Frank Rizzo Take two, and not a moment too soon. Lea Michele steps into one of Broadway’s most iconic roles, which in her mind — or at least the mind of Rachel Berry, the character she played in TV’s “Glee” — she was destined to play.
And dammit, she’s right. Not that suddenly this otherwise uninspired and underproduced revival of “Funny Girl” is transformed into a revelatory classic.
Instead Michele gives it what the revival previously lacked: charisma, astonishing vocals and assuredness — not to mention a killer fan base.
It also had a backstage narrative that added to the drama following original star Beanie Feldstein’s departure, culminating in a casting coup that many felt should have been Michele’s in the first place.
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