Kevin McHale is opening up about his former Glee co-star Lea Michele and her new role in Funny Girl.
07.09.2022 - 07:09 / nypost.com
an onslaught of dishy stories about the early departure of her predecessor, Beanie Feldstein. Indeed, no Broadway switcheroo has been this dramatic since Andrew Lloyd Webber unceremoniously booted Patti LuPone out of “Sunset Boulevard” and hired Glenn Close instead.In an attempt to give the change-up some breathing room, the production is formally inviting critics to review the show again in three weeks. So, The Post bought its own ticket Tuesday for the best seat in the house — Rear Mezzanine Row Q.Anyway, the delay is needless.
Michele is ready to go. She’s revved up and performs like she’s been belting “Don’t Rain On My Parade” in the shower every day for 10 years. Hell, she probably has! Together with the titanic Feldshuh, the “Glee” star lifts this wanting production into something much more palatable than it was back in the spring.
(Many of the existing issues remain, however.) This time, I actually enjoyed it.Michele brings real singing power to the table as Fanny — the role made famous by Barbra Streisand — which was sorely lacking in the revival and is beyond vital. If you know the show, you’re aware you don’t come for the gripping scenes. It’s all about the songs.
“Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “People” and “The Greatest Star of All” now all sound buttery, strong and satisfying.Michele’s best number, though, is “The Music That Makes Me Dance” — a reflective tune sung after her home life has crumbled as her fame has skyrocketed. Michele hasn’t been on Broadway since she left “Spring Awakening” in 2009, and her self-reflection and vulnerability from the intervening years is obvious. As Wendla in “Awakening,” she was an inexperienced kid — onstage and off.
Kevin McHale is opening up about his former Glee co-star Lea Michele and her new role in Funny Girl.
Going in new directions? Kevin McHale hasn’t rushed to see former Glee costar Lea Michele in Funny Girl on Broadway just yet.
Lea Michele is back on Broadway after being sidelined from Funny Girl due to a bout of COVID-19.
Lea Michele will officially be out of — for 10 days --after testing positive for COVID-19. On Sunday, the 36-year-old shared the message with her fans via her Instagram Stories. “Unfortunately, I have officially tested positive for COVID,” she wrote.
UPDATE: Lea Michele confirmed today that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be out for a longer period than initially stated.
Lea Michele will have to cancel upcoming performances from her Broadway show, citing signs and symptoms of COVID-19.The actress took to her Instagram Story on Saturday and announced that an «inconclusive test result.» Nevertheless, Michele said she's also experiencing symptoms, and will have to step away momentarily. Julie Benko, the understudy, will play the role of Fanny Brice.«I’m devastated to say that due to early signs and symptoms of Covid and an inconclusive test result – due to the production’s safety protocols I’m not allowed to perform today’s shows,» she wrote on Instagram.
Lea Michele is canceling some of her Funny Girl performances, citing early signs and symptoms of Covid-19.
Lea Michele is enjoying her Broadway success! The ‘Glee’ star received multiple standing ovations Tuesday night, as the audience was absolutely thrilled to see the actress at her first performance of ‘Funny Girl.’Performing at August Wilson Theater in New York City, Lea’s celebrity friends were also in the audience, including Jonathan Groff, Zachary Quinto, Lee Pace, Ryan Murphy, Harvery Fierstein, Drew Barrymore, among others.The first standing ovation happened before she even said a word, with a total of four standing ovations, even before the end of Act 1, including after her performance of ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ and during Act 2 of the show.Attendees were excited to comment on Lea’s display of talent on stage, with Fierstein declaring that he “haven’t had a night like this in the theater in years.” Another person said, “She’s the greatest star alright,” while someone else commented, “I’m going to need to come back this Friday and see it again.”Lea was spotted waving at her friend Jonathan Groff in the audience at the end of the show, getting emotional after noticing the joy of the audience. She had previously said she was excited to perform for her friends and family during the first show.“I have all of my people.
Lea Michele made her Broadway debut as Funny Girl‘s Fanny Brice Tuesday (September 6), and photos are emerging from the show!
made her Broadway “Funny Girl” debut on Tuesday, had audiences roaring with laughter over one particular line.Early in the show, Michele’s character Fanny Brice delivered the line, “I hadn’t read many books.” Fans burst out into hysterics due to the persistent rumor that the former “Glee” star cannot read or write, which Michele recently shot down.The 36-year-old actress was first subjected to illiteracy rumors in 2017 when her late costar Naya Rivera’s memoir revealed that Michele refused to improvise her lines on set.Michele responded to the allegations recently, saying that the comment is sexist and that if she were a man, no one would question it. “There’s a rumor online that I can’t read or write? It’s sad.
As you might have heard, Lea Michele made her debut last night, taking the stage at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre to six standing ovations, a bouquet of white roses and through plenty of curtain call tears.
A mommy milestone. Lea Michele got emotional as she prepared son Ever for school before making her big debut in Broadway’s Funny Girl.
Lea Michele’s parade as the former “Glee” star made her long-anticipated debut in Broadway’s “Funny Girl” revival. Before Michele could sing a note in her crystalline soprano, the crowd at the August Wilson Theatre on Tuesday leapt to its feet as soon as she appeared on stage, making it difficult to hear the show’s famous opening line, “Hello, gorgeous.” She would receive six standing ovations in all, crescendoing in a final, rafters-shaking round of applause. It’s been a long time coming for Michele, who has spent a good portion of her career (unofficially) campaigning to embody the incandescent comic and chanteuse Fanny Brice on stage. Her obsession with “Funny Girl” became lore on “Glee,” where her character Rachel Berry regularly belted the musical’s greatest hits — including “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star” and “People” — during the show’s six seasons. A public audition tape, of sorts.
Lea Michele's first night as Fanny Brice was nothing short of a success. According to multiple reports, Michele wowed audiences while making her debut in Broadway's .Michele stepped into the role Tuesday night for the first time, replacing Beanie Feldstein, who left the broadway show sooner than expected in July. Both and reported that the alum received four standing ovations at the August Wilson Theatre from a star-studded audience that included Michele's castmate Jonathan Groff, creator Ryan Murphy and Harvey Fierstein, who added new material to the musical revival. Drew Barrymore and Zachary Quinto were also said to have been in the audience for the show's opening night.Michele reportedly received her first standing ovation upon her entrance, and there were at least three more before the end of the first act.More ovations were said to have followed throughout the evening, including one at the final curtain, which saw a sobbing Michele and co-star Tovah Feldshuh — who also made her debut Tuesday -- accepting large bouquets of white roses.So far Lea Michele has gotten four standing ovations at this Funny Girl performanceIt’s intermission at #FunnyGirl, and so far Lea Michele has gotten 4 standing ovations also shared footage from the show, including a clip of Michele taking her first bow as Brice.Lea Michele takes her first bow as Fanny Brice at #FunnyGirl on Broadway.
Lea Michele is the toast of Broadway!