Posted: 4/26/17 at 5:57pm
So last night Lea Michele was on WWHL with Andy Cohen and talked about 'Funny Girl' and said she's finally ready to come back to Broadway with a revival of the show. Ryan Murphy is still attached she said. Hoping it happens!
Posted: 4/26/17 at 6:54pm
We'be got a hugely successful production of the musical in the UK at the moment, with a comedic actress, Sheridan Smith (in my opinion hugely overrated) as Fanny Brice. Her singing ability is extremely limited - just check out the cast recording and listen to her murder the score. If they can make a success of it, I'm sure Lea and Ryan can.
Posted: 4/26/17 at 6:56pm
To give context, a caller asked Michele whether there were still plans for her to do the show given that Ryan Murphy holds the rights. She said since she had performed so many songs from Funny Girl on Glee they thought they would wait, but that she felt ready to do it now that enough time has passed. It was extremely speculative and vague, which made it clear that there's nothing official happening on that front. I still have a hard time picturing Michele being willing to come back to Broadway especially in a role that has so much baggage but maybe I'm underestimating her. She was so obnoxious during that interview, I felt bad for poor Andrea Martin, who deserved a better co-interviewee.
Posted: 4/26/17 at 6:57pm
I'd love a funny girl revival, but not with Lea Michele. I feel like Rachel Bloom would be a good pick tbh
Posted: 4/27/17 at 2:38pm
Is that common, for a television personality/showrunner to own the rights to a musical theatre piece he had no hand in creating?
As an aside, I agree with Ray-and-all-that-jazz. Andrea Martin is everything that Lea Michele is not. Make of this statement what you will.
Posted: 4/27/17 at 2:42pm
Right? Between that questions and the Wicked movie comments I kept expecting Lea to say "and you can be my mom!" to Andrea.
Posted: 4/27/17 at 2:45pm
I'd rather drink acid. She has an awful reputation...we'll see how welcome the Broadway community is to her once she comes back.
Posted: 4/27/17 at 3:10pm
The key part of the exchange is that Michele said she feels ready to do the show now.
Ryan Murphy, on the other hand, was pretty dismissive the last time he was asked about it a couple years ago. "We had talked about it for sure. But then I feel like we did so many of those songs and so many of those scenes [on GLEE] that in a weird way, I feel like we did it in some way." He continued, "I don't know, never say never. We've talked about a lot of different things. Maybe. But it's not on my docket right now."
It sounded to me like she was trying to be a good sport when the reality of it not happening hasn't changed.
Posted: 4/27/17 at 3:18pm
No Lea no no no...move on to something else
Posted: 4/28/17 at 8:57am
No1curr
Posted: 4/28/17 at 10:50am
All I'm saying is maybe there's a reason he still has the rights tied up...
Posted: 4/28/17 at 10:53am
L A D Y G A G A
And once that remake of A Star is Born is released, everyone else will be on board with it.
Posted: 4/28/17 at 10:56am
Lady Gaga would be an AMAZING Fanny Brice. I'd love to see her do it. I'd also like to see her tackle Evita
Posted: 4/28/17 at 11:19am
I can remember a time... around the middle of Glee's first season... when people loved Lea Michele. Glee was the hot must-see show and Lea was launching what was likely to be a fabulous singing career.
Then the writing fell apart, Lea Michele's interviews grew annoying and many folks lost interest. Lea Michele's Funny Girl might have been a hit in 2009. It would be a tough sell for producers in 2019.
Posted: 4/28/17 at 12:04pm
She was on Good Morning America this morning hinting about how if she could do any musical right now, she'd do Funny Girl.
Personally, I'd love to see her play Fanny on Broadway. I thought her rendition of 'My Man' was the best I've ever heard.
Posted: 4/28/17 at 12:13pm
Why is she doing the press junket?
Posted: 4/28/17 at 12:24pm
She's promoting a new album.
Posted: 4/28/17 at 12:26pm
loveinnewyorkcity said: "She was on Good Morning America this morning hinting about how if she could do any musical right now, she'd do Funny Girl.
Personally, I'd love to see her play Fanny on Broadway. I thought her rendition of 'My Man' was the best I've ever heard.
"Seriously, she is so wrong for it and it would be a big flop with her starring!
Posted: 4/28/17 at 12:40pm
I just don't think she has the right Fanny Brice quality that is required. But then nobody really does. Plus, the role was tailored for Streisand's strengths and manner. But maybe Michele's interpretation will prove to be interesting. I didn't really see Sheridan Smith as Fanny either, but apparently people liked/loved her performance.
Posted: 4/28/17 at 1:04pm
These are the times I wish Nina Arianda could sing. I'd have loved to see what she would do to this role.
