Fans of Lea Michele who are eager to watch her perform on Broadway in “Funny Girl” will have to wait.
The “Glee” star, who missed Saturday’s matinee and evening performance due to a positive COVID-19 test, is currently in quarantine and is expected to return to the play on Tuesday, Sept. 20. She just got here on Tuesday.
Michele sent a note on her Instagram account saying, “Unfortunately, I have officially tested positive for COVID. In keeping with production practise I cannot return to the theatre for 10 days.” Fortunately, staying at home today and discovering this early shielded so many employees of our organisation from exposure.
With over a dozen employees presently out, Funny Girl has been and is still dealing with a significant COVID wave, Michele continued. “Our swinging and understudies are doing such a fantastic job to maintain our show on its feet. We are nearly on the other side of this.”
You best get ready. I’ll see you soon. This week has been a dream come true, and I cannot wait to go back,” Michele said.
The sad comedy depicts the story of Fanny Brice, a Jewish girl from New York in the 1920s who, in spite of criticism that she wasn’t conventionally attractive, made it from burlesque to Broadway stages.
Barbra Streisand portrayed the title character in the stage and screen adaptations of the musical “Funny Girl,” which honours outcasts, eccentrics, and misfits with jewels from Jule Styne, including “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.”
Until Michele is back, Julie Benko, who was supposed to portray Fanny on Thursdays in the revival, will take up the part. In taking over for Beanie Feldstein, Michele said that she had always wanted to play the part.
The cast of “Funny Girl,” which includes standbys, understudies, swings, and everyone else involved in the production, was thanked for their “amazing devotion” to keeping the show running and ensuring viewers had a positive experience at every performance in a statement from the production.
Beginning in July, there were no longer any vaccination restrictions for Broadway theatregoers, and all 41 of New York’s Broadway venues allowed mask use.
One performance, “The Kite Runner,” retaliated by requesting viewers to cover up on Wednesday afternoons and Friday evenings.
Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has repealed the law requiring masks in public places like schools and the subway. On buses and trains, face coverings are just recommended.