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

[Anonymous]

Well, contrary to what she sang, they did rain on her parade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, contrary to what she sang, they did rain on her parade.

Good one.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:When Beanie first got the role I remember reading that Beanie had played the lead in a Funny Girl revival somewhere else and was a hit. Was that not true or am I misremembering? When she first got the role, there was a lot of positive press about how great she would be and how it was such an interesting and filled-with-possibilities choice -- along with a lot of sour grapes posts about how mad Lea Michele must be.

Never heard she was in a Funny Girl Revival prior to the Broadway one, just a supporting role to Midler in Dolly.

Her family probably paid for that press.

She had a Funny Girl-themed party for her 3rd birthday.

Nooooooo 😂

This is just pathetic. Her parents bought her a Broadway show? What’s next - re-enacting her bat mitzvah theme on-screen?

Someone will write a Broadway musical just for her and it will be a smash!

She should stay away from musicals, she can do a farcical comedy without singing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I though Beanie was really good as Monica Lewinsky. As someone who was about Monica's age when that whole thing unfolded, I thought Beanie did a good job of playing the situation and emotion and NOT trying to do a Monica impersonation, which is what happens sometimes with those shows (and is basically what Clive Owen did with Bill). I think she carried the show.

But I agree with the PP who says that the Funny Girl fiasco is a case of failed nepotism. I think Beanie is a talented actress who has a lot of presence and charisma. But she clearly lacks the singing chops for Funny Girl and the inevitable Barbra comparisons were never going to work. If Streisand weren't so associated with the role, I think it's possible it could have worked. It's not that she can't sing at all, it's just that people now associate those songs and that role with a very specific type of performance and Beanie was never going to be able to do that. And her agent, her family, AND the production itself should have been able to see that, even if she herself could not. I hope she assesses who she has around her after this and brings on someone who will be more objective, because I think people got starry eyed about Beanie in the role and did not adequately consider what the expectations would be. She was set up to fail.

Many movie/tv stars have successfully done Broadway even though their singing/dancing chops are rarely up to par. It has to be the right mix of star, role, and production. This wasn't it.

Having said that, I actually think the Michele casting is a mistake. They were right to avoid her the first time around. She's going to do Streisand drag and it's going to annoy people even though her voice will be praised. But I guess the goal is to sell tickets at this point and the drama around the role change and the new production will do that. So while this won't work in creating a compelling revival, it may save the show financially. It's just a bummer that the finances so often dictate these sorts of castings, instead of something creatively interesting and worthwhile. Oh well.

Yep yep yep. I actually did not like Booksmart, but thought she pulled off Monica L. remarkably well.

[Anonymous]

It’s glossed over in the piece but I assume Lynch is leaving because she doesn’t want to work with Michele?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s glossed over in the piece but I assume Lynch is leaving because she doesn’t want to work with Michele?

I think that is safe to assume, since Lynch is now also leaving earlier than previously announced. The producers wouldn't force her to work with Michele if she was opposed, despite the hype a short reunion would have brought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s glossed over in the piece but I assume Lynch is leaving because she doesn’t want to work with Michele?

I think that is safe to assume, since Lynch is now also leaving earlier than previously announced. The producers wouldn't force her to work with Michele if she was opposed, despite the hype a short reunion would have brought.

Lynch said publicly her departure is more for allowing the new leads to start off together (Michele and Tovah). I believe it but -- no snark, just reality -- I prefer the juicy version.

[Anonymous]

I saw the show twice. Beanie can’t hack it. The rest of the cast is uneven and most pretty meh. There’s next to no chemistry between Fanny & Nick. The best thing about the show is the choreography and even that isn’t *that* strong.

Unfortunately I’m not sure Lea Michele is going to save the show. Her live public performance of Parade at the Tony’s in 2012 was bad. There will be a slight bump in glee fans and people who are curious about her performance but I don’t see this show running out a full year on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw the show twice. Beanie can’t hack it. The rest of the cast is uneven and most pretty meh. There’s next to no chemistry between Fanny & Nick. The best thing about the show is the choreography and even that isn’t *that* strong.

Unfortunately I’m not sure Lea Michele is going to save the show. Her live public performance of Parade at the Tony’s in 2012 was bad. There will be a slight bump in glee fans and people who are curious about her performance but I don’t see this show running out a full year on that.

Agree, don't think Michele can save it. Good voice but a weak actor with no charm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw the show twice. Beanie can’t hack it. The rest of the cast is uneven and most pretty meh. There’s next to no chemistry between Fanny & Nick. The best thing about the show is the choreography and even that isn’t *that* strong.

Unfortunately I’m not sure Lea Michele is going to save the show. Her live public performance of Parade at the Tony’s in 2012 was bad. There will be a slight bump in glee fans and people who are curious about her performance but I don’t see this show running out a full year on that.

Agree, don't think Michele can save it. Good voice but a weak actor with no charm.

Has she done anything since Glee? I was not a big fan of her acting on that show.

[Anonymous]

So Beanie can't sing?

She's lovely I'm sure but, in a musical, you have to be able to sing.

[Anonymous]

Haven’t read through all the pages but just wanted to say that if Lea Michele was a man, she’d be called ambitious or committed to her skill, and that would be the end of it.

[Anonymous]

It's the Funny Girl movie any good? I'm curious now about what I'm missing my not making it to Broadway.

And Lea Michele did give me child singing songs from it in Glee. I hope she's still got it. And I hope she can play a character other than Rachel Berry. Because of her reported real life Diva persona, it was hard to tell how much she was acting

[Anonymous]

^^ chills, chills, I meant chills! Lea Michele did not impregnate me with child with her singing, however good it was!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw the show twice. Beanie can’t hack it. The rest of the cast is uneven and most pretty meh. There’s next to no chemistry between Fanny & Nick. The best thing about the show is the choreography and even that isn’t *that* strong.

Unfortunately I’m not sure Lea Michele is going to save the show. Her live public performance of Parade at the Tony’s in 2012 was bad. There will be a slight bump in glee fans and people who are curious about her performance but I don’t see this show running out a full year on that.

Agree, don't think Michele can save it. Good voice but a weak actor with no charm.

Broadway is her medium, though. And where a TV camera can portray an actor one way, seeing someone live on stage can be another thing altogether. Hopefully, Lea's big voice will carry her through this production.