Lea Michele is back on Broadway after being sidelined from Funny Girl due to a bout of COVID-19.
06.09.2022 - 14:27 / deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Lea Michele will be making her public debut as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s Funny Girl tonight, but don’t expect reviews tomorrow. A production spokesperson tells Deadline exclusively that while critics will be invited to review – or, rather, re-review – the musical with its new star, the invites won’t be arriving for a few weeks.
According to the spokesperson, producers will wait to open the show to reviewers once the full company, including Michele and Tovah Feldshuh as Mrs. Brice, have had a “brief time to perform together.” While Michele and Feldshuh begin tonight, some of the other principal actors remain on vacation, and the full company is not in place due to some current cases of Covid.
The timeline for critics reviews will be firmed up over the next couple weeks, with reviewers likely to be invited for performances toward the end of September.
Critics en masse are infrequently invited to re-review Broadway productions with or without replacement casts, though individual requests for invitations are considered.
With Michele, though, interest among critics and the public is exceedingly high for any number of reasons – the controversies that surrounded the production with the early departure of original star Beanie Feldstein, not to mention Feldstein’s lukewarm reviews and lack of a Tony nomination. Critics and audiences are no doubt curious as to whether the revival can generate the plaudits that had all but evaporated for the musical in recent weeks, not to mention box office success.
Of course, there’s nothing from stopping eager critics from purchasing a ticket before the invitations go out, but reviewers are generally amenable to experiencing a reviewed performance under best circumstances possible, with
Lea Michele is back on Broadway after being sidelined from Funny Girl due to a bout of COVID-19.
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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.
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.
making her debut in the musical “Funny Girl” Tuesday, and she’s already wearing her Fanny Brice best.“This is such a dream come true for me,” Michele told Entertainment Weekly on Monday, revealing first-look photos of herself in costume.“And I cannot wait to take the stage on Tuesday as Fanny Brice on Broadway.”Michele, 36, first announced in July 2022 that she was taking over the role after Beanie Feldstein shocked fans by announcing her departure from the show — after receiving lukewarm reviews from critics and missing several performances. The production is a revival of the 1964 show which starred Barbra Streisand and tells the real-life story of Brice, who rose to stardom as a member of Florenz Ziegfeld’s “Follies.”The “Glee” alum has long coveted the role of Fanny ever since her days on the hit musical TV show.
They've come a long way since McKinley High. Jane Lynch was backstage at 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards where she raved about her former co-star Lea Michele. Michele is set to take the stage in Broadway's revival of , playing the lead as Fanny Brice tomorrow, September 6 at the August Wilson Theater. She is currently slated to stay with the show through 2023. In July, news broke that Michele would be taking over the role of Fanny from Beanie Feldstein.