitress by Robot Hal Prince."

Robot Hal Prince in Waitress would be TO DIE.

 

[loveinnewyorkcity]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 3:54pm

Everyone on here talks crap about Lea Michele's attitude as if she's the only person on Broadway that has an ego...

And you can't discredit someone's talent because of 'diva behavior'. In my opinion, Lea is one of the best technical singers in the business. I think she be fantastic in Funny Girl and I'd certainly a revival starring her. 

Ego is one thing...intentional behavior to bring a show's demise on is another. *cough* Oak. *cough*

[SweetLips]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 4:51pm

God no---she could belt the songs out in a concert, but carry the emotions of a 2hr show-no way. What's the saying about as much emotion from A to B?

And LGG--that's just silly  [getting into initials like every one else--or plain lazy].

And LH and JC, what exactly was your work that brought you in direct contact with LM? [and how long ago?]

Just curious

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 5:15pm

What about Laura Michelle Kelly? I could see her doing a brilliant fanny brice. She's known for her soprano, but she's a really good belter too. She'd slay 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 5:20pm

Also, it is documented extensively how Streisand wasn’t too good at her dramatic moments in FUNNY GIRL’s Act 2 sections.  The show’s “doctor” Jerome Robbins’ fixed this by having her play those scenes with her back to the audience.  

Lucky under William Wyler’s hands she was able to shine in these moments for the 1968 film adaptation.   

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 5:20pm

CindersGolightly said: "Just going to leave this here.

 

"

(video of Annaleigh singing "Don't Rain On My Parade"

WHY AM I CRYING?

 

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 5:48pm

I honestly don’t know if she’d be good or not. I think what bothers me most is her apparent assumption that if Funny Girl is revived that she will have the lead.  No competition.... like it’s her right. And I guess if RM does hold the rights then maybe it is a done deal. I would just like to think that there would be others considered for the role. 

But there is an evil side of me that would love to see Lea and Amber on Broadway at the same time and what that could look like come Tony time.  It would be Glee diva-off in rl. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 6:02pm

Oh God, please not Annaleigh. Maybe one day when the hype around her dies a bit someone can explain her appeal to me. 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 7:34pm

Valentina3 said: "WHY AM I CRYING?"

 

 

Good tears, I would hope!

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 8:38pm

OK I watched those clips of “Funny Girl” from Glee. Is she supposed to be good? Jane Lynch in the audience keeps talking about how terrible she is. I couldn’t help but agree, but I don’t know the context of the TV show.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 9:26pm

As someone who is a huge fan of Glee and have watched it extensively, I can say that Lea Michelle is a great actress and has the vocal chops to sing this role. However, that doesn't mean I think she's right for the part: Her renditions of Don't Rain On My Parade and My Man pre The Funny Girl plotline are fantastic, but she falls flat on her face when Rachel(her character) plays the role on Broadway. She lacks the quirkiness and the comedic chops to pull off the role and had pretty much no charisma, especially when compared to Barbra. 

As for her all the backstage stories I'll just say this: People do seem to dislike her because of how self-confident and well-poised she is, which to many comes across as fake and egotistical, mostly because compared to other celebrities, she seems to not be authentic in any of her interviews. I do partly agree with this assessment, but I think people have taken it too far and beat her(and other women) down for it. As for all the users that keep saying that they've worked with her personally and she's a total diva, I'm going to say it again: With the exception of the  conflict with Naya Rivera, there doesn't seem to be any genuine evidence to back up any of the examples of her behaving the way she has been alleged to behave.   At  some point, all of you are going to have to elaborate further on your experiences because it is incredibly frustrating  to see  people claim negative views of a person's reputation as solid fact without any sufficient proof to back it up. 

Updated On: 10/13/17 at 09:26 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 9:40pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh God, please not Annaleigh. Maybe one day when the hype around her dies a bit someone can explain her appeal to me."

Kinda have to agree.  She eventually won me over the second go-around of Sunday, but otherwise don't really get her appeal - at least in musical theater.  

[Margo319]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 10:48pm

Not much hype about Annaleigh anymore, Masters of Sex is over and she did some theater in 2017.  She would be good as long with Lea.   This has been off Broadway for so long, I hope when they finally revive it here, it will be perfect.  

[hmph]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 11:31pm

I really liked Annaleigh as an actress in Sunday in the Park with George, but her voice isn't anywhere near Lea Michelle's to me. Can't speak to Lea Michelle's acting talent (or off stage behavior), but her voice is gorgeous. It sucks that doesn't go hand in hand with popularity and working well with others!

Kind of wondering what Barbra thinks about all this (if anything), an actress that apparently worships her low key leading a decade long marketing campaign to play one of her most iconic roles. 

[BlackElleWoods]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 11:55pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "These people on this board have made up issues with lea Michele in their head as if they know the girl

Our “issues” are based on countless reports about her, which began way before GLEE even happened.

Simply Gooe: “Why No One Likes Lea Michele” and sit back and read away.

With all fairness, we do praise and acknowledge talent so it’s not like we’re on the attack or just making nonsense up. The 2 actresses you seem to love: Nikki Blonsky and Lea Michele, have well rooted problems in the industry they are choosing to work in. A simple Google will provide you with all the detailswe all mention. "

 

I've started a thread on here about Lea Michele and every comment was ONE incident that NO one knew much about it was all "I heard she's a diva" 

 

and i I don't love Nikki Blonsky lmao not in the least bit 

[BlackElleWoods]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 12:01am

BlackElleWoods said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "These people on this board have made up issues with lea Michele in their head as if they know the girl

Our “issues” are based on countless reports about her, which began way before GLEE even happened.

Simply Gooe: “Why No One Likes Lea Michele” and sit back and read away.

With all fairness, we do praise and acknowledge talent so it’s not like we’re on the attack or just making nonsense up. The 2 actresses you seem to love: Nikki Blonsky and Lea Michele, have well rooted problems in the industry they are choosing to work in. A simple Google will provide you with all the detailswe all mention. "



I've started a thread on here on why don't people like Lea Michele and every comment was  "I heard she's a diva" 

LET THE GIRL BE A DIVA !!!!! Nothing wrong with having talent and not being afraid to own it 



 Nikki Blonsky lmao I like hairspray so I was interested in her post hairspray career 

[Soaring29]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 12:02am

I think Lea is  a great singer, but she tends to wail too much when she belts, kind of indulging too much of the notes, if you guys know what I mean. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 9:39am

There have been many people that have shared their stories about Lea.  THEIR stories, not hearsay.   Personally, since my interaction with her involves other actors, I choose not to make it public.   

 

I, personally, cannot separate what I know about a distasteful person from their performance.  Who they are as a person is SO much more important.  (To me.)   

Sure, I'm sure someone is going to claim there are likely "distasteful" people that haven't been outed:  I can't do anything about that.  I won't/can't financially support someone that has little respect for others.  (I think, for example, her new show looks like it might be cute.  I will not watch it.)

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 4:09pm

It’s too bad Kate Micucci isn’t a better singer- she’s the only person today I get a real Fanny Brice vibe from.

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 7:24pm

I think Lea Michele sounds like a good choice on paper. However i think that the best choice for Fanny would be Anna Kendrick. We know she's a great comedienne and can belt well. I'm not sure if she could sing the score 8 shows a week though (she has said in interviews that her technique is sh*t).

If we're talking Broadway vets I think Jessie Mueller would be ideal, but I also think that Ana Villafañe would be a fantastic and inspired choice. She sang Don't rain on my parade at her concert a while back and killed it.

I think Gaga would do a great job vocally but I don't think she would capture the essence of Fanny.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 9:42pm

Jessetenny said: "However i think that the best choice for Fanny would be Anna Kendrick."

Nope. Nope. Kill it with fire.

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 10:06pm

If we're talking Broadway vets I think Jessie Mueller would be ideal, but I also think that Ana Villafañe would be a fantastic and inspired choice. She sang Don't rain on my parade at her concert a while back and killed it.

Is anyone even aware that FUNNY GIRL is based on real-life Jewish comedienne, actress and singer Fanny Brice?  Her trademark Yiddish humor was perfectly evoked by Barbra Streisand, who not only IS Jewish but resembled her quite a bit.  So much so that Barbra was compared to Fanny Brice years before FUNNY GIRL ever happened.  

Cuban-American Ana Villafañe?   Really?  REALLY?!!!



 

Updated On: 10/14/17 at 10:06 PM

[Soaring29]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 10:26pm

Lea is both Jewish and Roman Catholic. 

I really have not heard anything on these boards besides hearsay. And users can always use fake names for the actors that were also involved in the situation, as well as not state what production/TV show/film that they were working on with her. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 10:29pm

She may want to return to Broadway in Funny Girl but it won't happen! 

[Sivan2]

Posted: 10/14/17 at 11:11pm

I think she is talented, but I think she rubs people off the wrong way.I think part of it is whenever you see her in a magazine, she is on vacation in a bikini doing yoga. She seems like someone who really loves herself (not in a good way). Someone on here mentioned Anne Hathaway and I LOLed because it is true. America seems to hate Anne Hathaway. I think it's just because she seems to carry herself off as someone who is strictly professional and mature which might make her out to seem dull. I do think it was bizarre that she won awards for her role in Les Mis because she had so few scenes.