Lea Michele to Star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL Starting 9/6; Beanie Feldstein Departing 7/31- Page 12

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:18pm

So happy there are scheduled performances for Julie Benko!!! Now I can plan to see her and buy a ticket versus going last minute. 

I'm happy for Lea but somehow I'm not that excited. I know a decade ago I would have been more excited.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:19pm

ACL2006 said: "Is there an official press release? I see Benko will play the role until Michele starts."

Julie Benko will be the official Fanny Brice from August 1 to September 4 then is back as Fanny standby and regular Julie/Elphie scenario.  

[Amos Hart2]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:23pm

Much can be read into Jane's early departure, but on the other hand, it makes sense to have the two replacements debut on the same night.  

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:23pm

Schmergo2 said: "I am not a Lea Michele fan, but I do think it was very shrewd to have her prominently feature in all that Spring Awakening Anniversary stuff/ Tony performance when Funny Girl didn't feature in the Tonys-- it was very well-timed."

She paid for that. Buying a slot on the show when Beanie wasn't nominated was her audition as replacement. It worked.

[themick2]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:23pm

With both Michele and Tovah backstage at the same time I predict asphyxiation will replace Covid as the reason cast members miss performances.  Tovah alone can suck the air out of the room, but Tovah AND Lea??

 

I do hope Lea pulls back on the bronzer as she's looking downright Indian lately.  Although maybe Bollywood is the "new direction" Beanie was talking about.  We'll see.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:23pm

Laughing so hard I can’t even breathe

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:24pm

joevitus said: "Schmergo2 said: "I am not a Lea Michele fan, but I do think it was very shrewd to have her prominently feature in all that Spring Awakening Anniversary stuff/ Tony performance when Funny Girl didn't feature in the Tonys-- it was very well-timed."

She paid for that. Buying a slot on the show when Beanie wasn't nominated was her audition as replacement. It's worked."

Nonsense.  

[David10086]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:26pm

Jordan Catalano said: "When was Jane supposed to leave originally?"

When she was on 'The View' back in April, she said she was leaving the end of September, and Beanie was contracted through October (but never said if BF was leaving when her contract was up). 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:27pm

I think that Bean found out that they were announcing the superior Fanny today a few days ago and probably thought it undermined her ability to get an audience since they can just wait two months for Lea. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:28pm

Bette's Turban said: "joevitus said: "Schmergo2 said: "I am not a Lea Michele fan, but I do think it was very shrewd to have her prominently feature in all that Spring Awakening Anniversary stuff/ Tony performance when Funny Girl didn't feature in the Tonys-- it was very well-timed."

She paid for that. Buying a slot on the show when Beanie wasn't nominated was her audition as replacement. It's worked."

Nonsense."

Any number of people here have said she paid for that spot herself. It was her "See how I can work well with people? Remember how talented I am? And don't you need a new Fanny?" moment. It worked. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:30pm

Lynch also talked about how exhausting the show was. She's likely more than okay leaving a few weeks early. Has Lynch missed many performances?

[pmensky]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:30pm

joevitus said: "Bette's Turban said: "joevitus said: "Schmergo2 said: "I am not a Lea Michele fan, but I do think it was very shrewd to have her prominently feature in all that Spring Awakening Anniversary stuff/ Tony performance when Funny Girl didn't feature in the Tonys-- it was very well-timed."

She paid for that. Buying a slot on the show when Beanie wasn't nominated was her audition as replacement. It's worked."

Nonsense."

Any number of people here have said she paid for that spot herself. It was her "See how I can work well with people? Remember how talented I am? And don't you need a new Fanny?" moment. It worked."

If this is true, I forgive her of all past transgressions for being such a baller. She is my spirit animal.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:31pm

https://pagesix.com/2022/07/11/funny-girl-producers-blindsided-by-beanie-feldsteins-exit/?utm_source=P6Facebook&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwAR2eKmDuh2pHAc19FADHjPWnepMZSICnstG5zZalkmoKwfTfAWdtNNXpp7M

[DAME]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:31pm

If by any chance they go the way of making any other changes to the production.. to put new wind in its sails...  these are changes I would like to see.  Put a real darn curtain in there.  New wardrobe from top to bottom for Fanny.  At least give that ugly brick wall thing another color.  Have Harvey give it another go to that awful second act scene between Fanny and her mother.  And for goodness sake ; RE-STAGE THAT AWFUL CURTAIN CALL!

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:32pm

Tovah needs an updated headshot. She’s been using that old one now for 15+ years

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:32pm

Welp, 9/6 is sold out except for resales.

[Grief]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:33pm

Anyone know why the website says this? Lea isn't performing seven days a week if Julie is performing on Thursdays...

NOTE - Lea Michele is performing seven days a week. Julie Benko will be performing Thursday evening performances in her stead.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:35pm

We'll be getting a cast album with Lea and Tovah now, right?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:36pm

Grief said: "Anyone know why the website says this? Lea isn't performing seven days a week if Julie is performing on Thursdays...

NOTE - Lea Michele is performing seven days a week. Julie Benko will be performing Thursday evening performances in her stead."

 

It's a typo - they clearly meant "seven PERFORMANCES" a week." 

[David10086]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:36pm

Let's not forget - some of the first rumors we heard of a FUNNY GIRL revival was from Rosie O'Donnell, at the end of 2018 after Lady Gaga won rave reviews in 'A Star Is Born'. It was then that RO first said there would be a revival, with LG as 'Fanny' and Rosie herself would play 'Mrs. Brice'. 

"It is the truth," said O'Donnell. "Michael Mayer is doing it. He's already got the rights from the estate. I'm going to play Rose Brice." - October 23, 2018

 

After a while, Rosie no longer mentioned Lady Gaga, but insisted the musical was happening and she would be playing 'Mrs Brice' - she mentioned this as late as the end of summer, 2020 and claimed the show would be taking the stage sometime in 2021, once COVID was over. 

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:37pm

joevitus said: "Bette's Turban said: "joevitus said: "Schmergo2 said: "I am not a Lea Michele fan, but I do think it was very shrewd to have her prominently feature in all that Spring Awakening Anniversary stuff/ Tony performance when Funny Girl didn't feature in the Tonys-- it was very well-timed."

She paid for that. Buying a slot on the show when Beanie wasn't nominated was her audition as replacement. It's worked."

Nonsense."

Any number of people here have said she paid for that spot herself. It was her "See how I can work well with people? Remember how talented I am? And don't you need a new Fanny?" moment. It worked.

 

Nonsense.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:37pm

CATSNYrevival said: "We'll be getting a cast album with Lea and Tovahnow, right?"

With THAT cast including Ramin? HELL YEAH!

 

[themick2]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:39pm

"A Broadway insider tells us that producers were planning on making the announcement on Monday – but Feldstein, 29, beat them to the punch when she posted on Sunday evening."

 

And this "blindsided" them??  Page Six needs clicks, y'all.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:39pm

DAME said: "If by any chance they go the way of making any other changes to the production.. to put new wind in its sails... these are changes I would like to see. Put a real darn curtain in there. New wardrobe from top to bottom for Fanny. At least give that ugly brick wall thing another color. Have Harvey give it another go to that awful second act scene between Fanny and her mother. And for goodness sake ; RE-STAGE THAT AWFUL CURTAIN CALL!"

Yes to most of this.  But I imagine that Harvey is over it and out.  That curtain call is really boring and doesn't work.  Such a easy fix.  

[Huss417]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 1:42pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Welp, 9/6 is sold out except for resales."

When I looked around noon center Orch was pretty much taken but that was it. Upstairs was pretty empty as was Side Orch. House either pulled quite a few or scalpers really bought about 70% of the seats or she has a lot of fans.