It finally happened – Lea Michele got cast as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, which might more accurately be termed Funny Lady, since the 35-year-old Michele will play a teenager.  It’s been alleged that shortly after Beanie Feldstein’s reviews came out, Lea let the powers know that she was available to take over the role.  We’re told she’s having new costumes made to align with her interpretation – which I’m told is basically a Streisand impersonation.  Perhaps it will save the show.  Ticket sales recently dropped from 85% to 65%.  The hope is that the “Gleeks” will come out en masse once Michele debuts on September 6^th.  However, Glee went off the air seven years ago, and most of the fans have moved on – some are already receiving a pension!  Add in that Lea is a polarizing figure – beloved by many, but widely painted as a “mean girl” by colleagues.  If anyone would know, it would be the current Mrs. Brice, Jane Lynch.  She was scheduled to leave the show on September 25^th and planned to overlap with the new Fanny for a few weeks.  People anticipated a joyous Glee reunion.  However, once Lea was announced, Lynch pushed up her departure to September 4^th – two days before Michele starts.  Coincidence?

As we went to print, Beanie cancelled a few more performances.  The reason?  Tonsillitis.  “Ya gotta laugh at a certain point.  When it rains, it pours…on your old pal Bean,” said Feldstein.  She hopes to do her last two weeks.