The actress is taking over the role after former star Beanie Feldstein departed the production at the end of July.
Lea Michele is giving fans a look at her take on the beloved character Fanny Brice.
The singer and Glee alum took to her Instagram story on Sunday to share a behind-the-scenes snapshot showing her and the cast belting out "Don’t Rain On My Parade" while rehearsing for her forthcoming run on the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.
“The incredible @ephieaardema got a photo of me singing Don’t Rain On My Parade on a Broadway stage for the first time ever today," Michele captioned the post, and tagging understudy Ephie Aardema. “@ephieaardema you are amazing I [love] you!!!"
It was announced in July that Lea Michele has been cast to take over for Beanie Feldstein, who left the Broadway revival of Funny Girl two months early.
Michele, who previously starred in the original cast of Spring Awakening, is expected to formally take over the role starting Sept. 6, while current standby Julie Benko will assume the part from Aug. 2 to Sept. 4.
It was also announced that Tony nominee and Walking Dead actress Tovah Feldshuh will replace Michele’s former Glee co-star, Jane Lynch, as Mrs. Brice. Feldshuh will make her debut in Funny Girl alongside Michele on Sept. 6.
Both Michele and Feldshuh will join current cast members Ramin Karimloo, who plays Nick Arnstein, and Jared Grimes, who earned a 2022 Tony Award nomination for his turn as Eddie Ryan.
The news of Michele in the role, meanwhile, comes after many longtime fans had hoped she would be cast in the production when the revival was first announced last year.
“There is a misconception that there are these roles that I am desperate to play. And yes, they are. But there are so many things I would love to do,” she told ET last fall, adding that “I am so supportive of Beanie and [Spring Awakening director] Michael [Mayer] and Jane and this whole production.”
Michele added, “I think that everyone has wanted this show to come back for so long. I am a huge fan and always have been.”
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