Beanie Feldstein will be replaced by Lea Michele on “Funny Girl,” causing controversy due to allegations that Michele has made racist remarks. Broadway’s 2022 revival of “Funny Girl,” which hit stages on March 26 of this year, is already facing controversy over the casting and recasting of the lead role.
“Funny Girl” originally debuted on Broadway in 1964 and is based on the iconic comedian Fanny Brice. It starred the highly accredited actress and vocalist Barbra Streisand, whom audiences fell in love with, leading Streisand to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Brice in the 1968 film adaptation.
The main criticism of Feldstein was that her voice did not suit the role — or perhaps Broadway in general. Reviews of the show overwhelmingly mention that Feldstein’s voice is lackluster, especially for a role that requires a strong singing voice to keep the storyline consistent.
Adrian Horton of The Guardian said that Feldstein’s voice was “paper-thin, reedy in the higher registers and overly nasal throughout, (and) noticeably untextured compared to the rest of the cast.”