Image Source: Getty / Amy Sussman
Broadway’s first revival of Funny Girl has found its leading lady. Booksmart star Beanie Feldstein, who made her Broadway debut as Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! alongside Bette Midler in 2017, will star as Fanny Brice in the upcoming musical — a role originally made popular by Barbra Streisand in 1964. The musical, which was adapted into a film in 1968, is loosely based on the life of actor and comedian Fanny Brice and her complicated marriage to entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein.
“I am immensely grateful to be able to [work] alongside such a remarkable creative team, and cannot wait for audiences to get back in theaters again!” Feldstein said in a press release. But this isn’t the first time she’s stepped into Fanny Brice’s shoes. “The first time I played Fanny Brice was at my third birthday party, in a head-to-toe leopard print outfit my mom made for me,” she said. “So, it’s safe to say that stepping into this iconic role, on Broadway and not in my family’s backyard, is truly my lifelong dream come true.”
The show will be produced by Hedwig and the Angry Inch‘s Michael Mayer, and performances are expected to begin in spring 2022. On Wednesday, a handful of other stars were announced, including a former Glee star. Jane Lynch will star as Mrs. Rosie Brice, Fanny’s “adept, supportive and perceptive mother.” New additions also include Les Misérables star Ramin Karimloo as professional gambler Nick Arnstein and Manifest actor Jared Grimes as a dancer name Eddie Ryan. Check out a teaser video of Feldstein ahead.