Lea Michele, 36, is on cloud nine after her first performance in Broadway’s Funny Girl on Sept. 6, where she received a total of seven standing ovations. The Glee alum celebrated the debut show by sharing photos to Instagram from the curtain call after the performance at August Wilson Theatre in New York City. She also wrote out a heartfelt message about completing her life-long dream and joining Funny Girl.
“I want to say thank you whole heartedly for the support following my first performance on the broadway stage as Fanny Brice,” Lea wrote. “I know I’ve said it before, but joining this cast has truly been the greatest honor. I am so grateful to every person involved in this production,” she added. In the photos, Lea wore a red dress as she smiled and wave to the audience. She also wrapped her arms around her co-stars including Ramin Karimloo and Tovah Feldshuh.
Lea sang her heart out in her inaugural performance as the main role of Fanny Brice, which was first made famous by the iconic Barbra Streisand in the 1964 original Broadway debut. Ironically, Lea’s Glee character Rachel Berry fictitiously took on the same role in the hit Fox series. Critics praised Lea’s first performance, where she received four standing ovation even before intermission began!
Lea’s BFF and former Broadway co-star Jonathan Groff and Glee creator Ryan Murphy were both in the audience for the first show. Fans who attended the show tweeted out their praise for Lea’s performance, calling it “phenomenal” and “unforgettable”. Another person said that Lea was a “true star.”
News of Lea’s casting was first announced in the beginning of July. She replaced Beanie Feldstein in the main role which instantly made headlines. Lea gushed about joining the Broadway show on social media at the time, writing, “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.”