'Funny Girl' Cancelled? Lea Michele Reveals Shocking Reason for Absence in Musical
"Glee" Star Lea Michele announces her temporary absence from "Funny Girl" amidst a looming crisis among cast members.
Michele recently announced her new lead role as Fanny Brice in Isobel Lennart's "Funny Girl" musical, replacing actress Beanie Feldstein in her initial role. Feldstein's run as Fanny Brice ended on July 31, while Michele started in her new role on September 4 at the August Wilson theatre.
However, just as Michele had started her life-long dream, the broadway actress announced that she will be taking a 10-day absence from the musical due to contracting COVID-19. The 36-year-old actress posted the latest update on her Instagram story and added that Julie Benko will be temporarily stepping in for her.
"I'm devastated to say that due to early signs and symptoms of COVID and an inconclusive test result - due to the production's safety protocols I'm not allowed to perform for today's shows," Michele wrote on her Instagram snap. "Julie Benko is going to crush it today as Fanny-as are all of our amazing understudies who have stepped up so incredibly this week while we battle a very intense covid outbreak in our theater."
COVID Wave Hits 'Funny Girl' Cast
Michele also revealed that other company members are affected by the COVID wave, thus arrangements have been made for their respective understudies to take over temporarily.
"Funny Girl has been and still is tackling a tremendous wave of COVID with close to a dozen company members currently out," The actress announced. "We are almost on the other side of this and our swings and understudies are doing such an incredible job to keep our show on its feet."
How Is 'Funny Girl' Doing?
Despite the sudden change of plans, an update from Michele's understudy, Julie Benko, gives fans the latest update on the musical in an Instagram post.
According to Benko's caption, she will be playing the lead role until September 18th, and Lea Michele will return on the 20th. Fans took to the comments section to praise the actress and wish the best of luck to the rest of the crew amidst the COVID wave.
Since the start of Michele's "Funny Girl" run, eyewitnesses report that the star has been "phenomenal" in her role, even garnering four standing ovations during the first act alone in her September 6 show.
