Harshest gossip I’ve read - Beanie Feldstein dumped from Funny Girl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that Jane Lynch, who's in Funny Girl, went "Wait, Lea's coming? Hell no!" and noped the heck on out of there.

Ha, this. She was careful to be diplomatic about it of course. I wouldn't pay one red cent to see anything Lea Michelle is in.

For every one of us who wouldn't go, there are 10 tourists to NYC from Flyover America who will scramble for a ticket and remember her as "The girl from Glee." They don't give a sh#t about how she acted on set toward POC or how she got dragged on social media during the BLM movement of June 2020.

Check your biases. That's so wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that Jane Lynch, who's in Funny Girl, went "Wait, Lea's coming? Hell no!" and noped the heck on out of there.

Ha, this. She was careful to be diplomatic about it of course. I wouldn't pay one red cent to see anything Lea Michelle is in.

For every one of us who wouldn't go, there are 10 tourists to NYC from Flyover America who will scramble for a ticket and remember her as "The girl from Glee." They don't give a sh#t about how she acted on set toward POC or how she got dragged on social media during the BLM movement of June 2020.

Check your biases. That's so wrong.

Actually, if people don't give a sh.t about how someone got dragged on social media and are looking at real accomplishments instead, that's a huge progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tovah Feldshuh is absolutely amazing and better casting than Lynch, I think.

I loved her on Crazy Ex Girlfriend!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

All of this. I couldn’t figure out how she got the role on American Crime Story playing the role of Monica Lewinsky either. She might be a lovely person, but not everyone is talented in the right ways. She was pretty distracting (in a negative way) for me while watching her try to portray Monica. If she can’t sing, she shouldn’t be given a role where a strong voice carries the role. Just find her casting so bizarre. They should have replaced her quickly, but the act of replacing her should not be a controversy!

THIS. I am shocked no one is talking about who her brother is and his connections. She’s talent-less hack. Yes, cute. But no talent. Why do we care? Let those with talent shine through.

She was great in Book Smart

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that Jane Lynch, who's in Funny Girl, went "Wait, Lea's coming? Hell no!" and noped the heck on out of there.

Eh, it makes more sense for Lea and Tovah to start together. It would be weird for Lea to do a handful of shows with Jane.

+1 Plus, Jane said she adores Lea. You don’t say that if you can’t stand someone.

“ Jane Lynch is ecstatic for her former “Glee” co-star Lea Michele, who has landed her dream role as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s “Funny Girl.”
“I adore her. She’s just going to take this show and make it her own,” the actress told Deadline.
“I’m so glad she’s getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on ‘Glee.’”

https://pagesix.com/2022/07/13/jane-lynch-reacts-to-glee-co-star-lea-micheles-funny-girl-casting/amp/

The best comment I read about this was someone lol'ing the "I adore her" statement being taken seriously. Said that's just as meaningless in the theater community as "how are you" in real life, commonly said without sincerity.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure Lea has issues. She was a fawned upon child star who had extraordinary success in her early 20s. Then her boyfriend died of an overdose. I guess the question is whether diva behavior (that was likely cruel and potentially racist) a decade ago should preclude her from this role now? I'm sure that reputation has already hurt her career. I'm just not sure she shouldn't get a chance to redeem herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:part of the reason no one did Funny Girl on Broadway for decades was because no one could do it was as well as Barbara Streisand. Why would they do a remake with someone whose singing voice is mediocre? it's bizarre. leah michele may not be a nice person and she may not even act that well, but I remember from Glee that she really can sing.

The joke on Glee was that she was literally born for the role. The reason it stuck is that it seemed true. I'm sure she'll be great. Hopefully she's had a lot of humble pie since Glee and will also be kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:part of the reason no one did Funny Girl on Broadway for decades was because no one could do it was as well as Barbara Streisand. Why would they do a remake with someone whose singing voice is mediocre? it's bizarre. leah michele may not be a nice person and she may not even act that well, but I remember from Glee that she really can sing.

The joke on Glee was that she was literally born for the role. The reason it stuck is that it seemed true. I'm sure she'll be great. Hopefully she's had a lot of humble pie since Glee and will also be kind.

Her social media feed is narcissism central.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:part of the reason no one did Funny Girl on Broadway for decades was because no one could do it was as well as Barbara Streisand. Why would they do a remake with someone whose singing voice is mediocre? it's bizarre. leah michele may not be a nice person and she may not even act that well, but I remember from Glee that she really can sing.

The joke on Glee was that she was literally born for the role. The reason it stuck is that it seemed true. I'm sure she'll be great. Hopefully she's had a lot of humble pie since Glee and will also be kind.

Her social media feed is narcissism central.

Isn't all SM?

[Anonymous]

I like Beanie, she seems sweet and fun, but she and her brother are both average actors and below average, looks-wise. Without connections they would never have gotten anywhere in Hollywood or in theater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

All of this. I couldn’t figure out how she got the role on American Crime Story playing the role of Monica Lewinsky either. She might be a lovely person, but not everyone is talented in the right ways. She was pretty distracting (in a negative way) for me while watching her try to portray Monica. If she can’t sing, she shouldn’t be given a role where a strong voice carries the role. Just find her casting so bizarre. They should have replaced her quickly, but the act of replacing her should not be a controversy!

THIS. I am shocked no one is talking about who her brother is and his connections. She’s talent-less hack. Yes, cute. But no talent. Why do we care? Let those with talent shine through.

She was great in Book Smart

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that Jane Lynch, who's in Funny Girl, went "Wait, Lea's coming? Hell no!" and noped the heck on out of there.

Eh, it makes more sense for Lea and Tovah to start together. It would be weird for Lea to do a handful of shows with Jane.

+1 Plus, Jane said she adores Lea. You don’t say that if you can’t stand someone.

“ Jane Lynch is ecstatic for her former “Glee” co-star Lea Michele, who has landed her dream role as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s “Funny Girl.”
“I adore her. She’s just going to take this show and make it her own,” the actress told Deadline.
“I’m so glad she’s getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on ‘Glee.’”

https://pagesix.com/2022/07/13/jane-lynch-reacts-to-glee-co-star-lea-micheles-funny-girl-casting/amp/

The best comment I read about this was someone lol'ing the "I adore her" statement being taken seriously. Said that's just as meaningless in the theater community as "how are you" in real life, commonly said without sincerity.

Yeah, no way the producers weren't salivating over the welcome positive buzz a reunion would have generated. It is 100% clear Jane did not want it.

[Anonymous]

We don't buy Broadway tickets because the actors are good human beings. We have no way of knowing that. We buy them because the show is good. Absent a star being arrested for pedophelia or something like that, I wouldn't let rumors or allegations of bad behavior bother me much.

https://variety.com/2022/theater/news/funny-girl-lea-michele-opening-night-broadway-tickets-1235314569/
Lea Michele Is the Greatest Star: Broadway’s ‘Funny Girl’ Tickets Surging Above $2,500

Hello, ticket sales!

Looking to be among the first to hear Lea Michele’s dulcet tones take on the legend of Fanny Brice? Not to rain on your parade, but a seat to the “Glee” alum’s opening night in Broadway’s revival of “Funny Girl” could set you back anywhere from a few hundred bucks to a couple thousand big ones. The price of admission has skyrocketed in the wake of news that Michele is replacing Beanie Feldstein in the beloved musical.

On Tuesday, Sept. 6, the night that Michele officially steps into the role, tickets on SeatGeek are selling for $570 on the low end (the site classifies this as an “amazing deal”) to $2,250 (this, somehow, is called a “moderate price”). The most expensive tickets are currently running at $2,500 — not including the $500 in fees. (SeatGeek calls this an “okay deal”). It’s now the No. 1 trending event on the ticket platform’s website. Few shows today outside of “Hamilton,” which sold tickets above $1,100 in its heyday, have experienced this kind of surge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't buy Broadway tickets because the actors are good human beings. We have no way of knowing that. We buy them because the show is good. Absent a star being arrested for pedophelia or something like that, I wouldn't let rumors or allegations of bad behavior bother me much.

https://variety.com/2022/theater/news/funny-girl-lea-michele-opening-night-broadway-tickets-1235314569/
Lea Michele Is the Greatest Star: Broadway’s ‘Funny Girl’ Tickets Surging Above $2,500

Hello, ticket sales!

Looking to be among the first to hear Lea Michele’s dulcet tones take on the legend of Fanny Brice? Not to rain on your parade, but a seat to the “Glee” alum’s opening night in Broadway’s revival of “Funny Girl” could set you back anywhere from a few hundred bucks to a couple thousand big ones. The price of admission has skyrocketed in the wake of news that Michele is replacing Beanie Feldstein in the beloved musical.

On Tuesday, Sept. 6, the night that Michele officially steps into the role, tickets on SeatGeek are selling for $570 on the low end (the site classifies this as an “amazing deal”) to $2,250 (this, somehow, is called a “moderate price”). The most expensive tickets are currently running at $2,500 — not including the $500 in fees. (SeatGeek calls this an “okay deal”). It’s now the No. 1 trending event on the ticket platform’s website. Few shows today outside of “Hamilton,” which sold tickets above $1,100 in its heyday, have experienced this kind of surge.

That has to be salt in the wound for Beanie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

All of this. I couldn’t figure out how she got the role on American Crime Story playing the role of Monica Lewinsky either. She might be a lovely person, but not everyone is talented in the right ways. She was pretty distracting (in a negative way) for me while watching her try to portray Monica. If she can’t sing, she shouldn’t be given a role where a strong voice carries the role. Just find her casting so bizarre. They should have replaced her quickly, but the act of replacing her should not be a controversy!

THIS. I am shocked no one is talking about who her brother is and his connections. She’s talent-less hack. Yes, cute. But no talent. Why do we care? Let those with talent shine through.

She was great in Book Smart

She was good in a quirky coming-of-age indie movie?

That usually doesn't translate well into commanding the stage in a Broadway musical.

She needs to stick with the emo-comedy indie films.