Posted: 5/9/23 at 4:42pm
https://variety.com/2023/legit/columns/lea-michele-funny-girl-next-broadway-show-1235607718/
Anyone know what this might be?
Posted: 5/9/23 at 4:49pm
I hope it's a new musical?
New score and story.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 4:55pm
Pure speculation –– could she be doing CHESS with Michael Mayer?
That would fit the description of "You know it. It's very different musically."
Updated On: 5/9/23 at 04:55 PM
Posted: 5/9/23 at 5:15pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pure speculation –– could she be doing CHESS with Michael Mayer?"
That would be amazing. With a big star as Florence, maybe she could claw back "Someone Else's Story" to its proper role in the score. 
Posted: 5/9/23 at 5:32pm
kdogg36 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pure speculation –– could she be doing CHESS with Michael Mayer?"
That would be amazing. With a big star as Florence, maybe she could claw back "Someone Else's Story" to its proper role in the score."
I’d love to see Lea reunite with Darren, Ramin, and Michael, assuming most of the band will be back together from the 2022 concert!
This being said, Lena Hall should now be Lea’s alternate.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 5:33pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pure speculation –– could she be doing CHESS with Michael Mayer?
That would fit the description of"You know it. It's very different musically.""
Just the thought of Lea Michele singing "Nobody's Side" gives me chills. SIGN ME UP.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 5:44pm
What about an N2N revival? She's turning 37 in August, which is actually pretty age appropriate for Diana, and it's a different style for her.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 5:47pm
Is the Cabaret revival still coming in? She would be a fascinating Sally.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 6:08pm
That would be quite the synergy if she’s alongside 2 former costars from different projects (and all 3 have worked with Michael Mayer).
After the demands of FUNNY GIRL, she might enjoy not carrying the show with a role like Florence.
I do not see Cabaret or Mame being “different musically” from FG in her eyes.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 6:31pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pure speculation –– could she be doing CHESS with Michael Mayer?
That would fit the description of"You know it. It's very different musically.""
Could be. Would love to see Ramin do it as well - he's talked about wanting to revisit the show. Would certainly bring the FG sizzle to another show. I know she's buddies with Darrin Criss, but he was pretty weak in the concert. JMO.
Updated On: 5/9/23 at 06:31 PM
Posted: 5/9/23 at 8:44pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "kdogg36 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pure speculation –– could she be doing CHESS with Michael Mayer?"
That would be amazing. With a big star as Florence, maybe she could claw back "Someone Else's Story" to its proper role in the score."
I’d love to see Lea reunite with Darren, Ramin, and Michael, assuming most of the band will be back together from the 2022 concert!
This being said, Lena Hall should now be Lea’s alternate."
Lena Hall is no one's "alternate". Also I'm pretty sure that Criss won't be involved -- he was awful at the concert this year.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 8:55pm
Would she replace in Sweeney? Or is she done replacing in revivals? I’d think she’s aiming for a Tony at this point
Posted: 5/9/23 at 9:49pm
She’s definitely aiming for a tony award, so I think replacing is out of the cards. Whatever it is it’s definitely a Michael Mayer project and I would not be shocked if Sonia Friedman was the lead producer. I think Chess would be fun, is Florence a role that guarantees a tony? I think she’d be an interesting Desiree in A Little Night Music.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 9:55pm
Updated On: 5/9/23 at 09:55 PM
Posted: 5/9/23 at 10:20pm
She could have her choice of any MT role in the canon right now. There is no reason she should even consider replacing. FG proves that she is in that elite, tiny group of bona fide stars who can deliver + sell mass tickets in a Broadway musical. Radcliffe, Groban, Michele, Patt, etc.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 10:36pm
Yeah, she’s in a rare position. I don’t know why she’d want to do a risky show like “Chess.” I hope that whatever she’s doing comes out of left field and is fitting of her talent and star power.
Posted: 5/9/23 at 11:07pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "She could have her choice of any MT role in the canon right now. There is no reason she should even consider replacing. FG proves that she is in that elite, tiny group of bona fide stars who can deliver + sell mass tickets in a Broadway musical. Radcliffe, Groban, Michele, Patt, etc."
Eh, I don’t think we know yet? This is like the perfect combination of her past accomplishments and a big payoff for her fans. Will they still turn out to see her do something that has zero ties to her past in Glee? We don’t know yet.
Chess would 💯 be a tough sell unless they stack the cast like Sweeney and it’s a must see. It’s a slog.
Posted: 5/10/23 at 12:00am
Oh CHESS definitely isn't a sure bet, even with LM. They'd be wise to have another name (or semi-name) alongside her as insurance, be it Darren or someone else. But it would be an interesting part for her, and would not be heavy-lifting in the way that Fanny is.
I'm actually surprised she wants to return to the stage this quickly, but good for her.
Posted: 5/10/23 at 12:00am
BETTY22 said: "I hope it's a new musical?
New score and story."
Seems pretty clear from her comment that it is not.
Posted: 5/10/23 at 1:32am
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Oh CHESS definitely isn't a sure bet, even with LM. They'd be wise to have another name (or semi-name) alongside her as insurance, be it Darren or someone else. But it would be an interesting part for her, and would not be heavy-lifting in the way that Fanny is.
I'm actually surprised she wants to return to the stage this quickly, but good for her."
She's fully committed to a stage pivot and was already committed to it before Funny Girl even popped up. She moved back to NYC with the explicit aim of getting back on Broadway. The mania around Funny Girl just blew it up to a level that I don't know she expected for her first outing back. Lea can be a bonafide star on Broadway in a way Hollywood has never really been open to her, and probably won't be open to her until she's 50+ and ready for "someone's mother"
Posted: 5/10/23 at 7:58am
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "She could have her choice of any MT role in the canon right now. There is no reason she should even consider replacing. FG proves that she is in that elite, tiny group of bona fide stars who can deliver + sell mass tickets in a Broadway musical. Radcliffe, Groban, Michele, Patt, etc."
Yeah, I wouldn't be so quick to put her in that category just yet. It seems she could be well on her way, but I feel like FG was just one of those things that was perfect timing as well as the nostalgia factor that made it feel like an "event" type of show. She'll need at least 1 or 2 more shows under her belt before we can say "If Lea's in it, it's gonna sell" for sure.
Posted: 5/10/23 at 9:45am
Isn't it probably the ART production of Evita?
- "You know it"
- "It's very different musically"
- Timing for potential Broadway run aligns
- She's not too old for the role, and people would clamor to see her in it
- It's a role with a high probability of a Tony nom and even win
- There are few shows that depend as heavily on their leading lady as FG, but Evita is one of them, and would allow her to show off vocally even more. So it makes sense as a next step for her, to build on what she accomplished in FG.
Posted: 5/10/23 at 10:07am
EVITA is an interesting idea. She’d be good in it and you’re right that it fits with her clues, but if they’ve gone with principal casts that are entirely people of color in Cannold’s production at Encores, the ART, and Shakespeare Theatre, the optics are not great. (Spare me the “Eva Peron was probably a white woman” argument)
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