Lea Michele appeared to tear up as she received a rapturous reception for her debut performance as Fanny Brice in the broadway musical Funny Girl.
The 36-year-old actress, who took over the role from Beanie Feldstein under dramatic circumstances, looked overwhelmed as she took a bow with the rest of the cast on Tuesday night at Manhattan’s August Wilson Theatre.
Lea’s debut in the long-desired role arrives just as she revealed to People that she began ‘hysterically crying’ after she learned she had gotten the part.
Honored: Lea Michele appeared to tear up as she received a rapturous reception for her debut performance as Fanny Brice in the broadway musical Funny Girl in Manhattan on Tuesday
Lea was pictured at her first curtain call in a 1920s-style flapper dress decorated in red and gold beaded fringe.
The look showcased her toned arms and trim legs, and she paired it with gold heels.
The Glee star had her dark hair styled in a short wavy style.
She showed off an infectious green as she received a floral bouquet and pointed approvingly at the audience while they applauded her.
Success: The 36-year-old actress, who took over the role from Beanie Feldstein under dramatic circumstances, was seen taking a bow with the rest of the cast at the August Wilson Theatre
Seeing red: Lea was pictured at her first curtain call in a 1920s-style flapper dress decorated in red and gold beaded fringe
Stunner: The look showcased her toned arms and trim legs, and she paired it with gold heels
Lea also shared the stage with her costar Tovah Feldshuh, who plays Mrs. Brice and joined the production at the same time.
She was dressed more conservatively in a blue patterned blouse and a buttoned navy blue skirt.
Ramin Karimloo, who plays Nicky Arnstein, looked dashing in a black tails coat with a matching black vest and a ruffled white shirt.
Blue mood: Lea also shared the stage with her costar Tovah Feldshuh, who plays Mrs. Brice and joined the production at the same time. She was dressed more conservatively in a blue patterned blouse and a buttoned navy blue skirt
Formal: Ramin Karimloo, who plays Nicky Arnstein, looked dashing in a black tails coat with a matching black vest and a ruffled white shirt
Out of the blue: Lea revealed to People that she started ‘hysterically crying’ when she learned she had gotten the part while out at the brunch hot spot Bubby’s with her two-year-old son Ever
Following the performance, People published an interview with Lea in which she delved into the emotional circumstances under which she learned that she had gotten the role of her lifetime.
‘Funny story: I got the call from my agents that I got the part. I had no idea. I was literally sitting out at Bubby’s with my child [two-year-old son Ever], feeding him buttered pasta and broccoli. And I get a call from my agents, and they said, “You are going to be Fanny Brice in Funny Girl.”
‘And as I looked up, I start hysterically crying, and I’m like, oh my God,’ she gushed.
Lea was joined by her former Spring Awakens costar Gideon Glick when she got her happy news.
Support system: Lea was joined by her former Spring Awakens costar Gideon Glick when she got her happy news. He also was in the audience at her debut
Overwhelmed: ‘[Gideon] saw me crying. People had been asking me [about the role], but I didn’t really know what was going to happen,’ she continued. ‘He was like, “Oh my God, did you just get the part?” And I was nodding. And so he took a picture of me on the street hysterically crying, getting the part of Fanny Brice’
Packed crowd: Also in the audience were her former costar Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher Jr., producer Ryan Murphy, Zachary Quinto, legendary performer Harvey Fierstein and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, according to People
‘[Gideon] saw me crying. People had been asking me [about the role], but I didn’t really know what was going to happen,’ she continued. ‘He was like, “Oh my God, did you just get the part?” And I was nodding. And so he took a picture of me on the street hysterically crying, getting the part of Fanny Brice.’
She added: ‘Gideon used to be my old roommate. And he was actually there with me when I got the call that I would be in Les Miz as well. So it was just a very full-circle moment for me.’
Gideon was among the adoring fans in the audience on Tuesday, along with her former costar Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher Jr., American Horror Story producer Ryan Murphy, Zachary Quinto, legendary performer Harvey Fierstein and even New York Governor Kathy Hochul, according to People.
It was clear that Lea’s opening-night performance was a smashing success when she received four standing ovations before intermission.
Although her performance seemed to be a hit with audiences as the musical hit the half-way mark, she also had to contend with viewers allegedly laughing at a line about reading books after online trolls claimed that she can’t read.
Successful: Lea performance at Fanny Brice already seems to be a smashing success thanks to uproarious applause before intermission (pictured April 2022)
Fans at the performance tweeted out about the positive response early on in the evening.
‘Lea Michele has gotten four standing ovations at Funny Girl so far, and it’s only intermission,’ one fan wrote. ‘I’ve stood for all four of them. The Gleek jumped OUT.’
Hamilton star Groff and Murphy were spotted sharing an embrace at the performance as well.
Groff and Michele previously performed on Broadway together in the 2008 musical Spring Awakening.
On top of the huge applause she received before intermission, Michele also got quite the reaction from another line she delivered.
Locks of clapping: The 36-year-old Glee actress received four standing ovations before intermission during her first performance as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl
Going well: Fans at the performance tweeted out about the positive response early on in the evening
During the show, Michele’s character says, ‘I haven’t read many books,’ which got audiences to laugh and gasp because of an old rumor about Michele.
For some time, fans of the star posited that she may be illiterate though the conspiracy theory was dismissed by Michele and others.
The New York native recently opened up about taking over for Beanie Feldstein in the Funny Girl revival.
Lea shared that she had been in touch with the musical’s director Michael Mayer in a New York Times profile focused on her stint with the classic musical before Beanie began her run.
Lots of laughs: Michele’s character says, ‘I haven’t read many books,’ during the show, which got audiences to laugh and gasp because of an old rumor about Michele (pictured 2022)
Replacing: The New York Native recently opened up about taking over for Beanie Feldstein in the Funny Girl revival (pictured 2021)
Although rumors of bad blood between her and Beanie, 29, have swirled in recent months, the Glee star was also complimentary about her predecessor’s time on stage.
Reviews for the Lady Bird actress’ stint as the lead in Funny Girl, which is about the life of comedian Fanny Brice, were mixed.
Although several critics praised her performance, others said her singing ability wasn’t up to snuff, while many critics derided other parts of the production that were unrelated to her.
Following the lackluster reviews, Beanie announced on July 10 that she would be departing the show, and Lea was announced as her replacement on the following day.
The news had been broken — but not confirmed — back on June 30 by Gawker, however, which led to more backstage tension.
Mixed: Reviews for the Lady Bird actress’ stint as the lead in Funny Girl, which is about the life of comedian Fanny Brice, were mixed (pictured 2019 with Ben Platt)
Quitting early: Beanie’s final show was originally set to be on September 25, but after the announcement that Lea would be taking over, the Booksmart actress announced that she would be leaving more than a month early on July 31 (pictured 2020)
Beanie’s final show was originally set to be on September 25, but after the announcement that Lea would be taking over, the Booksmart actress announced that she would be leaving more than a month early on July 31.
Lea’s engagement was bumped up to September 6, and Beanie’s understudy has been filling in during the interim.
Mayer, who had directed Lea in Spring Awakening, had considered her one of the prime candidates for the role prior to casting Beanie, but the recent birth of her son put her out of the running.
However, after the lead role was finalized, he contacted her and defensively explained why Beanie had gotten the role.
‘I said, “Look, I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear, but this is what we’re doing,”‘ Mayer recalled, and he added that he hoped to do the show with her in the future.