Lea Michele stepped out for the first time in New York City, since it was announced that she’d be joining the cast of Funny Girl on Broadway. The 35-year-old actress was seen talking on her phone and looking for a face mask while catching a ride on Thursday, July 14. Lea looked like she was having a pleasant chat, as she stepped into the car in Tribeca.
The Glee alum was wearing a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up over a black dress and sandals, as she took out a black face mask. She carried a black bag with her. Lea seemed totally invested in her phone call, smiling and chatting while heading to the ride.
The photo was taken just days after it was announced that Lea would be joining the cast of Funny Girl as Fanny Brice in September, alongside Tovah Feldshuh as Mrs. Brice, after Beanie Feldstein and Jane Lynch exit the show in the respective roles. Lea shared the exciting news on Monday, July 11. “A dream come true is an understatement. 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,” she wrote in an Instagram caption.
The show marks Lea’s return to the Great White Way after a 14-year break, following her time as Wendla Bergmann in Spring Awakening, which she left in 2008. While there’s been a lot of time since Lea has been in a Broadway show, she did reprise her role in the fan-favorite musical for the 2022 Tony Awards. The show was also the subject of an HBO documentary in 2022.
As she returned to her Spring Awakening role, Lea explained how it felt different performing the songs a little older in an exclusive interview with HollywoodLife. “I think we all were so surprised at how much more we understood the lyrics in the story now as adults having lived so much more life and had more experiences,” she said.