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‘Funny Girl’ producers shut down rumors on Feldstein exit

‘Funny Girl’ producers shut down rumors on Feldstein exit

The producers of Broadway’s “Funny Girl” say they “were not blindsided” by outgoing star Beanie Feldstein’s announcement on Monday that she’d leave the musical months previously than her planned departure.

Regardless of reports to the opposite, Feldstein’s determination to exit at the close of the month rather than in September, when she was was meant to get her closing bow as titular star Fanny Brice, was a mutual a single.

In a joint statement to Folks, the producers and a rep for the “Booksmart” actor stated Wednesday that Feldstein’s departure was a final decision they arrived to “together professionally, respectfully and graciously.”

“The producers determined to consider the demonstrate in a diverse way and finish Beanie’s deal on September 25th, 6 months earlier than expected,” the assertion mentioned. “A thirty day period right after that selection, Beanie decided it was greatest for her to go away on July 31st.”

The producers explained they have been “aware of and in support of her selection.”

“Funny Female,” Broadway’s very first revival of the beloved musical, centers on famous Jewish vaudeville star Fanny Brice — a purpose manufactured famed onstage by Barbra Streisand in the 1960s and in the 1968 movie adaptation, for which she received an Oscar. The celebrity reprised the role in the 1975 sequel “Funny Girl.”

But Feldstein been given mixed testimonials.

“Though she bravely acquits herself, she never tends to make the job her have,” wrote Occasions theater critic Charles McNulty. “Feldstein has a cellular experience and a knack for pratfalls, but she’s not nonetheless a grasp clown. And her singing is a combined blessing. She can belt ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ with more than enough ability to convey the viewers ecstatically to its ft at the conclusion of the 1st act, but her nonbelting voice hardly ever gains traction.”

On Monday, exhibit producers announced that “Glee” alum Lea Michele — who belted a range of “Funny Girl” songs for the duration of her run on the Fox musical series — will swap Feldstein in the exhibit, marking her return to Broadway due to the fact exiting “Spring Awakening” in 2009. It’s also her initially key job given that studies about her troubling conduct produced headlines in 2020.

After Feldstein completes her stint as Brice at the August Wilson Theatre at the end of the month, standby Julie Benko will engage in the function from Aug. 2 to Sept. 4. Michele will assume the aspect on Sept. 6, alongside Broadway veteran Tovah Feldshuh as Mrs. Brice (replacing Michele’s former “Glee” co-star Jane Lynch) and current solid users Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein and Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan.

Situations staff members author Ashley Lee contributed to this report.

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