Lea Michele to Star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL Starting 9/6; Beanie Feldstein Departing 7/31- Page 33

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 4:43pm

Those must be the re-sell tickets. 

[MikeInTheDistrict]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 4:48pm

joevitus said: "It seemed obvious to me at the time (previews/opening) and seems confirmed by the article now that the producers intentionally went with someone who didn't have a big voice. I had thought that was to put the emphasis on the "funny" part of Funny Girl and also to distance whoever was cast from suffering a direct Streisand comparison (yeah, it didn't work out that way). I got the impression from comments here that in London, Sheridan Smith was similarly a limited vocalist cast to give a strong comedic performance. The article makes it sound like a further issue was Beanie being viewed as an emerging star in movies and t.v., thus giving further incentive to casting a performer with a limited range, if in fact she was expected to be a big tourist draw.

It's also worth pointing out that, contrary to the haters, nothing suggests she was incompetent. There was a genuine divide here between people who thought her vocals were fine, or she was capable of handling them with a little more practice, and those who thought she was simply abysmal. You don't get such disparate responses if your star is a total failure. It's interesting now that Funny Girl is classified as a disaster that Beanie's being completely slammed while, conversely, now that Company is looked at as a landmark revival, Katrina Lenk is being hailed for pulling off a role many strongly insisted she didn't have the voice for.

Now that all is said and done, I think Beanie should have been replaced in previews. When I saw a number of people championing her, I began to think we naysayers (and I was one of them) had gotten it wrong, and she could handle the part, or at least might grow into it (again, the comparison with Lenk is telling). But all that happened was a young woman with talent and a developing career was forced into a humiliating situation and left to flail while dissent mounted and word of mouth became toxic.

Really, really terrible producing, but also clearly terrible directing, as Mayer seems to have had, from back with the London production, ideas about what Funny Girl and for casting the show that just aren't at all consistent with what an audience wants from it.

I hate the venom directed at Beanie, but that doesn't mean keeping her in the role was a wise choice. Ultimately, it wasn't even a kind one."

You may be right. If going against type was an intentional choice to evade direct comparison to Babs, though, I think it was misguided. I've heard clips of Sheridan Smith and, while she isn't a Barbra Streisand-level vocalist, she sounds fine. Certainly not bad enough that her singing ability or lack thereof brings attention to itself. Going against a role's archetype can sometimes work. I remember Michael Hayden in the Hytner production of Carousel was not a great singer compared to the classically-trained baritones that previously played Billy, but he was passable and brought an edge to the role that made it work. Michael Cerveris in the Doyle Sweeney also had a lighter, less booming voice than previous Sweeneys, but it worked in the intimacy of that pared-down production and no one would accuse him of being a bad singer at all.

There's a certain threshold for passable vocal ability if you go against the archetype of a role, and I don't think Feldstein met that standard, whereas Smith did. Obviously, these things are subjective and where people draw the line for acceptable singing quality will vary from person to person, but enough people (including critics) have noted Feldstein's vocals that I don't think it really is that ambiguous whether she meets the expected standard or not. At least, to my ears, it is fairly clear, but I am willing to admit that for others, her singing passes their threshold. I haven't heard Lenk recently, but she has demonstrated a certain degree of vocal ability in the past that I think would make it easier for her to improve her vocal technique in a short amount of time, whereas Beanie sounds basically the same as she did before this production. There's also more leeway with Sondheim, who was always more enthusiastic about "actors who sing" than "singers who act", than with Funny Girl, a show built around a singular vocal phenom. 

Otherwise, I agree. I don't want to pile on more to the Beanie-hate. I don't blame her at all for taking advantage of this opportunity when she got it. Like you said, it's Mayer and everyone else around her who have made highly questionable choice this whole time.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 4:48pm

Franklin, I think the appropriate word is "alternate", much like Terri Klausner who played Eva during the matinees performances of Evita. I think starting with Midler in Dolly, there's an understanding that the target audience for matinees is also the target audience for big, Broadway musicals that premiered in 1964. So now the "name" performs in matinees, but has a scheduled evening off so they get a full two day weekend.

Updated On: 7/14/22 at 04:48 PM

[wiggum2]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 4:48pm

From Playbill:

Julie Benko is slated to lead the revival August 2–September 4, and will stay on to cover Thursday performances from September 8.

"

Isn't Thursday an odd day to have the alternate? Isn't it usually matinees? I just find it interesting

[Schmergo2]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 4:53pm

The thing with Sheridan Smith is that she's considered a major star on the West End in both stage and screen, musicals and straight plays. She's played vocally demanding powerhouse roles including originating Elle in the West End production of Legally Blonde (winning the Olivier Award) and playing the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, so I think she's considered more of a 'singer' than Beanie was, but the West End also seems to welcome vocalists with less technically 'flawless' voices in favor of personalities-- which is why some American performers are big West End stars but not big Broadway stars. 

All that said, she was going through some rough stuff in her personal life during the time of the show, so that may have affected the quality of her vocals. She was struggling with alcoholism and her dad was dying of cancer.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 4:55pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, Schmergo, but wasn't her lengthy run as Elle what started the deterioration of her voice (not helped by however she chose to cope with her ... personal issues)?

[Schmergo2]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 5:11pm

It's possible that Legally Blonde may have caused lasting effects to her voice, but she did Joseph AFTER she did Funny Girl, and that's not exactly an easy score to sing, and she's released albums and stuff, and sang as Cilla Black in a biopic about her, so I feel like people don't just think of her as "an actress who also sings," which is how I'd classify Beanie-- meanwhile, Barbra Streisand was more of "a singer who also acts really well." 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 5:12pm

Lea comes from Broadway so she’s savvy to have a breather after 2 show days.  Monday the show is dark so she has a full day off after a full weekend.  Thursday she’s off after the 2 shows on Wednesday.  No rocket science there, bro.  

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 5:52pm

PAL JOEY!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 6:02pm

Some Christine alternates take Thursdays off. In the West End, Evas sometimes had Wednesday evenings off (I saw one). Seems sound for performance maintenance.

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 6:25pm

shocktheatre said: "Oh by all means we have to protect Beanie, a grown woman who has chosen to work in the entertainment industry.

At the same time, it might be a a good idea to put FG back into the dustbin where it languished for decades, and just let its songs be screeched at Marie's Crisis."

I'm not sure I understand the snark. Usually a shows producers and director does indeed want to protect their performers--especially leads who are carrying the show. Not sure who the "we" is, either, since I never indicated you or I (or the general audience) was somehow responsible for the casting or recasting decisions--or their consequences. 

Updated On: 7/14/22 at 06:25 PM

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 6:31pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "I think starting with Midler in Dolly, there's an understanding that the target audience for matinees is also the target audience for big, Broadway musicals that premiered in 1964."

I cannot tell you how much I love the way you phrased this sentence. 

 

[Up In One]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 6:41pm

MikeInTheDistrict said: "bwayphreak234 said: "I posted this a while ago, but the fact that an entire creative team and team of producers green-lighted her casting and continued with her after having presumably heard her sing and act during workshops and rehearsals is just baffling to me. The fact that she made it this far into the production process is just mind boggling to me and always will be. This entire thing is a fiasco that could have, and SHOULD have, been avoided. It's been glaringly obvious that she was never right for this role."

This is what confounds me about this situation. In the Daily Beast article, the source kept repeating "We should have fired her in previews" or "We should have fired her immediately after the reviews came out." But how did this production even get as far as previews (or even full rehearsals) with Beanie in this role?? Once they heard her sing (which has pretty much been as expected, based on her previous work), it should have been obvious she was miscast.

It makes me seriously question Michael Mayer and the whole creative and musical team if they were in any way surprised by audience and critical response. Can they not differentiate good singing from poor singing? Were they so naive or stupid to think that Beanie would NOT be compared to the golden standard Barbra set, or that singing ability would not be a primary concern for anyone following in her footsteps? The marketing team's tact has been to try to convince us that comedic or acting ability would be enough to override any deficiencies in singing ability, but anyone who is familiar with this show and with any shred of creative intelligence should have been able to foresee that was not the case.

The only explanation I can think of is that their hands were tied, for whatever reason. How much Beanie's family connections contributed to her being in this production is unclear, but she has been central to the publicity around this production from the very beginning. Even the art prominently features her face. They unwisely built the marketing and media of this production around Beanie specifically so that, by the time rehearsals (and certainly previews) were underway, it would have looked really bad to let her go and start over with someone else.

It's all just been sheer idiocy and incompetence."

Is it not a thing anymore for the writers to have casting approval? Were the estates of Jule Styne,  Bob Merrill, and Isobel Lennart, not involved in green lighting this production?  Would Harvey not have had some say? After the poor reception the London version of this production got you would have thought those folks charged with protecting the property would have had second thoughts. 

After seeing the Mayer/Fierstein London rewrite/restage version that was filmed I thought it would never see the light of day in New York. The production alone was not worthy of New York or a star of any value. That's what gives credence around the idea of someone waving big dollars to open the show with a specific actress tied to the money. I will buy the tell all.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 6:56pm

There’s a pretty great video (might be YT but I saw it on Reddit) that compares every part of DROMP with each actress (Barbra, Beanie, Julie) and it’s truly shocking how Beanie made it through the rehearsals let alone make it to the first preview. Julie sounds incredible and this show, had the rest of the cast been properly aligned, could have been a star making turn for her. It still is, but could have been even greater and without all the stupid drama. 

[David10086]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 7:26pm

Highland Guy said: "David10086 said: "CarlosAlberto said: "David10086 said: "CarlosAlberto said: "OMG - you guys are not comparing this to the disaster that was Holly Golightly/Breakfast at Tiffany’s - totally different era and completely different circumstances….WTF?!?!?!"

I wasn't comparing the two at all. Read my post again.

I was pointing out the fact that despite many posters here saying "in the 60s and 70s this kind of drama didn't take place, and no one got fired before a show opened", it happened - with Mary Tyler Moore in 'BAT'. Had nothing to do with comparing MTM to Beanie, or 'BAT' to 'FG' at all - just pointing out that firings did happen in the 60s. Yet comprehension escapes some members of this forum."

Technically MTM wasn’t fired - Merrill just chose to close the show. Facts escape some members of this forum."

She was on the verge of being fired in Boston and replaced by Diahann Carroll, who would then open on Broadway. If Carroll accepted Merrick's offer to her when she went to Boston to see the show, MTM would've been packing her bags in Boston to go home. As it happened, the show was shut down before MTM embarrassed herself, so yes - she was fired. She was not employed in the Broadway musical as planned.



Again - comprehension skills are your friend."



Again, enough with your bullying.

"

You falsely accused a couple of us of 'bullying' in this thread. Don't you ever get tired of playing the victim ?  It must be exhausting. 

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 7:34pm

David10086 said:"You falsely accused a couple of us of 'bullying' in this thread. Don't you ever get tired of playing the victim ? " must be exhausting."

 

I stated a fact.  You ARE a bully, Blanche; you ARE.

[David10086]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 7:58pm

joevitus said: "
It's also worth pointing out that, contrary to the haters, nothing suggests she was incompetent. There was a genuine divide here between people who thought her vocals were fine, or she was capable of handling them with a little more practice, and those who thought she was simply abysmal. You don't get such disparate responses if your star is a total failure. 
."

And this played out in 1994, when Glenn Close replaced Lupone in "Sunset Boulevard". To this day, there are those Broadway musical fans who still loathe the Close's vocals, while there are those who adore it. 

There are those fans who saw both actresses play the part and love Closes' take on 'Norma Desmond', while others love Lupone's interpretation much more and hated Close in the role. 

The controversy still rages nearly 30 years later, and will continue to do so for years to come.

[MikeInTheDistrict]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:06pm

Up In One said: "Is it not a thing anymore for the writers to have casting approval? Were the estates of Jule Styne, Bob Merrill, and Isobel Lennart, not involved in green lighting this production? Would Harvey not have had some say? After the poor reception the London version of this production got you would have thought those folks charged with protecting the property would have had second thoughts.

After seeing the Mayer/Fierstein London rewrite/restage version that was filmed I thought it would never see the light of day in New York. The production alone was not worthy of New York or a star of any value. That's what gives credence around the idea of someone waving big dollars to open the show with a specific actress tied to the money. I will buy the tell all."

If they did have to get casting approval from the estates, it doesn't seem like the estates were very picky about what happened to this show. Maybe they felt there was a reason this thing hadn't been seen on a Broadway stage since 1967, and were willing to take a risk on anyone who was willing to give it a shot.

Updated On: 7/14/22 at 08:06 PM

[skies]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:11pm

David10086 said: "joevitus said: "
It's also worth pointing out that, contrary to the haters, nothing suggests she was incompetent. There was a genuine divide here between people who thought her vocals were fine, or she was capable of handling them with a little more practice, and those who thought she was simply abysmal. You don't get such disparate responses if your star is a total failure.
."

And this played out in 1994, when Glenn Close replaced Lupone in "Sunset Boulevard". To this day, there are those Broadway musical fans who still loathe the Close's vocals, while there are those who adore it.

There are those fans who saw both actresses play the part and love Closes' take on 'Norma Desmond', while others love Lupone's interpretation much more and hated Close in the role.

The controversy still rages nearly 30 years later, and will continue to do so for years to come."

Are you saying there is a multiverse out there where fans love Beanie’s vocals?

[Kad]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:21pm

Highland Guy said: "David10086 said:"You falsely accused a couple of us of 'bullying' in this thread. Don't you ever get tired of playing the victim ? " must be exhausting."



I stated a fact. You ARE a bully, Blanche; you ARE."

Being impolite or sardonic to you is not bullying. And considering your snobby condescension, it’s not even unmerited. 

[OceansJenny]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:31pm

Curious as to why FG, to some, is exempt from blind casting. Some are arguing that only does the lead have to be Jewish by birth right but also look like Fanny? What makes this show so special to limit the casting this way? I thought we had moved beyond that.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:36pm

I have been good and haven’t listened to any audios from this production besides the sitzprobe but that video…

How has that iconic song been allowed to be performed like that in front of a paying audience? (Also, does Benko take it up a half step or so?)

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:43pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "I have been good and haven’t listened to any audios from this production besides the sitzprobe but that video…

How has that iconic song been allowed to be performed like that in front of a paying audience? (Also, does Benko take it up a half step or so?)"

BWW deleted the video I posted (that's OK).  I'm not a musical expert, but I do think Benko takes it up.

 

[ManOfLaMuncha]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:55pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnW5oE1CSkg

 

too bad Jim's not still around!

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:59pm

skies said: "
Are you saying there is a multiverse out there where fans love Beanie’s vocals?"

I thought they were fine, but i'm not a theater geek who was demanding Barbra vocals. I'm willing to concede that WITH a vocal powerhouse, the show might work; without one, i though the problem was the horrible story/book, shoddy production, not Beanie.

but to answer your question: the audiences go wild for her vocals every night. i totally get that THIS crew demands more, and that audiences will eat almost anything up, etc. etc. But are we now going to add "no one even likes her vocals at all" to the list of falshoods that have been heaped upon this poor woman?