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The producers today announce that five-time Emmy Award winner and 2022 Emmy Award nominee Jane Lynch will end her run as “Mrs. Brice” on Sunday, August 14, 2022. Jane Lynch had a long-scheduled vacation set to begin on Monday, August 15 and was set to return to the show on Tuesday, August 23, before departing for the Creative Arts Emmys on Thursday, September 1. Rather than return for one week of performances, the producers have agreed to adjust her final performance to Sunday, August 14. “Mrs. Brice” standby Liz McCartney is scheduled to play the role of “Mrs. Brice” from Tuesday, August 16 – Sunday, September 4, 2022 at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre.
Jane Lynch said, “With my long-planned vacation on the books and then the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony in LA on Thursday, September 1, I will take my final curtain call on August 14. As I embark upon my last week in FUNNY GIRL, my heart is filled with gratitude for this wildly talented company led by Beanie Feldstein and our wonderful audiences for keeping theater alive! I offer a special thanks to my current scene partner Julie Benko and will be back to see my friend Lea Michele light up the lights.”
Emmy Award nominee Lea Michele (Spring Awakening, “Glee”) will star as “Fanny Brice” and four-time Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh (Yentl, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) will star as “Mrs. Brice” beginning Tuesday, September 6, 2022. FUNNY GIRL currently stars “Fanny Brice” standby Julie Benko through Sunday, September 4, 2022, alongside Ramin Karimloo as “Nick Arnstein,” Jared Grimes as “Eddie Ryan” and Jane Lynch as “Mrs. Brice.” They are joined by Peter Francis James as “Florenz Ziegfeld,” Ephie Aardema as “Emma/Mrs. Nadler,” Debra Cardona as “Mrs. Meeker,” Toni DiBuono as “Mrs. Strakosh,” Martin Moran as “Tom Keeney,” and an acting company that includes Miriam Ali, Amber Ardolino, Daniel Beeman, Colin Bradbury, Kurt Csolak, John Michael Fiumara, Leslie Donna Flesner, Afra Hines, Masumi Iwai, Aliah James, Jeremiah James, Danielle Kelsey, Stephen Mark Lukas, Alicia Lundgren, John Manzari, Liz McCartney, Connor McRory, Katie Mitchell, Justin Prescott, Mariah Reives and Leslie Blake Walker.
Julie Benko will perform the title role on Thursdays beginning Thursday, September 8, 2022. Tony Award winner
Michael Mayer directs this brand-new FUNNY GIRL, featuring the classic score by Tony, Grammy and Academy Award winner Jule Styne and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winner Bob Merrill, (comprising additional songs from Styne & Merrill). The original book by Isobel Lennart, from an original story by Miss Lennart, is revised by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein.
FUNNY GIRL features choreography by Ellenore Scott, tap choreography by 2022 Drama Desk Award nominee Ayodele Casel, scenic design by Tony Award winner David Zinn, costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Tony Award winner Kevin Adams, sound design by Tony Award winner Brian Ronan, hair & wig design by Campbell Young Associates, music direction and supervision by Emmy Award winner Michael Rafter, casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger, CSA, orchestrations by Chris Walker, dance, vocal and incidental music arrangements by Alan Williams and additional arrangements by David Dabbon and Carmel Dean.