Lea Michele to replace Beanie Feldstein as Broadway’s ‘Funny Girl’
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
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Lea Michele replacing Beanie Feldstein as Broadway’s ‘Funny Girl’ Michele’s acting career began on Broadway, with roles in “Les Miserables” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” (NCD)
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
NEW YORK — Broadway will soon have a new “Funny Girl.”
According to The Associated Press, former “Glee” star Lea Michele will play the role of Fanny Brice in the show’s Broadway revival beginning this fall, the production announced Monday.
“A dream come true is an understatement,” the Emmy-nominated actress wrote in an Instagram post. “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.”
On Sunday, Beanie Feldstein, who currently plays Brice, announced she would be leaving the show at the end of the month.
“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,” Feldstein wrote on Instagram. “Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated. I will never forget this experience, and from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank every single person who came to the August Wilson for the love and support you have shown me and our amazing cast and crew. 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.”
Michele’s acting career began on Broadway, with roles in “Les Miserables” and “Fiddler on the Roof,” Deadline reported. She also was the original Wendla in the Broadway production of “Spring Awakening,” according to the news outlet.
News of her casting comes two years after former “Glee” co-star Samantha Marie Ware accused Michele, now 35, of treating her poorly and making her time there “a living hell,” the AP previously reported. Michele issued an apology for being “unnecessarily difficult” but added that she didn’t remember an incident involving Ware, according to the news agency.
Photos: Lea Michele through the years Here are some memorable photos of actress and singer Lea Michele through the years. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2006: Lea Michele attends the opening night after party for the Atlantic Theater Company's "Spring Awakening" at Lotus on June 15, 2006, in New York City. (Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2007: From "Spring Awakening," Lea Michele speaks at the "Spring Awakening" and "Degrassi" panel discussion with Rosie O'Donnell at the Eugene O'Neill Theater on April 30, 2007, in New York City. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2009: Actors Lea Michele (left) and Dianna Agron attend the "Glee" premiere event screening at Santa Monica High School on May 11, 2009, in Santa Monica, California. (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Fox)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2010: Actress Lea Michele arrives at the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 17, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2011: Actress Lea Michele arrives at the 63rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 18, 2011, in Los Angeles. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2012: Actors Lea Michele and Cory Monteith attend the 2012 Do Something Awards at Barker Hangar on August 19, 2012, in Santa Monica, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for VH1)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2013: Actress Lea Michele attends Elle's 20th annual Women in Hollywood Celebration at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on October 21, 2013, in Beverly Hills, California. (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Elle)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2014: Actors Lea Michele (left) and Dianna Agron attend the "Charles James: Beyond Fashion" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2015: Actress Lea Michele attends amfAR's Inspiration Gala Los Angeles at Milk Studios on October 29, 2015, in Hollywood, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2016: Actress Lea Michele attends the Hollywood Reporter's annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast in Los Angeles at Milk Studios on December 7, 2016, in Hollywood, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2017: Lea Michele attends the 2017 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 19, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2018: Actor Lea Michele attends the 2018 InStyle and Warner Bros. 75th annual Golden Globe Awards Post-Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for InStyle)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2019: Lea Michelle attends the 10th annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic Los Angeles at Will Rogers State Historic Park on October 5, 2019, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2021: Actress Lea Michele attends Cinq à Sept Spring/Summer 2022 New York Fashion Week Show on September 8, 2021, in New York City. (Jared Siskin/Getty Images for Cinq à Sept)
Photos: Lea Michele through the years 2022: Lea Michele attends the 75th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022, in New York City. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tony Award Productions)
