(upbeat music)
- Beanie Feldstein is Broadway's new funny girl.
The Booksmart star has just been cast
in the Broadway revival.
Funny Girl is set for this coming spring,
it's back on Broadway for the first time in nearly 60 years
and features some of the most iconic songs
in theater history, including "Don't Rain On My Parade"
and Glee alum Lea Michele is all about it.
Fans of that show probably remember
Lea's character was cast in a revival of Funny Girl
and for awhile it was rumored
she'd actually get the part in real life.
But as soon as news broke that Beanie landed the role,
Lea threw in her full support,
giving her a big shout out on Instagram.
Paul Wontorek caught up with Lea Michele.
♪ Get ready for me love 'cause I'm a commer ♪
♪ I simply gotta march my heart's a drummer ♪
♪ Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade ♪
- Theater fans fell in love with Lea Michele
for her star turn as Rachel Berry on TV's Glee
and of course her incredible work
in the Tony-winning musical, Spring Awakening.
I met up with Lea at her old stomping grounds
right here at the Eugene O'Neill Theater
to talk all things Broadway.
So 15 years ago, - Yeah.
- you were starring in Spring Awakening.
Everybody loved Spring Awakening, you were fantastic.
Lots of memories here. - A lot has happened here.
I feel like I'm just like transported back in time.
- And an amazing cast
and they've all gone on to such great things.
- I know. - I know you're all friends.
- Well, it was such a special time
and such an incredible show
and we're really lucky that as a cast
we've you know remained in contact
and seeing each other and Jonathan Groff and I are obviously
still as inseparable as we were.
We talk about it all the time,
you know, and just how special this time was
really for us. - Yeah.
But I've also heard a lot of stories about this cast
(laughing)
because you were all young
- Oh yeah. - and experiencing
Broadway fame together.
I mean, that show blew up,
you guys all sort of blew up
at the same time. - Yeah.
- So do you want to talk anything about like,
- Oh my-- - what was it like being in
the hit of Broadway with that group of people
right here on this sidewalk?
- I mean Jonathan Groff and I used to get into
so much trouble together.
During the show,
which I don't know how we got away with this,
but at some point during the show,
when Wendla and Melchior were not on stage,
we would come out here on the street
in our costumes, - [Paul] In costumes.
- which is like not allowed.
And it was the night before the Tonys,
the Tony nominations came out - Okay.
- and Jonathan was like,
let's go to St. Malachy's across the street.
Let's go to the church. - [Paul] Okay.
- So we go to the church, we light a candle,
like, dear God, please give us Tony nominations,
which we're such theater kids.
And next thing you know, he takes out a $50 bill
from his pocket and puts it into the basket.
And I was like, wait a minute,
I didn't bring any money.
I didn't know we were, I don't, I'm in my costume,
I didn't know you had pockets in your, you know, 1890 garb.
And he was like,
oh well, I really wanted to make a donation.
And I was like, I can't believe it.
This isn't good.
I didn't, I didn't give the church a donation.
Sure enough, I didn't get a nomination.
- He one upped you. - And he got,
and he got a Tony nomination - That's what happened.
Now we know what happened.
- And I did not.
- How did, I never understood why he didn't get nomination,
now we know why.
- I can explain to you
exactly why. - Jonathon Groff.
- And well he, you know,
he did a thing. - [Paul] $50.
- You know, yes. - $50.
Yeah, you have such an interesting career
because you got your start in the theater
and then you got to
become famous playing
- A theater loving-- - Rachel in Glee
and you got to like sing all these show tunes
- I know. - and it was so
Broadway adjacent. - Totally.
- Yeah, so.
- It was meant to be
because I think that like all of that experience
of being a child on Broadway certainly fueled Rachel Berry.
- [Paul] Yeah, absolutely. - I was able to use
a lot of that, - [Paul] Yeah.
- like experience and my love for theater,
but it's incredible to be able to,
you know, move off to LA and then come back
and be back in my city and you know, seeing shows again.
And you know, this is my home,
I was, I was born here.
- Yeah, talk about the community
because obviously the community has been through a lot.
I know that it's been sort of difficult
to watch the theater community
not have Broadway - I know.
- and not be able to thrive
and sort of figure out how to get through it.
What's it been like for you
as someone who I know loves this world
and came from this world
and maybe consider themselves part of the world,
what's it been like for you to watch all this?
- You know, the whole world stopped
- [Paul] Yeah. - obviously in 2020,
but there's just something
about when Broadway is not open.
It just, it doesn't feel right.
You know, obviously saddened for multiple reasons
and that's why this return is gonna be even more
beautiful for so many people
and for New York to have theater
alive and well again. - Yeah.
- Broadway is magic.
There is nothing like sitting in a Broadway theater
and sitting in the seat.
I mean, I've had the you know pleasure
of being in Broadway shows myself, but even as
an audience member, - [Paul] Yeah.
- I experienced that magic.
So all I can say is if you're a theater lover,
come back, come see your favorite shows.
I can't wait to see all the shows
I've already seen 20 times.
I can't wait to see them again.
(laughing)
But if you haven't had the opportunity, there is truly
nothing like it. - [Paul] Yeah.
- It's magic right in front of you.
- You're a mom.
- I am!
I am so having the best time
- [Paul] Yeah - being a mom, it's so wild
and even hearing you say it
- [Paul] Yeah. - like I have to stop
and be like, I can't believe it.
It feels so surreal.
I don't know, I'm experiencing a level of love
that I never thought I ever could.
♪ Now and then when I see his face ♪
♪ He takes me ♪
- [Paul] By the way, Lea is releasing a lullaby album
dedicated to her one year old son this fall.
It's called Forever.
and Lea is covering everything from Guns and Roses
to Christina Perri.
(guitar music)