Seems it's time to rain on Lea Michele's parade. The embattled Glee star and Beanie Feldstein replacement is set to close out her now-infamous run of Broadway's Funny Girl on Sunday, September 3, 2023.
Varietyreports that the show's close will come almost to the year since Michele ousted Feldstein — depending on who one speaks to about the scandal —after she first took on the role for the eagerly anticipated revival. The scandal that plagued the production eventually revealed itself as a boon, as the revival would go on to set multiple house records and consistently packed performances.
The outlet also notes that as of September 3, both casts of the show will have performed 599 times, not including 30 preview performances. The last time Funny Girl was on Broadway was 58 years ago, when Streisand debuted as Brice in 1964.
Feldstein originally debuted as Brice in April 2022 and suffered through an early set of less-than-positive reviews from critics. Many called for Michele to take over, as she had publicly auditioned via Ryan Murphy's Glee numerous times in years prior. After a snub at the Tony Awards for the revival in May, the production tweeted news of her departure in September.
\u201cBeanie returns tomorrow! 14 weeks left to see Beanie Feldstein & Jane Lynch now through September 25th. Stay tuned for additional casting news to join Ramin Karimloo & Jared Grimes and the company of Funny Girl.\u201d— Funny Girl on Broadway (@Funny Girl on Broadway) 1655328401
In June, Showbiz411 and Gawker both published explosive rumors that producers on the show had scouted Michele to assume the role, which sent the internet at large into a tailspin. Just a few years prior, in 2020, Michele had been subject to numerous accusations of bullying and racism from former co-stars and had distanced herself from the public almost entirely. The casting, it seemed, was her chance at a comeback.
By July, Feldstein broke the news herself that she'd bow out of the production early and moved her last performance up from September 25 to July 31. The next day, Michele officially announced that she'd take over for Feldstein on September 6, after a run of performances by understudy Julie Benko.
Not for nothing, her former co-stars joked about her return to the stage and whether they'd see her perform. Like former Glee star Chris Colfer, who simply replied when asked that he could "be triggered at home." Conversely, Murphy himself did deign to make an appearance.
To make matters worse for Feldstein, TheDaily Beast published a lengthy and scandalous exposé on the alleged behind-the-scenes battle that took place during the transition. Producers on the show seemingly declared war on each other and Feldstein had been caught in the middle. Despite the near-weekly insider scoops about the revival, Michele's debut in September received four standing ovations.
The rest is history.
Image via Getty/ Bruce Glikas