-Welcome back to the show.
-Thank you. -They love you. We love you.
-Thanks for having me.
-No, I'm so psyched that you're here.
I can't wait to talk about all things "Funny Girl."
And also, the new cast recording of the album.
I want to hear everything. But first,
today's Friday the 13th.
And I was saying backstage, I go,
"Are you superstitious at all?"
And boy, was I surprised you're very superstitious.
-I'm a little too superstitious.
And it's funny, because I actually didn't know
it was Friday the 13th until I heard you say that.
-Yeah. -So now, I'm like, "Oh, my God,
what do I have to do?"
-No. But how superstitious are you?
-You know, it's interesting. I know I am,
but I realized it -- the other night,
I went out with Jonathan Grough, our friend,
and our other friend -- [ Audience cheers ]
I know. -Yeah, we love him.
-And our other friend, John Gallagher, who we were all
in "Spring Awakening" together.
And they were like, "Why are you carrying around this,
like, extremely large bag?"
And I realized that 90% of it is just like weird good luck charms
and things that I have to lug around with me.
-Like what? What type of things?
-I have, like, a race car of my son's in there.
I have a Christmas ornament that my mom gave me. [ Laughs ]
-Really? -But it was -- you know,
when I did "Spring Awakening," a lot of the superstitions got,
like, a little over the top.
Jonathan and I ran through every line from the entire show
every single day before the show.
We had to read from this, like, quote book
that you would buy at, like, a Barnes & Noble called
"I Hope You Dance."
And we would have to pick, like, a quote from it to read
every night.
So, now at "Funny Girl," I do less.
I just carry the things with me, but I don't do anything.
-Good, okay. Good, all right.
-But New Year's, I'm also very superstitious.
-What do you do on New Years?
-I've got to do 12 grapes. Do people know about this?
[ Audience cheers ] Okay.
-Wait, I didn't know about this. [ Man cheering ]
-Whoo!
-What's 12 grapes?
-12 grapes -- there's like -- I don't even know why.
It's, like, for good fortune.
And, like, they have to be green.
I wear, like, certain colors
and I listen to certain music, so --
-Wowzers. -Yeah.
-I mean, I did a little bit.
But I was never got that -- the more I think about it,
I used to cut a birthday cake
and wish I was on "Saturday Night Live."
[ Audience laughs ] For real.
And if I threw a coin in a fountain,
I'd wish I was on "Saturday Night Live."
And I really did. -There you go.
And then it worked out.
-Maybe we manifested it. -Yeah!
[ Cheers and applause ]
Aww.
-Congrats on "Funny Girl," by the way.
-Thank you. -It is breaking records.
It is shattering records.
It set the August Wilson Theater's box office record
last month, and then you beat it again two weeks later.
-Yeah, I heard.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-I mean, crushed it.
-Thank you. And we're having a lot of fun,
too, which is really important.
-But you're just nailing everything.
By the way, you were amazing at the parade as well.
-Thank you so much. -You were great here.
You performed live. But just all this stuff.
It's a lot of pressure. -Thank you.
I read somewhere that Barbra Streisand
sent you a letter. -Yes.
-The one and only Barbra Streisand, who we love,
you got a letter, and she said, "Thumbs up."
-She did. She gave me the thumbs up, which I was so --
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you!
-Did you freak out? -I did. I cried.
-Of course, you had to. -I cried.
I filmed myself opening it.
It was like, literally, it was like a gold envelope.
It flew in on doves.
Like, you know.
[ Laughter ]
-As Barbra would.
-It came in through my window of my dressing room.
-That's what she does, of course.
The cartoon birds. -Yeah, exactly.
It was so incredible.
And now it's like, I -- everyone's like,
"Are you going to frame it?
Like, what are you going to do with it?"
-You have to frame it.
-I actually just -- I put it in my safe at home.
-Yeah. -And the only thing I have
in my safe is a letter from Barbra Streisand
and my son's -- the hair --
the first hair we cut from his haircut.
-That's perfect to me. That sounds like exactly --
-So, it's my son's hair and a letter
from Barbra Streisand. [ Laughs ]
-That's the best. -That's where it's gonna stay.
-Now, do you respond to Barbra Streisand?
-I was able to get a message to her through a friend
to tell her thank you so much.
But like, I don't know.
Like, maybe I could, like, direct message her
on, like, Instagram or something.
-I don't know. I mean, with Barbra, I don't know.
-Barbra, I know you're watching this right now.
Thank you so much.
-Yeah, we love you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
She's the coolest. -Yes.
-What would you -- what will you do if she comes to see the show?
Will you freak out?
Would you want to know that she's there?
-I'll die. I'll black out.
[ Laughter ]
-I mean, would you want to know if she's in the audience?
-It's funny, this is the first show I've ever done
where I love knowing that people are there.
It's super interactive.
It's such a fun show.
You know, Jarod, when he does his tap during the show,
we talk to the audience, and it's a great back and forth.
So, I love it. -Do you act differently
depending on who -- if you recognize somebody
in the audience? -I would say 99% no.
But Chris Rock was there the other night,
and I was like, "I need to be funny."
And I just -- I have to be.
I know I need to be funny every night, but I was like,
I just want Chris Rock to tell me that I was funny.
Like that was -- -Yeah, of course.
-But if Barbra were there, I would --
The other night I saw a woman that I thought was her,
and I felt like my mouth got dry,
and it was like I just, like,
started hearing ringing in my ears.
-I will go -- Barbra, if you need a date,
I'm with you, bud. Let's go. Let's go check this out.
-That would make me feel better, if you were with her.
-It would? I would go. -It would make me feel better.
-She's a blast.
Can we talk about the new cast album?
-Yeah. -Congrats on this.
-Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-The new cast recording of "Funny Girl."
This came out right around the holidays.
-It did. You know, it was so wild.
We recorded it.
I literally finished a show on a Sunday
and went straight to the recording studio,
which was very crazy.
And then finished it the next day on Monday.
And then it was out a couple days later.
So, it was during such a busy time.
-Yeah, but even with that, no one even got to promote it
or whatever -- it went to number seven on the chart.
-It did. I know. It's just like --
-That's massive. -Thank you.
I know. For a Broadway record.
It was number one -- -For a Broadway --
-Yeah, it was number one on the Broadway charts.
But worldwide, it was like, Taylor Swift was number one
and we were number seven.
-Yeah, we'll take that. -I'll take it.
-I'm always amazed by your talent,
and I'm so thankful that you come to our show.
-Thank you. -You are just unbelievable.
And please, hug that baby for me.
-I will. -Lea Michele, everybody.
Come on. -Thank you.
-"Funny Girl" is playing at Broadway's
August Wilson Theater.
You can stream the new Broadway cast recording
of "Funny Girl" now.
It will be available on CD next Friday.