Lea Michele will replace Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s “Funny Girl,”Monday was the official announcement. Tovah Fieldshuh will be joining the production in September to play Mrs. Brice.
“Emmy Award-nominee LEA MICHELE and Tony Award-nominee TOVAH FELDSHUH join #FUNNYGIRL beginning September 6!”The production Tweet. Julie Benko will be playing the title role starting August 2 and ending Sept. 4, after Feldstein leaves the show on July 31.
This news comes just days after Feldstein had announced that she would be retiring from Broadway’s revival of The Lion King. “different direction.”
“Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine,” Feldstein Write in her Instagram caption, “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 announced that she will leave the show July 31, shortening Feldstein’s anticipated performance as Fanny after producers announced last month that Feldstein would leave the show in September. The following was announced by Feldstein in June: “How to Build a Girl”A positive COVID-19 diagnosis meant that actress missed several shows. However, she returned to the stage in late June.
Rachel Berry is her most well-known role. “Glee,” Michele will fulfill her character’s dream of playing Fanny Brice on Broadway. The actress and singer can be seen in “Scream Queens”And “The Mayor.”
Michele will join Jane Lynch, who plays Fanny’s mother, as well as Ramin Karimloo and Jared Grime, who play Nick Arnstein and Eddie Ryan. Feldshuh will replace Lynch, who was announced by producers as leaving the production in September.
The revival, which marks “Funny Girl’s”First Broadway production since 1964’s original production. Opened at the August Wilson Theatre in April.
The production earned a single nod at the Tony Awards in June, when Jared Grimes was nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, despite an ultimate loss to “Company’s” Matt Doyle.
Untitled and WME are Michele’s representatives.