My favorite show for years has been “Glee.” I’m obsessed with it. It is pretty much my only personality trait, and the worst part is that I feel absolutely no shame in saying that. Because if you put aside all preconceived notions of the show, and look at it as the cultural phenomenon that it was, you will see what I see. It is genius. A show about a bunch of misfits and outcasts finding common ground within a show choir. A show that explores teen sexuality, showing multiple different portrayals of coming out. A show that gave a new voice to musical theater lovers, and made millions of people feel seen. That’s what “Glee” is. “Glee” is also the series that catapulted actress and singer Lea Michele from a Broadway starlet to the celebrity figure that she is today.
Lea Michele Sarfati was born on August 29th, 1986 in New York, New York. She landed her first Broadway role in “Les Miserables” in 1995. From there she appeared in other popular shows such as “Ragtime” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” In 2006, Michele was cast as Wendla, the starring role in “Spring Awakening.” The musical was a huge success, and catapulted Michele’s career. In 2009, the hit television show “Glee” premiered. Michele landed the lead role of Broadway enthusiast and show choir champion Rachel Berry.
During “Glee’s” six seasons, Rachel Berry’s defining characteristic was her love for Barbra Streisand and the musical “Funny Girl.” Throughout the entirety of the series, Berry strived to one day play the beloved Fanny Brice in the inevitable revival of the classic musical. In season five, she finally got the chance. During her freshman year at the imaginary NYADA (New York Academy for the Dramatic Arts), Rachel landed an audition for Fanny Brice. Although things originally looked bleak and her chances for success were slim, she was cast in the musical and shot into Broadway super-stardom.
The lore behind this “Glee” storyline is heavy, as there are many layers to this story. Not only is Rachel’s obsession with Barbra Streisand based off of the real-life admiration harbored by Lea Michele, but the goal for playing Fanny Brice was one shared between the actress and character. During a season one show choir competition, Rachel Berry famously belted out the “Funny Girl” classic “Don’t Rain On My Parade.” The performance was cemented as a legendary pop culture moment, repopularizing the musical and introducing it to a mainstream audience. After this performance, the song became Rachel Berry’s go-to, and is looked at as one of the best performances on the entire series. Michele performed the song live at the 2010 Tony Awards, and it was seen as a public audition by many. Although nothing came from the performance, the talks of a “Funny Girl” revival starring the actress had surrounded Broadway since the airing of “Glee.”
In season five of the show, Rachel went from starring as Fanny to being an outcast once again when she decided to leave the musical in hopes of finding success as a television actress. This storyline framed that of Lea Michele, as the actress left her role in “Spring Awakening” to star in “Glee.” The difference is that while Michele’s exit from “Spring Awakening” brought commercial success, Berry’s exit from “Funny Girl” saw the character’s downfall as her television show failed and she became the laughing stock of Broadway.
Lea Michele’s character was known to be a diva, and could be incredibly difficult to work with. So when Michele found herself at the center of scandal after fellow “Glee” cast member, Samantha Ware, confronted her on Twitter for racist remarks and diva behavior on set, many were quick to point out the similarities between Michele’s on-set behavior and Rachel Berry’s antics. Michele apologized to the actress and made a public statement, but following this, her reputation was tarnished greatly. She took a hiatus from social media before giving birth to son Ever, and slowly returned to social media over the months following his birth.
Lea Michele had been dating Cory Monteith, who starred alongside her as popular football player and Glee Club alum Finn Hudson when the actor accidentally overdosed in July of 2013. The two had been dating in real life and had played love interests on the show for nearly four years at the time of his death. “Glee” paid tribute to the actor with an episode titled “The Quarterback” which highlighted the character of Finn Hudson, although the grief shown on-screen was real. In a later episode, during Rachel Berry’s opening night as Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl,” a flashback to Finn Hudson is seen as Rachel sings the song “Who Are You Now?” on stage. It was rumored that during her opening night in “Funny Girl” in September 2022, Michele kept open a seat for her late boyfriend Cory Monteith, similar to the seat kept open for Finn in the show.
Many saw Michele’s casting as Fanny as a prophecy being fulfilled. “Glee” has been known to “predict the future” in the past, and the “Funny Girl” revival was no exception. When I found out Michele had been cast, I knew instantly that I had to see the show. I started “Glee” in March of 2020, although I had watched some of the series live as a child. I instantly fell in love with the characters, but specifically related to Rachel Berry. As an outspoken, music loving theater kid who is sometimes a little too loud for her own good, seeing a character like Rachel find success and happiness despite her personal issues was refreshing. I had never related to a character quite like Rachel, and found great comfort in her storyline.
Being able to see the actress behind my favorite character performing a musical that was so prevalent within the series was an experience I knew would be incredible. I was determined to see the musical come to life, and with the lore surrounding Michele’s portrayal of Fanny Brice, seeing the “Funny Girl” revival with her as the lead was something I was willing to wait for.
I bought tickets for the September 10th show, four days after Lea’s opening night. That morning, I woke up in my bed all the way in Ohio, excited to drive to New York with my Mom and Grandma. Sadly, things took a turn when my Grandma called saying she felt really sick. We ended up selling the tickets, and I was heartbroken. In a strange twist of fate, Lea announced later that day that she would not be performing after testing positive for COVID-19. I was stunned. I booked tickets later that month to go again, but similarly, the plans fell through and I was forced to sell my tickets once again. I had begun to lose hope that I would be able to see the show, but decided to try one more time. And you know what they say, the third time’s a charm!
My tickets were booked for Sunday, October 23rd. My Dad, three sisters and I headed out on the road that Saturday, and arrived in New York City in the late afternoon. We checked into our hotel and spent the night exploring the city. We ate at the Brooklyn Diner and headed back to our hotel in Times Square. The next morning we stopped at Angelina Bakery for coffee and matcha. We explored the city some more, and wandered through Central Park for a bit before heading back to The August Wilson Theatre for the show at three. My sister and I were the only two seeing the show, and were immediately overwhelmed upon entering the theater. The crowd was huge, and it was our first time at a Broadway show. Celebrities had been known to frequent the show, and we were both on the lookout for familiar faces. I bought a t-shirt as we waited to be let into the theater from the lobby. Getting to our seats was fairly simple, and I was filled with excitement as the usher handed me my Playbill. The stage looked fake almost, adding to the fever dream I was now convinced I was in. The people around me in the audience were incredibly respectful, and we were all very excited when the show began and Michele appeared on stage.
The first act of the musical was incredible. With numbers such as “Who Are You Now?,” “People,” “I’m The Greatest Star,” “You Are Woman, I am Man” and “Don’t Rain On My Parade” my excitement was palpable. During the intermission, my sister was wrongfully convinced she had seen Jonathan Groff, Lea’s best friend and co-star in both Glee and Spring Awakening, in the audience. We returned to our seats quickly as the second act began. By this time, I had already cried, gasped and laughed enough for three people, and was more than excited to see the rest of the show. Musical numbers “Temporary Arrangement,” “Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?,” “You’re a Funny Girl” and “Finale” were standouts, although every performance was lively and energetic and absolutely magical.
Although my main motivation for seeing the musical was Michele, I knew the rest of the cast was incredibly talented. But after seeing them live, I was floored. Ramin Karimloo starred as the incredible Nick Arnstein, Fanny’s love interest. He was a fantastic singer and overall performer, and his voice was extremely moving. Jared Grimes played Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s best friend and mentor. His dancing was simply jaw-dropping, and his performance was incredibly compelling. Mrs. Brice was played by the lovely Tovah Feldshuh, who was cast later on, similar to Michele. Her portrayal of Fanny’s mother was heart-warming and really completed the cast, in my opinion. The actors moved about the stage with such ease and comfort, as though they belonged there. But Lea Michele stood out, especially. Despite my bias as a “Glee” fan, I went into the show as a fan of “Funny Girl” itself. Had Michele not lived up to the role, my experience would have been different. Luckily, she did. It seemed as though Michele had been rehearsing for the role her whole life. And in many ways, she had been. Lea Michele as Funny Girl was like a prophecy being fulfilled in real time. It almost feels inevitable. To deny this fact is simply impossible. Disliking Michele is more than valid, and holding her accountable for her actions is necessary. But when it comes to the role of Fanny Brice, aside from Barbra Streisand herself, no one is more capable than Lea Michele.
When the show ended, rather than stay for curtain call, my sister and I made our way to the stage door in the hopes of seeing the actors after the show. We got to the barricade and waited for what felt like forever. We greeted several performers from the ensemble including some principal actresses and Tovah Feldshuh. We waited for a little while longer as anticipation grew with the crowd. Finally, Lea Michele exited the building and began to make her way through the crowd. When Lea approached me to sign my Playbill, I freaked out. I wanted to thank her for playing Rachel Berry or say something worthwhile. I called out to her after she had already signed, saying something along the lines of “Lea! Your song “The Bells” means everything to me!” She stopped and turned to me, saying “Oh, thank you so much!” looking into my eyes with a huge smile. I was so excited that she had actually stopped to talk to me. When my Papa passed away in December of 2020, I played The Bells on repeat in the days and weeks after. For some reason, it was the only song about grief that felt appropriate to me. My Papa had been a huge Barbra Streisand fan, and Streisand’s classic “Papa Can You Hear Me?” was one of his favorite songs. We even played it at his funeral. Much of “Funny Girl” reminds me of him, and as I associated Lea with “Funny Girl,” her song felt like the perfect one to help me through his loss. I wished I could have said all that, but as Michele was in a rush and was only given so much time to sign, I settled for “it saved me” because in a lot of ways, it did.
Lea Michele’s “Funny Girl” was simply exquisite. There are no words in the English language I believe can truly encapsulate the feeling of utter joy I felt inside that theater. If I had to describe the performance in one word, it would be special. For much of “Glee,” Rachel Berry struggles with the idea that “being a part of something special makes you special.” By the end of the series, she realizes that “something is special because you are a part of it.” “Funny Girl” is a wonderful musical all on its own. But with the cast and crew currently employed, and with Michele at the helm of the metaphorical ship, the show is a truly special experience.
Seeing “Funny Girl” was one of the highlights of my year, and definitely one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Being able to see a musical that has meant so much to me for so long in any capacity would have been thrilling. But seeing the actress who introduced me to it in the starring role was extraordinary. If I could see it again, I’d see it a hundred times without ever getting bored. Not only is it a thrilling story with a catchy score, but the undeniable talent and harmony within the cast is something truly remarkable and entirely special.