Lea Michele, 36, will wrap up her role in Broadway’s Funny Girl on Sunday, September 3. It was announced on March 2 that Lea and her co-stars Ramin Karimloo, Jared Grimes and Tovah Feldshu will all remain with the production until the final show on Sept. 3, which is almost exactly one year to the date after Lea officially replaced Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice. Funny Girl will have played 599 performances and 30 previews at August Wilson Theater once it ends, according to Deadline.
Funny Girl originally opened in April 2022, starring Beanie, 29, as Fanny, and Lea’s former Glee co-star, Jane Lynch, as Mrs. Brice. But the production didn’t have success and Lea was announced as Beanie’s replacement in July 2022. “A dream come true is an understatement,” Lea wrote on Instagram. “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.”
Lea made her debut in the stage musical on September 6, and instantly received praise for her performance. It was a major deja vu moment for Lea and Glee fans, since her character Rachel Berry starred as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on the TV musical dramedy. In her first performance, Lea received a total of seven standing ovations from the audience. Lea’s BFF and former Broadway co-star Jonathan Groff and Glee creator Ryan Murphy were both in the audience for the first show.
The Funny Girl Broadway revival is the first remake of the show that made Barbra Streisand famous in 1964. Lea was an early favorite for the central role of the biographical story based on 1920s Follies performer Fanny Brice, but production instead opted for Beanie. However, it all worked out for Lea, and the show has truly been her comeback.