Lea Michele to Star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL Starting 9/6; Beanie Feldstein Departing 7/31- Page 3

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:53pm

Is Julie Benko out of quarantine?

[BJR]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:55pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "I’m curious as to whether they will decide on Julie covering the role until September when Lea Michele, or whoever the intended replacement will be, can officially begin on the originally planned date."

I’m betting this is the announcement tomorrow. Maybe even a tease of “more casting announced soon!”

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:55pm

Like, they really thought they would be able to force this girl on Broadway and it would go over well lmao.

Right? Like, we weren't going to notice? Or Tony voters wouldn't notice?! Jesus Christ. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:55pm

Penna2 said: "Bill Snibson said: "Wow! Anyone wanna weigh-in on what exactly “the production has decided to take the show in a different direction” means? Odd to me. I can’t imagine the producers or creatives suddenly wanted her to change her performance for some new vision."

Julie's interpretation (and Ephie's, as I understand) is more about Fanny than Beanie and her type of comedy. They are also looking for a true singer, not someone who can kind of sing."

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:56pm

Rooting for Julie. Then bring on Lea in September

[Schmergo2]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:57pm

I have a bit of a theory: what if when she said they were "taking the show in another direction," perhaps that meant they were planning on changing things up so that, in the 2 months leading up to Beanie's planned departure date, Julie was going to be bumped up to an official alternate? That's one of the few changes I could easily see a Broadway show making mid-run that might make Beanie upset. This is absolutely just a wild theory, though.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:57pm

It is the productions fault. Producers come to YOU "Hey! Do you wanna star in the FIRST ever Broadway revival of Funny Girl!? You'll be great! Hey... rehearsals are going great! Can't wait to start performances! Oh... audiences are massacring and the production? Well ****, we never saw this coming. At least we'll get a few weeks of tickets for a "You've gotta see this train wreck!" Audience."

You gassed the woman up and let her be eaten alive. She's already embarrassed and the producers should be JUST as (if not more) embarrassed. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:58pm

The “new direction” phrasing makes it sound very negative indeed. I’m guessing that the producers either pretty much asked her to quit, or did something to make her feel like she had no choice, i.e. bump up Benko to official alternate before September.

The initial statements regarding her fall departure made it sound like a mutual parting of ways, but Beanie basically just made it sound like she was more or less forced out. Not a good look.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:58pm

Mandy Patinkin begins his limited run shortly.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:00pm

TheatreFan4 said: "It is the productions fault. Producers come to YOU "Hey! Do you wanna star in the FIRST ever Broadway revival of Funny Girl!? You'll be great! Hey... rehearsals are going great! Can't wait to start performances! Oh... audiences are massacring and the production? Well ****, we never saw this coming. At least we'll get a few weeks of tickets for a "You've gotta see this train wreck!" Audience."

You gassed the woman up and let her be eaten alive. She's already embarrassed and the producers should be JUST as (if not more) embarrassed."

oh please she is an adult she could have said no or withdrawn at any point in the process

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:01pm

I also assumed “different direction” to mean that she was unhappy Julie Benko was going to be promoted to FANNY ALTERNATE before September. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:01pm

Schmergo2 said: "I have a bit of a theory: what if when she said they were "taking the show in another direction," perhaps that meant they were planning on changing things up so that, in the 2 months leading up to Beanie's planned departure date, Julie was going to be bumped up to an official alternate? That's one of the few changes I could easily see a Broadway show making mid-run that might make Beanie upset. This is absolutely just a wild theory, though."

Not wild at all, good idea. However, I don't think she would care about Julie and would have welcomed only doing the role 6 times a week. My theory is this: She found out they were going to announce who the new Fanny was going to be tomorrow and felt ambushed. Like, why see her when you can see a much better Fanny at the end of September! Do you know what I mean?

 

[Penna2]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:02pm

akhoya87 said: "I feel bad for Beanie. I didn't like her as Fanny for the reasons other folks have pointed out (mostly, the singing), but it does seem like she's getting unceremoniously shoved aside to fulfill the Prophecy of Glee.

I bought tickets to see Julie Benko in late August (to see if her performance changes my mind about this show), and I hope they let her keep those dates."

She is leaving because 1) box office - they lost 10% gross last week, audience is down. Her NAME has lost it's value for bringing in an audience. 2) She doesn't have the right stuff for the part  -never did, but they had an audience. 3) Time off for why? My guess stamina, again training and ennui. Bad reviews. The critics were not her fans.

I don't think this has anything to do with Glee and Lea Michele. Someone here says she has a tour in August, so unless someone is underwriting the cancellations on that, we could be seeing Julie come then end of the month.

Bottom line is the bottom line. She's not producing for them.

[Idinamenzel18]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:03pm

I’m more relieved that everyone can stop pretending she’s as great as the show’s promotion makes her out to be. 
 

She never gave one live performance of ANY songs outside of that teased sitzprobe and auto-tuned trailer, yet they hyped her up. Why? Because if she did perform live to promote it, the show would lose sales. It’s almost like they’ve kept her singing abilities a secret from the start. They’ve tried to hype up supporting characters which was an epic failure because the show IS Fanny, and the story itself rests on the vocal talent Fanny has. It just doesn’t work. 
 

For her to blame it on production going in a different direction is a major cop out. We all know why she’s leaving. She’s not good in this role. 

[wiggum2]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:04pm

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:04pm

There's always the possibility that she departs before July 31st.  She doesn't sound like someone who keeps deadlines.

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:05pm

Idinamenzel18 said: "I’m more relieved that everyone can stop pretending she’s as great as the show’s promotion makes her out to be.


She never gave one live performance of ANY songs outside of that teased sitzprobe and auto-tuned trailer, yet they hyped her up. Why? Because if she did perform live to promote it, the show would lose sales. It’s almost like they’ve kept her singing abilities a secret from the start. They’ve tried to hype up supporting characters which was an epic failure because the show IS Fanny, and the story itself rests on the vocal talent Fanny has. It just doesn’t work.


For her to blame it on production going in a different direction is a major cop out. We all know why she’s leaving. She’s not good in this role."

.... we get it 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:06pm

So I guess we’re not getting a cast recording?

[Penna2]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:08pm

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Is Julie Benko out of quarantine?"

She announced 7/1 - so tomorrow.

[Penna2]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:10pm

WldKingdomHM said: "Rooting for Julie. Then bring on Lea in September"

Maybe? Maybe not?

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:10pm

Jordan Catalano said: "The statement does read like it’s blaming the production but fails to specify what exactly the “new direction” is. If it’s casting her replacement then that has zero impact on her time there so leaving early because of what will happen with the show in the future when she’s gone, makes no sense at all."

 

the person hired to replace Beanie will be a big draw and was available to start earlier than originally planned, so the producers allowed Beanie to say she voluntarily left when in fact they wanted rid of her so they could spend more time saving the show?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:12pm

It'll be interesting to see what direction Bean-o's career takes from this point on.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:15pm

Sutton Ross said: "The real question is.......what will they do with all that merch?!"

Audience Rewards redemption for a pittance of points?

Worst case, they need to line the BCEFA flea market trash cans with something.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:15pm

If the rumored replacement is Lea Michele, maybe she can start even earlier in ''Funny Girl'' and have a mini-reunion with Jane Lynch. (See this clip from ''Glee.'' )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkhkWvrWfNg

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 8:16pm

Jordan Catalano said: "So I guess we’re not getting a cast recording?"

In my fantasy it's a sure thing that Lea will record an album.

 

This is the most drama on Broadway since Spider-man.