Lea Michele.Photo: Ephie Aardema/Instagram
Lea Michelecelebrated her birthday with majorBroadwayglee!
In the clip, Michele claps and thanks the cast and crewgathered around to celebrate her, jumping up and down, smiling and taking a bow.
“Thank you so much!” Michele, who is set tostep into the lead role of Fanny Bricestarting Sept. 6, says at the end of the sweet gesture.
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Her formerGleecostar,Jane Lynch, originated the role of Mrs. Brice in the Broadway revival, but played her final performance Aug. 14. Actress Liz McCartney takes over the role through Sept. 4, with Tovah Feldshuh beginning performances alongside Michele on Sept. 6.
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In an interview withPlaybillpublished earlier this month, Lynch, 62, said she is “thrilled” for Michele to take the stage as Fanny Brice — and that she was leaving the production earlier than announced due to a vacation.
“I have a vacation August 14th, and then I had just like five shows after that, and it’s a six-hour flight, so I thought, ‘Let’s end it now,’ " she told the publication. “Ithas nothing to do with not wanting to see Lea.”
“I text with Lea. She and I are fine,” she continued. “I love working with Julie. I loved working with Beanie. There’sno drama here. None.”
RELATED VIDEO: Lea Michele Will Join Broadway’sFunny Girlas Fanny Brice After Beanie Feldstein’s Early Exit
After Feldstein, 29, was announced last yearto take the leadin the first Broadway revival ofFunny Girlsince the original premiered in 1964, shedebuted in the rolein March. The production had its highly anticipated opening night in April, but wasmet with mixed reviewsandonly received one nominationat the 75thTony Awards.
Producers previously announced that Feldstein and Lynch would beleaving the showon Sept. 25. However, Feldstein announced last month that her last performance would be July 31 after the “productiondecided to take the show in a different direction,” she wrote on Instagram.
The next day, producers announced that Michele wouldtake over in the starring rolein September.
source: people.com
