Lea Michele to Star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL Starting 9/6; Beanie Feldstein Departing 7/31- Page 45

[themick2]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 7:55pm

I hadn't seen the new posters.  Martika and Jennifer Tilly look amazing!

[shocktheatre]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 8:25pm

the mick2:

"Martika and Jennifer Tilly."

Ladies and gents: here is your internet winner of the day. LOL.

That caught me quite off guard. Please post often.

LOL

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/25/22 at 10:43pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Yes, I saw that. Thanks. I posted this next question before, but no one actually answered it. What is the rehearsal process for someone like Lea Michele going into Funny Girl on Sept. 8th?. I'm genuinely curious as to how that happens."

Can't speak to this show specifically, but: For most replacements, they will primarily rehearse with the Associate Director/Choreo, Stage Manager, music team, and understudies in a rehearsal room, then have a put-in with the full company a few days before they begin. Lea will probably also work with Ramin in some rehearsals, too.    Thank  you for taking the  time to answer my question.  

What we don't know is Michael Mayer's involvement with rehearsing Lea, or if they are also using this as an opportunity to change other aspects of the show, which might require further rehearsal & tech time. Many unknowns, and each replacement's put-in process can be a little different."

 

[Up In One]

Posted: 7/26/22 at 1:56am

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Yes, I saw that. Thanks. I posted this next question before, but no one actually answered it. What is the rehearsal process for someone like Lea Michele going into Funny Girl on Sept. 8th?. I'm genuinely curious as to how that happens."

Can't speak to this show specifically, but: For most replacements, they will primarily rehearse with the Associate Director/Choreo, Stage Manager, music team, and understudies in a rehearsal room, then have a put-in with the full company a few days before they begin. Lea will probably also work with Ramin in some rehearsals, too. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

What we don't know is Michael Mayer's involvement with rehearsing Lea, or if they are also using this as an opportunity to change other aspects of the show, which might require further rehearsal & tech time. Many unknowns, and each replacement's put-in process can be a little different."

"

Perhaps a new set of eyes in the directors chair wouldn't be a bad idea either. Mayer's involvement is probably what doomed the show from the start. The producers doubled down on him for Broadway, hopefully there's a show doc involved now.

[Penna2]

Posted: 7/26/22 at 2:19am

Up In One said: "Patti LuPone FANatic said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Yes, I saw that. Thanks. I posted this next question before, but no one actually answered it. What is the rehearsal process for someone like Lea Michele going into Funny Girl on Sept. 8th?. I'm genuinely curious as to how that happens."

Can't speak to this show specifically, but: For most replacements, they will primarily rehearse with the Associate Director/Choreo, Stage Manager, music team, and understudies in a rehearsal room, then have a put-in with the full company a few days before they begin. Lea will probably also work with Ramin in some rehearsals, too. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

What we don't know is Michael Mayer's involvement with rehearsing Lea, or if they are also using this as an opportunity to change other aspects of the show, which might require further rehearsal & tech time. Many unknowns, and each replacement's put-in process can be a little different."

"

Perhaps a new set of eyes in the directors chair wouldn't be a bad idea either. Mayer's involvement is probably what doomed the show from the start. The producers doubled down on him for Broadway, hopefully there's a show doc involved now."

JMO, I doubt they are going to do any major changes - or any minor changes. Julie did an entirely different performance from Beanie based on her skills. Lea and Tovah will bring their own interpretations to their roles. I tend to think that may have been how Beanie was "directed." In a couple of interviews with Ramin that I read, he said that the work was "co-operative."

He was surprised to be asked for his opinion with Temporary Arrangement number in one instance. When he introduced the couch leap - they wanted to cut it - Nicky had to be sophisticated - but then decided to keep it in (thankfully) because it's funny and gives Nicky some badly needed dimension. He also said he and Beanie talked every night about different ways to do a scene. I suspect this was in previews, but still...

Sounds like Mayer may not have been all that involved in "direction." This would be ironic, because something similar happened with the original show. Barbra kind of took over. What's worse? A bad director or one who doesn't direct?

I'm still hoping for the best - that the show will rebound. I like it with all its flaws. Maybe because I write, I tend to fill in the blanks missing on the stage.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/26/22 at 11:15am

Ticket update this week: Thursday through the star's closer on Sunday afternoon (7/31) are all on TDF, for anyone interested in seeing this actor. Some have expected sellouts for the end of her run; it may fill of course, but the TDF availability is a good deal for those still wanting to see the first Fanny. August isn't up yet

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/26/22 at 3:30pm

The assumptions of some major overhaul or even a tweak will find people sorely disappointed. Most likely, nothing's going to chance but casting.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/26/22 at 3:59pm

joevitus said: "The assumptions of some major overhaul or even a tweak will find people sorely disappointed. Most likely, nothing's going to chance but casting."

Agreed.  

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/26/22 at 4:10pm

joevitus said: "The assumptions of some major overhaul or even a tweak will find people sorely disappointed. Most likely, nothing's going to chance but casting."

I have to agree. They don't seem to have built any sort of break in the performance schedule to tech any potential changes to the show.

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 7/27/22 at 8:06pm

Imagine this production had opened… with Shoshana Bean. 
 

Now that would have been a slayage. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 7/27/22 at 9:32pm

I loved listening to Shoshana’s Funny Girl bootleg from ‘16. She really should have been in this production! 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 12:44am

They were doomed with going the opposite of Barbra. We want a singer. I think Bean would have been sensational. But I think the production as a whole seems to be lacking. So we'll see how Lea elevates it or if she can.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 4:02pm

This is a lovely performance by Lainie Kazan singing "People" on a musical theatre variety show.  11-24-64

https://youtu.be/6O6ElcvrJNo

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 4:45pm

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "This is a lovely performance by Lainie Kazan singing "People" on a musical theatre variety show. 11-24-64

https://youtu.be/6O6ElcvrJNo"


Every time i see that video, with her hair and clothes, I expect her to open her mouth and sing “On My Own”.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 4:55pm

Like Julie Benko, Lainie was heavily marketing herself at that time as “Barbra Streisand’s standby in FUNNY GIRL.”  Barbra didn’t miss her first performance until a year into her run so Lainie got extensive “will she ever go on” press coverage.  Barbra missed her first performance in February 1965 so this November 1964 appearance was part of that press coverage.  Lainie was always asked “you must call me when you finally go on.”  There’s more to that but I don’t feel like typing it all again but all to say… Lainie took them up on that and she became an overnight sensation and she got a Colpix Records contract after her first performance(s) as Fanny.  

[Penna2]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 5:08pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Like Julie Benko, Lainie was heavily marketing herself at that time as “Barbra Streisand’s standby in FUNNY GIRL.” Barbra didn’t miss her first performance until a year into her run so Lainie got extensive “will she ever go on” press coverage. Barbra missed her first performance in February 1965 so this November 1964 appearance was part of that press coverage. Lainie was always asked “you must call me when you finally go on.” There’s more to that but I don’t feel like typing it all again but all to say… Lainie took them up on that and she became an overnight sensation and she got a Colpix Records contract after her first performance(s) as Fanny."

I'm guessing this is what you didn't want to post.

Didn't she call everyone and Barbra went on after all that first night? Babs found out and showed up. Lainie was told not to call anyone the next night when Babs was too ill to perform. Lainie asked if she could call her mother - her mother called everyone and they showed up again. She got fired the next day.

Some early posts here suggested Julie was contacted by both Lainie and Shirley MacLaine to have her mother call the press.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 5:23pm

I didn't like Beanie. At all. However, this production is so lackluster, cheap, and poorly directed, that even the most talented of performers would not be able to salvage it and elevate it enough to be a respectable revival IMO. Feldstein was just the cherry on top of this sh*t sundae of a production.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/28/22 at 5:25pm

Okay.  Lainie got the call on Tues Feb 9 that Barbra was ill and she’d be going on.  Lainie contacted everyone.  Barbra got wind of this and as Lainie was in the wings in costume, Barbra walks past her to her place on stage and perform.  Next morning Lainie gets the call Barbra now is truly sick so she’d be going on for both Wednesday performances: Feb 10: 2pm & 8pm, and she’s told she can’t notify anyone.  She keeps her word and tells her mom to notify everyone as she has a copy of the phone numbers list.  Lainie loves the overnight success so decides she wants to leave FUNNY GIRL as it looks bad she’s just the standby and not the star of the show.  Lainie intends to give her month notice but is let go about a week later instead.  Allegedly Streisand was behind this.  Linda Gerard was then hired as the new standby and in her contract it stipulated she could not notify anyone when she was performing.  Gerard was also Mimi Hines’ standby for the first part of her run.  

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/29/22 at 12:08pm

They are completely scrubbing her merch starting August 1st. Get em while you can?

[shocktheatre]

Posted: 7/29/22 at 3:33pm

"Okay.  Lainie got the call on Tues Feb 9 that Barbra was ill and she’d be going on.  Lainie contacted everyone.  Barbra got wind of this and as Lainie was in the wings in costume, Barbra walks past her to her place on stage and perform.  Next morning Lainie gets the call Barbra now is truly sick so she’d be going on for both Wednesday performances: Feb 10: 2pm & 8pm, and she’s told she can’t notify anyone.  She keeps her word and tells her mom to notify everyone as she has a copy of the phone numbers list.  Lainie loves the overnight success so decides she wants to leave FUNNY GIRL as it looks bad she’s just the standby and not the star of the show.  Lainie intends to give her month notice but is let go about a week later instead.  Allegedly Streisand was behind this.  Linda Gerard was then hired as the new standby and in her contract it stipulated she could not notify anyone when she was performing.  Gerard was also Mimi Hines’ standby for the first part of her run. " 

My, my. For a rotten musical with one of the worst books ever, this wheezy bomb sure attracts a lot of drama, none of it ever on the stage.

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/29/22 at 4:10pm

Sutton Ross said: "They are completely scrubbing her merch starting August 1st. Get em while you can?

"

Is it bad I want a tshirt even though I haven't seen the show? I mean this drama and stuff is kind of iconic.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/29/22 at 4:26pm

Haha, not at all bb, it will be a rare collector's item someday!  

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/29/22 at 5:14pm

Sutton Ross said: "They are completely scrubbing her merch starting August 1st. Get em while you can?"

Not a surprise at all. Based on my dealings with some other celebrities and merchandise she is getting a percentage of the sales for a number of the items using her image (pretty much the only one we could ever argue against that fee was for the window cards and souvenir programs, if those were being produced for the show). Magnets, mugs, key chains, clothing, they all wanted their 10% from those items if their face was being used.

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 7/30/22 at 3:04pm

Miss Beanie will be playing the Pageboy...the silent role.

Miss Lea will be playing the lead.

Your obedient servant,

O. G.

I mean come on already - lighten up people. People who need people. People who need someone who can actually sing the song on Broadway People. 

Dear Sonia' what a charming preview!

Lea enjoyed a great success!

We were hardly bereft when Miss Beanie left - 

Otherwise, the chorus was entrancing,

But the direction and the settings and the costumes was a lamentable mess!

O.G.

[Penna2]

Posted: 7/30/22 at 3:21pm

Jimmyb1969 said: "Miss Beanie will be playing the Pageboy...the silent role.

Miss Lea will be playing the lead.

Your obedient servant,

O. G.

I can hear Ramin now.