Beanie’s Last Performance 9/25 — Page 6

I do not love Funny Girl as a show. I haven't seen Beanie in it. I do not love Lea Michele. But if the Lea M. rumors are true, that is the only thing that would get me to see this revival. I know she has been Horrible in the past, going back decades. I know. And I hate to reward that kind of behavior! But I just really, really want to hear her sing this particular score live. I don't want to feel this way, but I do.

If it turns out she gets this second chance and she does not completely clean up her act, then I know my having supported her in Funny Girl will make me sick. But I still want to see it. Sorry. [insert guilty face emoji]

TheOrpheumCircuit said: "We all here on these boards and who care about show biz know who Beanie is, but outside of that she is definitely NOT well known at all. She's not a star. She's established and known in the industry, but I bet you go ask any random tourist in Times Square who she is, they won't know."

I would add the same about Lea Michelle - never heard of her until Funny Girl was announced. I was drawn to Funny Girl because of Ramin. I have also loved the show (all the awfulness of the story, in addition to the score) for a very long time. I suspect most people now are seeing the show for that reason not because of the lead actress. No one will take the place of Streisand, they just want to see a musical they can hum along with.

Updated On: 6/18/22 at 05:01 PM

The more I think about it, the more I am in love with the idea of Lea Michele doing this. The vocals a re a given, but I have to commend her on her acting. Not only did she break my heart in Spring Awakening, but she is HILARIOUS. A lot of the things she did on Glee were pure comedic brilliance. She has all the makings of a Fanny with STELLAR vocals, comedy chops, and great dramatic moments as well. Sign me up and let me know when I can get a ticket!

This… is how it should be done. Ironically, Jane Lynch is featured here and speaks some quite “art imitating life” words.

Careful now. Olive Garden in Times Square is a Theatre District landmark!

CarlosAlberto said: "Anyone who saw Beanie in previews go back to see if she's grown into the role and if her vocals have improved?"

Having seen it after previews, I can’t imagine her vocals being worse. God help those who saw her if they were.

I was told by a repeat attendee at the Wednesday matinee I saw that she is placing more of the score in her head voice than she did in previews. Not trying to belt except on “Parade.” Tracks with my impression that her comfort zone is a light soprano sound. It’s likely safer and more protective. She didn’t hit “People” the way it was often described here. It’s nasal but she only sounds forced in the pushed, shouty belt. As I posted, I didn’t find her singing unpleasant, just not exciting, negotiated in a range that’s not where the score sits.

Updated On: 6/18/22 at 07:20 PM

Lea Michelle is no more a name to some people outside of NYC than Beanie was.

Updated On: 6/18/22 at 07:54 PM

I mean, Glee was a huge success for the first four seasons and it’s availability on streaming since it ended it’s fun has kept it in the mainstream of youth culture. Out of context clips regularly go viral on twitter! Olivia Rodrigo sang about watching Glee in one of her singles last year! So, no, I don’t think Lea Michelle is a huge star, but I do think some of y’all are underestimating how known she is. She is definitely better known than Beanie just from Glee alone.

Highland Guy said: "TheOrpheumCircuit said: "I would love to see Julie in the role. More so than Lea, but Lea would be fine. Rosie would make me NOT see it 100%. No problem with Rosie as a person, but just awful in musicals IMHO. I get she's a name and tourists love her, but tourists also think The Olive Garden is a good Italian restaurant."



In the few hours that you have been a BWW member, you have posted three times. And in each of those posts, you have demeaned "tourists". Only you know the reason(s) for your rudeness. I visit Broadway frequently from the West Coast as an out-of-towner. While in NYC, my husband and I spend substantial dollars that add to the economy of NYC. Transportation. Meals. Accommodations. Entertainment. Gifts. Without "tourists" there quite likely might be no "Broadway". We help keep the engine running. So spare me (and other out-of-towners) your snarkiness.

And for the record. We have never eaten at an "Olive Garden Restaurant". But you can be certain that if we return to NYC, we most certainly will dine at the Broadway "Olive Garden" and will leave very generous tips.

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…have you never heard of Olive Garden…? It’s a nationwide chain with hundreds and hundreds of locations.

Sally Durant Plummer said: "I mean, Glee was a huge success for the first four seasons and it’s availability on streaming since it ended it’s fun has kept it in the mainstream of youth culture. Out of context clips regularly go viral on twitter! Olivia Rodrigo sang about watching Glee in one of her singles last year! So, no, I don’t think Lea Michelle is a huge star, but I do think some of y’all are underestimating how known she is. She is definitely better known than Beanie just from Glee alone."

I watched the show once and didn't care for it. I'm a senior and that does show up in my taste and criticisms - I realize that. The only other time I checked it out was to see Lea after her name came up with FG. It was the episode where she was doing Barbra doing Fanny - the middy-blouse and Barbra wig - in I'm the Greatest Star. She had a lot of energy, but while she was loud, her voice wasn't all that great. The biggest thing was I didn't like her and was mildly amused to see Jane's reaction from the audience in the clip. JMO.

To be fair, (as I was with Beanie's singing - not using a single video to make a judgment about her vocal skills) I watched the video of her at the Tonys and then another of her in concert singing DROMP. They were okay. I found her to be behind the music most of the time and, again, imitative and more loud than actually being expressive of the song itself. The song is difficult not to copy, but I did hear Julie's rendition and she made it her own, so not impossible. TBH, I actually preferred Beanie's to Lea's.

I've made this comment earlier - I think the talk of Lea is a circle jerk and cannot imagine a deal being cut this quickly. The timing on all of this is weird. Someone is pushing the Lea narrative, but I don't think it's the FG people.

The suggestion about Anna Kendrick is likely as true as the rumors about Lea. Lea is just an easier target because of her own known desire to play the role.

I had to laugh at someone suggesting Lea with Michelle Lee as Rosie. Michelle Lee is 79 - older than I am (I remember her from How To Succeed...) and a tad old for Rosie. Would be a cute on a marquee, though.

Highland Guy said: "Kad said: "

…have you never heard of Olive Garden…? It’s a nationwide chain with hundreds and hundreds of locations."

I didn't say I had never heard of "Olive Garden". I said I had never eaten there.

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Then enjoy your meal at “Olive Garden” before you go back to your “Hilton” in your “Uber” to get ready to see some “Broadway.”

But since you’re apparently the financial lifeblood of the city, why not instead spend your money at any of the hundreds of small businesses in the theater district instead of a giant corporate chain. Unless you think eating mediocre unlimited breadsticks is somehow going to own some message board poster.