The producers of the Broadway show “Funny Girl” announced that the former “Glee” star and Emmy nominee Lea Michele will be replacing Beanie Feldstein in the title role of Fanny Brice, beginning on Sept. 6. Michele will be joined by four-time Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh, who will replace Jane Lynch in the role of Fanny Brice’s mother.
Michele wrote on Instagram after the news was announced: “A dream come true is an understatement I’m so incredibly honored to join this amazing cast and production and return to the stage playing Fanny Brice on Broadway. See you September 6th.”
Feldstein and Lynch were expected to leave the show on Sept. 25, however Feldstein just announced on Instagram that she would be leaving the Broadway musical on July 31, two months earlier than expected. The 29-year-old wrote: “Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so for the last few months has been a great joy and true honor. Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated.” Feldstein concluded, “The people I have had the great joy of bringing ‘Funny Girl’ to life with every night, both on and off the stage, are all remarkably talented and exceptional humans and I hope you continue to join them on Henry Street after I depart on July 31st.”
“Fanny Brice” standby Julie Benko is schedule to perform the play’s title role from August 2 to Sept. 4 and on Thursdays thereafter beginning Sept. 8. The show marks the first Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” since it premiered in 1964, with Barbra Streisand giving a now iconic performance as comedian Fanny Brice.
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