FUNNY GIRL on Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 95

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 11:25am

bobby bubby said: "Deuxmoi (an anonymous celeb gossip account) has posted today on Instagram that Lea Michele will be taking over (the cast was told today)."

Look. Considering the Michael Mayer of it all, Lea Michele isn't THAT far-fetched (and she and Mayer have been around each other a lot recently with the Spring Awakening reunion/doc). Even if it's 6-7 perfs a week through January 1. At a bare minimum, there would be some morbid curiosity; in an ideal world, she ends up being better than Beanie and works hard to be great in this role. There are far worse choices out there. And if she feels she needs some career-redemption, she might even agree to being paid less than Beanie.

That said, it's unlikely that the cast would be told Lea is going into the show at this early stage when there's not a press announcement yet. That sh1t would spread like wildfire.

Updated On: 6/16/22 at 11:25 AM

[BJR]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 11:55am

I was just going to say, if Lea was ever going to replace (and I agree that's a smart PR move for her right now), a Mayer show makes a ton of sense.

[ATerrifyingAndImposingFigure]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 11:58am

I feel like hiring Lea Michelle would just seem embarrassing for all parties. I mean, there is the Benanti comparison, but at least Laura wasn’t savaged online with people mocking her for losing out on the role.

Anyway, maybe this is just the cynic in me, but I don’t think she comes across as newly humble, just playing nice. There’s always been a fakeness there to me, and she hasn’t struck me differently as of late.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 12:05pm

Not to sound incredibly cynical or jaded, but in addition to the Michael Mayer connection, this would be ideal circumstances for Michele to take over the role and be warmly received. Anyone originating in the revival of Funny Girl was always going to be compared to Streisand. More than likely, it would have been unfavorably. Sure, there are some folks who would have gotten positive notices, but I really believe this role was carrying so much baggage and whoever took on the role initially was always going to live in Streisand's shadow, even if the performance was strong. 

But now? Whoever is taking over will be compared to Feldstein, who has set the bar incredibly low. Ultimately, the conversation will switch to how Feldstein couldn't do it, but the new actress can. It's all about framing. I don't think Michele is a very good actress, Michele can definitely sing it. If she merely pulled it off and was even marginally better than people are expecting, she'd probably be praised. 

Updated On: 6/16/22 at 12:05 PM

[joevitus]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 12:08pm

bdn223 said: "Georgeanddot2 said: "Um this show is selling super well with no stars. The show is the star. It's in no danger of closing with the understudy in the lead."

This is a misleading argument as the show had a massive advance before the reviews came out and at this point only maybe 25% of the performances Julie Banko has gone on for were pre-announced to ticket buyers. It is a different mindset to buy tickets to see Julie Banko as Fanny, vs buying tickets fully priced to see Feldstein then being told Julie is going on and deciding not to exchange them..."

While I don't like the snide comments people make about Beanie, this is clearly not a show that is selling so well on the basis of her appearance in it. It's true that for tourists going to see a Broadway show, "Julie Banko in Funny Girl" won't have the ring of "Hugh Jackman in The Music Man." But then, that would be true for "Beanie Feldstein in Funny Girl", as well, as she is no major celebrity.

It is baffling that the star is the show, considering this is a very mediocre show (I'm not speaking of the production, but of the basic material--the book especially, but also about half the score). But there you have it. People seem in the mood for an old-fashioned Broadway show, and Funny Girl is apparently doing it for them as much as The Music Man. I think the show will do just fine without Beanie.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 12:20pm

At least Rachel Berry got good reviews before leaving Funny Girl early, even if those of us on BroadwayWorld left her nasty reviews in previews.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 12:59pm

The West End production was able to sell the show with an understudy in the role. Fair enough Natasha Barnes didn’t have the role full time but she had enough stints to become the alternate. The producers got her on TV, radio, in the newspapers and suddenly everyone was clambering to see the understudy who saved the show. Eventually she lead the tour along with Sheridan Smith, not as an alternate but actually sharing the role equally with Sheridan. 
With the right level of marketing the same could happen with Julie. The understudy who became a star. 

[ukmusicalfanatic]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 4:58pm

Paul Wontorek on twitter seems to be hinting at Lea Michelle, I’d share the tweet but I don’t know how on here haha 

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 5:03pm

I would love that. Lea would be incredible in the part. Then everyone can forget the first six months of that production because YIKES. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 5:19pm

This show sucks. The book is horrible. Not just mediocre, but actively bad. The score has some big hits but the songs have only a passing relation to what's happening onstage. 

Beanie wasn't the right singer for this revival, but honestly I'm not sure any singer could make this show work. 

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 5:23pm

ukmusicalfanatic said: "Paul Wontorek on twitter seems to be hinting at Lea Michelle, I’d share the tweet but I don’t know how on here haha"

I got you!

Paul Wontorek On Twitter

[ukmusicalfanatic]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 5:33pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "ukmusicalfanatic said: "Paul Wontorek on twitter seems to be hinting at Lea Michelle, I’d share the tweet but I don’t know how on here haha"

I got you!

Paul Wontorek On Twitter"

Thank you 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 5:36pm

Dolly80 said: "Erm, her reviews were bad and the show got 1 Tony nomination. There’s a bigger picture here than some message board not liking Beanie as Fanny. Beanie has sunk the show."

Anything can happen but I have trouble seeing a "name" wanting to step into the lead if the comedy is still tailored to Beanie's mugging and the costumes and everything else that didn't merit a Tony stays the same. I know it's hard to change the set at this point but at least let the replacement have some better costumes (since they flatter neither Beanie nor Julie). 

[FranklinDickson2018]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 5:50pm

Is Lea Michele up to 8 shows a week and all  those songs?  Has she ever done a lead in a musical?  As we saw with Beanie it is a big sing every night.  Michele has dates for  her Life in Music tour through August . I don't see her as warm, fun or charming, but that is just me. 

Updated On: 6/16/22 at 05:50 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 6:00pm

ukmusicalfanatic said: "Paul Wontorek on twitter seems to be hinting at Lea Michelle, I’d share the tweet but I don’t know how on here haha"

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 6:21pm

Call me stupid, but I can't imagine anyone of any kind of "name" will want to be a replacement in a badly received revival... 

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 9:05pm

Updated On: 6/17/22 at 09:05 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 9:13pm

Honestly if Lea Michele were anywhere near realistic, I don't think Paul Wonterok of all people would be hinting at it. He's a professional and would lose a lot of credibility and respect that he needs to keep his business going if he broke a scoop before it was official news. The fact that he's joking about it makes me think there's actually no chance. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/16/22 at 9:17pm

[ukmusicalfanatic]

Posted: 6/17/22 at 5:12am

Not sure I believe it but this another theatre insider, this time a UK one, hinting that Lea Michelle is coming as Fanny.
 

https://twitter.com/shauntossell/status/1537715771014623232?s=21&t=AssctcVzA9BauGiDOl2E6g

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/17/22 at 5:59am

ukmusicalfanatic said: "Not sure I believe it but this another theatre insider, this time a UK one, hinting that Lea Michelle is coming as Fanny.


https://twitter.com/shauntossell/status/1537715771014623232?s=21&t=AssctcVzA9BauGiDOl2E6g"

They’re just repeating what the other person said.  Same hint, just another person relaying the same info.  

[ukmusicalfanatic]

Posted: 6/17/22 at 6:23am

BrodyFosse123 said: "ukmusicalfanatic said: "Not sure I believe it but this another theatre insider, this time a UK one, hinting that Lea Michelle is coming as Fanny.


https://twitter.com/shauntossell/status/1537715771014623232?s=21&t=AssctcVzA9BauGiDOl2E6g"

They’re just repeating what the other person said. Same hint, just another person relaying the same info. "

Very true, and it’s all rumours until an official announcement but multiple theatres sources hinting at the same thing seems to point in a certain direction. Guess we will find out, I’d say next month at a guess

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/17/22 at 6:42am

They’re just grabbing on to one single rumor.  No one is reporting on their own info they’re obtaining.  In this day of looking for content, this one is now being used by many.  Heck, I’m the one who kiddingly mentioned that Beanie’s first weekend off (days after Opening Night) was because she wanted to attend a friend’s wedding in the Hamptons.  I was only being annoyingly playful with her privileged background.  EVERY news source mentions this non-existent wedding I kiddingly used on a post on this message board.  There was never one once of truth in my joke yet it sounded good so one news outlet used it, and others then took it as fact and here we are.  My little fake wedding joke has become fact in the history books on Beanie and FUNNY GIRL. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 6/17/22 at 7:29am

BrodyFosse123 said: "They’re just grabbing on to one single rumor. No one is reporting on their own info they’re obtaining. In this day of looking for content, this one is now being used by many. Heck, I’m the one who kiddingly mentioned that Beanie’s first weekend off (days after Opening Night) was because she wanted to attend a friend’s wedding in the Hamptons. I was only being annoyingly playful with her privileged background. EVERY news source mentions this non-existent wedding I kiddingly used on a post on this message board. There was never one once of truth in my joke yet it sounded good so one news outlet used it, and others then took it as fact and here we are. My little fake wedding joke has become fact in the history books on Beanie and FUNNY GIRL."

 

You may have thought you were making something up, but you were (almost) right. Her first weekend off WAS to attend a friend's wedding, but in Montecito, not the Hamptons. That's why every news source was mentioning it. The photos of her at Melanie Borinstein's wedding that weekend were all over Instagram. (Ben Platt and all the people they grew up with were there too.)

Here's one screenshot: https://ibb.co/MDvSpTT

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/17/22 at 8:24am

Ouch!  Kinda sad when I was genuinely poking fun at the typical scenario you’d assume from the cliché snooty rich kids AND it actually was true.  And they say it’s rude to generalize.  Gotta say it - there’s a reason for stereotyping as it’s never far from the truth.  I was baffled when I saw countless news outlets mentioning this wedding and thinking my joke was being used as reliable news.  Kudos they truly were reporting a wedding that did indeed take place so it was true.