Lea Michele shared a first glimpse of herself singing in rehearsals for Broadway revival Funny Girl.
The 35-year-old actress posted the snap on Friday while singing Don’t Rain on My Parade “Today for the first time ever.”
Lea took over the role of Fanny Brice from actress Beanie Feldstein.
The latest: Lea Michele shared a first glimpse of herself singing in rehearsals for the Broadway revival Funny Girl
Lea wrote: “Today for the first time ever on a Broadway stage, the amazing @Epiheaardema got a photo of me singing in my parade on a Broadway stage! @Epihieaardema you are amazing I love you!!!’
In a snap, Lea donned a black jacket and matching pants, adding heels; She had tied her hair back in a casual look.
Although it was originally announced that Beanie would be leaving the show on September 25, she launched her Instagram in mid-July and shocked her fans by declaring that she was indeed leaving the show earlier in the month.
It’s been claimed Beanie learned from Gawker that she was being replaced by Lea after a string of bad reviews, and was in such a state of being booted out of her “dream role” that she surprised producers by publicly quitting early.
Happy: The 35-year-old actress posted the snap on Friday singing Don ‘Rain on My Parade ‘for the first time ever today’
An inside source told The Daily Beast that Beanie, whose older brother is Jonah Hill, was “basically fired” from the show.
However, the producers and a representative for Beanie told People in a joint statement, “The producers of Funny Girl were not caught off guard by Beanie’s social post.”
They continued, “The producers decided to take the show in a different direction and ended Beanie’s contract on September 25th, 6 months earlier than expected. A month after that decision, Beanie decided it would be best for her to leave on July 31st. The producers were aware of their decision and supported it.”
Life imitates art: Michele’s character Rachel Berry got the lead role of Fanny Brice on the show, the role she will play on Broadway next month; still from Glee
The statement concluded, “The producers and Beanie have cooperated in a professional, respectful and gracious manner.”
Until Lea’s takeover in September, Fanny is played by Julie Benko, who served as Beanie’s understudy and received critical acclaim online when she landed the role.
The current revival of Funny Girl is directed by Michael Mayer, who won a Tony for the original production of Spring Awakening – the show that made Lea a Broadway star.
Moving on: Beanie Feldstein previously landed the role in the revival. Her singing received mixed reviews, but others praised the actress and her co-stars
Beanie opened on the show on April 24 and received disappointing critical reception, including from the New York Times, whose theatrical reviews could make or break a show decades ago.
The New York Times review noted that the role was molded around Barbra’s ability, and that July Styne composed the music in such a way that “only Barbra could sing it”.
Funny Girl was originally a passion project for producer Ray Stark, who was married to Frances Arnstein, daughter of the late Fanny Brice.
Final goodbye: Feldstein said goodbye to her starring role as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway after her final performance at the August Wilson Theater
The show presented a fictionalized account of Fanny’s rise to fame in the 1910s and her marriage to Frances’ father, con-gambler Nicky Arnstein.
For her debut Broadway show as a leading actress, Barbra worked with composer Jule Styne, lyricist Bob Merrill, author Isobel Lennart and director Garson Kanin.
Already a showstopper on the Broadway show I Can Get It For You Wholesale and had edited a couple of albums, it was Funny Girl that made her a superstar.
The score produced one of their most enduring hits – People – which became the title track of their album that blew The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night from number one.
No more summer shows: Lea also takes the show seriously. She recently canceled her remaining summer concert tour dates so she can focus on preparing for the role. still from Glee
When the show opened on Broadway it was a smash hit and received an enthusiastic response for its performance, which it took to London.
Barbra starred alongside Charlie Chaplin’s son Sydney – with whom she had an affair during her marriage to first husband Elliott Gould.
She reprized her role for the film, which rallied old Hollywood stars like director William Wyler and cinematographer Harry Stradling.
Her leading actor in the film was Omar Sharif, with whom she also had an affair — and with whom she caused a scandal when a still of one of their staged kisses went public for the film in 1967, the year of the Six Day War between Egypt and Israel .
Who’s Who: The current Funny Girl revival is directed by Michael Mayer, who won a Tony for the original production of Spring Awakening – the show that launched Lea into stardom in 2006; cap pictured
The film was the highest-grossing film of 1968, and Roger Ebert wrote, “The problem with Funny Girl is almost everything but Barbra Streisand. She’s gorgeous.”
Although the film led to a critically ravaged 1975 sequel called Funny Lady, the show has never before been revived on the Great White Way.
A Broadway revival was attempted in 2011 starring Lauren Ambrose as Fanny but was ultimately scrapped due to problems raising money.
However, in 2015 and 2016 a London production starring Sheridan Smith in the title role managed to become a smash hit.
The show went from a limited engagement at the Menier Chocolate Factory to an extended run at the Savoy Theatre, which was then extended by popular demand.
The Music That Makes Me Dance: Barbra takes the stage in the original production of Funny Girl – the project that made her a superstar