Lea Michele as Fanny - Funny Girl - Page 77
Lea Michele as Fanny - Funny Girl
Penna2
Broadway Star Joined: 2/24/18
#1900Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 5:49pm
Jordan Catalano said: "Also, the show opened with an announcement - "Good Afternoon. At this performance, the role of Fanny Brice will be played by...Lea Michele!" right before the overture started.
And I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but it really seemed like the longest applause of the whole show (curtain call aside) was for Ramin after "Temporary Arrangement".
Well deserved, both for his performance and commitment to this show, and the fact that he injured his toe early on doing that number requiring ongoing medical attention and being in pain throughout the run. A true professional and all-around great guy.
#1901Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 6:46pm
That’s how the show should of ended. Glad everyone can finally move on. Now bring on Cabaret and those prices
Chuck Lawrence
Swing Joined: 10/9/10
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#1903Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 7:45pm
Lea was such a thrill in this show. Will be talking and rehashing this production for ages. I love moments in theater that give us so much to talk about and discuss. The clips from today are giving me goosebumps.
ManOfLaMuncha
Stand-by Joined: 6/17/22
#1904Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 9:36pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzh-lENkIJM
Funny Girl Broadway Closing Night - Final Curtain Call and Lea Michele’s performance of “My Man”
#1905Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 10:01pm
Whether you like her or not, Michele kept this show open for a whole entire year. That's incredible.
Owen22
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/11
#1906Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 10:02pm
On the night of her final performance, I would like to remind this board that way before Sheridan Smith or Beanie Feldstein, when Bartlett Sher made his ridiculous announcement that his Fanny Brice would be Lauren Ambrose, there were a couple people here who argued that the ONLY person big enough and correctly talented enough for the role was Lea Michelle. You're welcome.
Ensemble1686998462
Swing Joined: 6/17/23
#1907Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 10:26pm
It really sucks they didn't do a proshot. Not only because of Lea's out of this world Fanny, but also because of the fantastic performances from Ramin, Tovah and Jared. It's amazing how it all came together to perfection after the horrible misfire at the beginning and this cast should be preserved. It took them over 60 years to revive this, God knows how long till the next one.
#1908Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 10:42pm
Well, hopefully, there won't be any drama with the next Broadway revival! Farewell Funny Girl!
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#1909Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/3/23 at 11:58pm
This is the math major in me, I guess, but I would love to know how many performances Lea, Julie and Beanie each ultimately performed. I would imagine that, by the end, Julie may have performed more performances than Beanie. A piece of trivia admittedly, but interesting to know.
#1910Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 12:08am
Based on videos Julie has posted, I believe she went on 182 times.
#1911Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 12:40am
I can't believe this show is done... these boards will be a lot quieter now :)
In all seriousness, Lea Michele's showbiz comeback story with this is one for the ages. This show could (& did) go wrong so many times and she (along with Julie as I already mentioned) saved it and Lea saved her reputation in the process too. I wonder how this would have played out if she had been Fanny from the beginning. I'm not sure the narrative would have propelled it to run for as long as it did. Congrats also to Tovah and especially Jared and Ramin, who went through all the craziness along with Julie. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't wait to read the book on this revival in a few years.
suzcap
Understudy Joined: 2/10/18
#1912Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 1:01am
Lea - 295
Julie - 182
Beanie - 115
Ephie - 7
Total - 569 + 30 previews =599
#1913Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 2:45am
Mr. Wormwood said: "I can't believe this show is done... these boards will be a lot quieter now :)
In all seriousness, Lea Michele's showbiz comeback story with this is one for the ages. This show could (& did) go wrong so many times and she (along with Julie as I already mentioned) saved it and Lea saved her reputation in the process too. I wonder how this would have played out if she had been Fanny from the beginning. I'm not sure the narrative would have propelled it to run for as long as it did. Congrats also to Tovah and especially Jared and Ramin, who went through all the craziness along with Julie. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't wait to read the book on this revival in a few years."
It will only be one for the ages depending on where she goes from here.
cmorrow
Stand-by Joined: 10/25/12
#1914Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 7:56am
Ensemble1686998462 said: "It really sucks they didn't do a proshot. Not only because of Lea's out of this world Fanny, but also because of the fantastic performances from Ramin, Tovah and Jared. It's amazing how it all came together to perfection after the horrible misfire at the beginning and this cast should be preserved."
The show was taped on Aug. 25, a few days before Lea went out sick, for the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT). So this production was preserved -- a multi-camera shoot, by professionals, although the video won't be commercially available.
JasonC3
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/21
#1915Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 8:43am
I'm not sure what she does in the future has any bearing on this performance being "one for the ages."
#1916Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 9:31am
suzcap said: "Lea - 295
Julie - 182
Beanie - 115
Ephie - 7
Total - 569 + 30 previews =599"
The fact that Julie ended up doing more performances that Beanie is amazing. Of course, she was officially named the alternate and given one performance a week when Michele took over for a whole year.
Ftworthguy
Featured Actor Joined: 6/5/07
#1917Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 10:18am
Jarethan said: "This is the math major in me, I guess, but I would love to know how many performances Lea, Julie and Beanie each ultimately performed. I would imagine that, by the end, Julie may have performed more performances than Beanie. A piece of trivia admittedly, but interesting to know."
According to Julie's Insta, she did 182 shows as Fanny
Beanie was in the show from March 26 to July 31 (according to ibdb.com). So she did the show for 20 weeks -- with an absolute perfect attendance record, which she didn't have due to COVID, at best she'd have 160.
#1918Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 10:51am
Beanie was out the weekend after the show opened. And then proceeded to miss more and more performances later in her run. She was nowhere close to having perfect attendance. That 115 seems accurate.
soxboy22
Understudy Joined: 4/19/22
#1920Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 11:28am
Ftworthguy said: "Jarethan said: "This is the math major in me, I guess, but I would love to know how many performances Lea, Julie and Beanie each ultimately performed. I would imagine that, by the end, Julie may have performed more performances than Beanie. A piece of trivia admittedly, but interesting to know."
According to Julie's Insta, she did 182 shows as Fanny
Beanie was in the show from March 26 to July 31 (according to ibdb.com). So she did the show for 20 weeks -- with an absolute perfect attendance record, which she didn't have due to COVID, at best she'd have 160."
It's fewer than 160 possible performances. 30 previews from March 26 through April 24, then 14 full 8-performance weeks, minus 4 shows on the infamous pre-scheduled wedding weekend, comes out to 138 (could be 139 including opening night?). If the 115 is accurate, which it seems like it is, she missed a total of 23 shows, with, I believe, 11 of those attributed to COVID, and 12 additional.
Ensemble1686998462
Swing Joined: 6/17/23
#1921Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 1:00pm
I think with Beanie it comes down to perception and the whole atmosphere surrounding the show at the time. People were already hesitant on her when they announced her. The lack of live performances on talk shows and that staged promo video only started making people sharpen their knives. The negativity increased all throughout the previews, then the critics reviews, then the wedding shortly after opening night, then people discovering Julie was superior, then the COVID, flop Tony awards, online rumors, and finally the announcement she was leaving, and Lea was coming. Towards the end it felt like she cracked under all the pressure and was out on and off a bit. That snowball just kept getting bigger so it's no wonder people look back and can't figure out what her attendance was really like.
In the end we have to be thankful to her because she was pretty much the sole reason this revival happened on Broadway at all. Remember it all happened because of a childhood dream and friends with very deep pockets with millions to burn. It took pure nepotism to make it happen. Otherwise, fans would still be crying today why after over sixty years there still isn't a Funny Girl revival.
I'm sure one day someone will write a book about all this, and we'll learn it was even crazier than we thought.
OuttaTowner
Broadway Star Joined: 5/30/05
#1922Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 2:27pm
Now that FG has closed, how soon before we get official word on Lea’s next stage venture, which she has stated is already set? I think most regulars in this board have a strong inkling about what this is.
#1923Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 3:30pm
Ensemble1686998462 said: "I think with Beanie it comes down to perception and the whole atmosphere surrounding the show at the time. People were already hesitant on her when they announced her. The lack of live performances on talk shows and that staged promo video only started making people sharpen their knives. The negativity increased all throughout the previews, then the critics reviews, then the wedding shortly after opening night, then people discovering Julie was superior, then the COVID, flop Tony awards, online rumors, and finally the announcement she was leaving, and Lea was coming.Towards the end it felt like she cracked under all the pressure and was out on and off a bit. That snowball just kept getting bigger so it's no wonder people look back and can't figure out what her attendance was really like.
In the end we have to be thankful to her because she was pretty much the sole reason this revival happened on Broadway at all. Remember it all happened because of a childhood dream and friends with very deep pockets with millions to burn. It took pure nepotism to make it happen. Otherwise, fans would still be crying today why after over sixty years there still isn't a Funny Girl revival.
I'm sure one day someone will write a book about all this, and we'll learn it was even crazier than we thought."
Agree with all of this.
mshalo18
Featured Actor Joined: 10/29/22
#1924Lea Michele as Fanny Brice
Posted: 9/4/23 at 3:57pm
OuttaTowner said: "Now that FG has closed, how soon before we get official word on Lea’s next stage venture, which she has stated is already set? I think most regulars in this board have a strong inkling about what this is."
Take this all with a grain of salt- but it's my understanding that her stage venture has been put on hold for a more - personal project.
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