Lea Michele will be taking her final curtain call for "Funny Girl" this year.
Perhaps deemed as one of the most controversial productions in the past year, "Funny Girl" turned over what seemed to be a disastrous start to a great ending.
The controversy surrounding the show was exacerbated when Beanie Feldstein left months prior to Lea Michele taking over the role for her. Feldstein's stint as Fanny Brice left producers scrambling for audiences as empty seat gaps were wide at the August Wilson Theatre during her run.
Lea Michele 'Funny Girl' Last Performance
Michele, who boasts a lot of theatre background and "Funny Girl" expertise since her role on "Glee" landed her on the fictional revival of the show in that universe, was reportedly cast after the 2022 Tony Awards.
Feldstein on the other hand has amassed generally negative and underwhelming reviews on her run, and the highly-anticipated production, only gunning for one Tony nomination in 2022.
Since Michele took over, ticket prices have skyrocketed and sold-out shows were back to back. This is because of the controversy that Michele's past issues have contributed, and also to social media's unison and hype that she could really turn the thing around - evidently, she did.
However, according to the production's Instagram account, the major actors playing the lead roles will be taking their one last company call on Sept. 3, 2023 - marking the end for Michele, Ramin Karimloo, Jared Grimes, and Tovah Feldshuh.
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The reason why Michele is leaving "Funny Girl" is still unclear as of this writing as the show has consistently pulled in the numbers with her at the box office. In December 2022, the show even broke the record at the August Wilson Theatre as they managed to rake in $2 million dollars in one week.
"Funny Girl" on Broadway wouldn't be the last thing that would happen, as per the website, the show will also be embarking on a National Tour starting Sept. 9, 2023, in Providence. Additional dates for Atlanta, Detroit, and other cities will be announced soon.
"Funny Girl" stars Lea Michele as Fanny Brice, a role that Barbra Streisand originated. She alternates with Julie Benko in some shows. Tony nominees Ramin Karimloo and Jared Grimes plays Nick Arnstein and Eddie Ryan, respectively, while Tovah Feldshuh plays Michele's mother onstage, Mrs. Brice, previously played by Jane Lynch.
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