Staged Right: Beanie & Lea and the Legacy of 'Funny Girl': Part 2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ต.ค. 2024
- This is Part 2 of my original 'Funny Girl" episode, covering the Broadway revival, even more of the background on the creation of the show, and the casting discourse between Beanie Feldstein and Lea Michele.
Click here for Part 1: • Staged Right: Fanny & ...
Also check out the fabulous Barbra Archives: www.barbra-arc...
My issue with Beanie was never about her size, rather her vocal ability. I knew from hearing several recordings that she was not Broadway level despite her great acting chops. I wish they had chosen one of the hundreds if not thousands of extremely talented plus size performers who would have knocked the role out of the park. I feel bad for beanie and like her as an actress but in my opinion she is not cut out for singing roles
She was quite good in Hello Dolly, up to par in every way. But in a secondary part (tertiary, really, as she doesn't even really get a song). But that's the thing: when you're establishing the texture of a conventional, old-fashioned show like Funny Girl or Dolly, you need for the parts to fit together. I don't think Beanie can carry a show. Certainly couldn't carry FG (or sing it--it was startling and embarrassing). I knew in the opening seconds it wasn't going to work. The way she looked at herself. Naah.
I do think Lea is a lot more appropriate for the role. There probably would have been less controversy if she hadn't been literally auditioning for the role for a decade. (I feel like history is repeating itself with Ariana Grande and Wicked, with some people being lukewarm toward her because she's been talking about it since she was ten.)
She simply can't sing the role .....
32:03 “I really do think that Beanie gave it her all but frankly speaking she should never been cast in the first place”
That sums up this whole vid.
@@johnpickford4222 gross
I think it's all quite simple. Beanie was never right for the show. Many made excuses for her poor reception as being because of her weight, etc. but deep down, while likable, everyone knew she wasn't a good enough singer. It really did come down to that. As far as Lea, she came in and nailed it. By all measures, she's been nothing short of a miracle for this show.- saving the entire company. She's that good in my opinion.
@@dreaming5877 I'd agree. I was being *generous LOL
She is that good. She singlehanded saved all those jobs
Beanie only got the part because her dad is one of the producers. I know people that work in the show and they all knew Beanie was awful and bringing the show down the drain but there was not much they can do or say. I can tell you they are all elated Beanie is gone and Lea is in because it saved everyone’s jobs.
@@flawedyetperfect That's good to hear they are happy. I saw the show at the beginning of Nov. and it was fantastic. Couldn't imagine traveling there and paying to see Beanie. Funny girl is specifically designed to showcase Fanny. A bad Fanny brings everyone else down!
You’re totally right and on top of all of that Broadway is a business and they were losing money with beanie and they knew Lea would bring in the money, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters for Broadway
Fun fact... The TV show Smash is actually based on a book that was essentially a Devil Wears Prada expose on the behind the scenes drama of the originally production of Funny Girl.
Kanin's Romans a clef resembles "Smash" the television series pretty much in title only. Though Streisand reportedly wasn't particularly fond of Kanin she doesn't come under much scrutiny in his fictionalized re-telling of Funny Girl's journey to Broadway. I believe he remained the credited Director for the original Broadway production though Jerome Robbins, who was given a special credit, apparently dramatically re-worked the show after Kanin was fired. Robbins was supposedly intended to fill in for Choreographer Carol Haney who relapsed during out of town tryouts and died shortly after the show opened.
@@kevinsakolinsky5860 Robbins got billing as "Prodctiun Supervised by Jerome Robbins". Kanin threw a fit about that.
Ohhh that’s interesting! So Ivy Lynn was based on Barbara?
When nepotism goes so, so wrong.
I do feel bad for Beanie but someone should’ve told her no. It would’ve saved everyone a lot of hardship 💯
Exactly. I feel like if the show would have waited and casted Lea first{which they should’ve imo}, it would’ve been golden.
They shoud have replaced her in rehersals.
B.F, couldn't sing that killer score.That's what buried her alive, and displays a supporting actress presence, on a good night, it was a wonderful summer stock performance. I felt it lasted 4 hours.
L.M.,
On her entrance alone, sitting at her makeup table before speaking, I felt here was a leading lady who can not only sing the killer score, she has Star presence. The night I saw her, she was magical and I'm not exaggerating. She was extraordinary, a very commanding presence with great acting chops. So funny.
Out of curiosity, I watched the movie and I was surprised how very little Michelle resembled Barbra.
Kazan I'm certain was fantastic in it, her voice was gorgeous. There's some footage of her singing People.
I like your channel very much, I'm a new Sub.
Lea Michelle has always looked more like Idina Menzel that's why they casted her to play her mother in Glee they looked twins. I was shocked to find out they weren't related growing up
Ugh you're making me so jealous that I couldn't see her perform when I was in NYC, the show was sold out!
I saw Lea perform live and she was literally born for this role I was so excited to see her perform live which I did I brought tickets for my birthday in September and bought the tickets for November. Regardless of how you feel about Lea she was the perfect fit to play this role and you can literally see how much she loves the role every single time she hits the stage. Seeing her perform Don't Rain on my parade live was simply stunning
Too bad you didn't see Barbara, Marilyn or even Benko in the role. Now they were truly born to play the part and never went around proclaiming as such.
I can only experience her via video clips because I don’t have the money, but they still show her absolute amazingness, and she was definitely born for this.
@@meyer8199 I'm not old enough to have seen Barbara live and no offense to Benko I just wasn't interested in seeing her in the role
@@Leamichellefan2244 i got really lucky with those tickets as i got good seats in the back of the front row and got 2 tickets for around $160 but with how expensive they were i honestly don't even want anything for Christmas
@@theoutsiderjess1869 Too bad, you missed a real star. Benko is phenomenal on par with Barbara and Marilyn Michaels. Michele is mediocre at best.
Rachel Bloom from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” should have been the original casting choice. She is the one who truly embodies the spirit of Fannie Brice. Great video btw, very professional and well thought out.
she most definitely was but they probably thought the controversy wasn't worth it until the show got bad reviews which made them risk it
Yes 🙌
Ooooh I’ve never thought about that possibility but Bloom would have been incredible!
I honestly think she would’ve gotten similar reviews to Beanie, so I don’t think that’s fair. Her voice is just OK and she has limited stage experience. The role is too vocally demanding for an average singer. Beanie was cast because she’s funny and that didn’t work out.
@@moppis1937 She has more of a belt than Beanie does, but, yes, I think she would have had issues doing six shows a week. It's a hard part and nothing is going to make it an easy part vocally. I knew the moment I heard Beanie singing on Zoom that she didn't have the voice for it. I was amazed that she was cast in it.
You know, some musical roles on broadway require vocal performances and some require great acting performances, like Henry Higgins, Fanny Brice is definitely a vocal role, if you can't sing those iconic songs, you have no business in that role!!!!
I don’t know who you are, but thank you this show practically lives, and or dies by the performance of its songs, and the people that are excusing Feldstein need to understand that.
I think Lea Michelle’s voice is more shrill it should be. Better than Beanie, for sure, but good lord, Michelle’s voice is not that spectacular. It’s a good, clear voice, but annoyingly shrill. Surely some other, better singers could have done the role justice.
I just saw a touring company of FG and Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny was out of this world! She didn’t try to emulate Barbra, but she definitely sounded like Babs at times. She ran laps around Beanie and Le
Lea was as good of an actress as she was a singer. She totally embodies the role of Fanny.
When I was in my teens 20s I didn’t have the best attitude and I admit I wasn’t the easiest but you grow up and learn from your mistakes.
Lea I’m sure now has learnt and grown and her current cast have liked her a lot ! And she is incredibly talented I seen her live and it was amazing !
Fr especially considering she was the star of a popular tv show at that
As articulate and organized as ever, this channel is truly a bliss to theatre fans all around the world.
Ok, so I know Lea isn't the most beloved celebrity out there. With that being said, I can't even address the irony of the fact that Lea actually introduced me to the Barbra's Church. Of course I'm not saying Barbra depended on her (the way that the real Fanny probably depends on Barbra to be remembered), but by the time Glee came out I was 9 and have heard of her just as a pop singer, but not really her status as a legend. Espeacially a legend of broadway, which was I think kind of stigmatized at that time. Glee and Lea probably boosted Funny Girl's legacy 100 times not only by mentioning it, but by cultivate an admiration for broadway musicals on a young audience.
A compelling perspective ❤️
True! My first exposure of Broadway was Glee. I knew Barbra while watching Glee and Rachel (Lea) ‘s obsession of Funny Girl. I believe that’s the reason why Funny Girl Broadway now reached $2M. If they chose Lea first they earn so much more.
What's so fascinating is people's fixation on Lea being a mean girl...have any of these people met a good chunk of theatre actresses??? Lea is known because she was on tv and was an easy target. There are tons of actors and actresses on Broadway right now who are just terrible humans and you don't hear about it because of the politics of this industry. It's also fascinating to me that this community is so hung up on 'representation' yet is so ready to cheer on someone as genuinely privileged as Beanie just because of her body type. I would love a production to make a big deal about going into more rural underprivileged communities outside New York and do open calls looking for unheard of talent and actually open some doors for people who wouldn't get a chance otherwise. Thousands of talented people are never given opportunity and we have to talk about poor insanely wealthy and connected Beanie cause some people said some mean things online over a role she did not deserve in the slightest is wild to me. That girl has everything she has due to proximity, the end.
Excellent research and work on this. I saw Lea last week and she was amazing.
I think if this wasn’t the first revival since the original, it wouldn’t have been the same. If you had an 80’s revival and another in the late 90’s no one would be comparing. But it was the first. And everyone wanted a Barbara esque production.
No, Beanie still would have been unable to sing it
not a Barbara-esque. Just someone who could actually sing the songs in the right way. Julia wasn't doing Barbara and she was praised too. Lea does NOT do Barbara and she is spectacular. Beanie is cute, funny and gorgeous, and a good singer!! but she ain't👏got👏enough👏of👏a VOICE! 👏 we have to be honest here. we feel bad for her so we tend not to want to admit she is not good enough for that role.
Given the weaknesses in the book, audiences are attending for the music. I don't think Beanie's voice was capable of singing through that score 8 times a week, even with the modifications they put in. With that combined with the weaknesses in the staging, it's no surprise it didn't pan out for her.
I agree that audiences weren't prepared to accept the score changes that were made due to the the legacy of Barbra, perhaps the producers could have tried harder though. Just cutting the end note of Music That Makes Me Dance really invites comparison with the original! If Beanie's going to return to Broadway, I hope she's able to get more training in mixing and breath support before being put in such a big part.
Someone should have been honest with her. I mean, singing off key, pitchy and nasal as she was, should have been major red flags all through rehearsals.
She is built for the stage......in a part that fits her abilities. Even taking away the internet vitriol and backstage "complications", she just isn't built for this particular part and someone should've recognized that before mounting this production.
@@lonellfletcher totally agree…. I think Beanie is lovely and talented, but I never understood how she was cast in this particular part, much less how the producers let her get through rehearsals and the show opening. She was just not suited for the role.
Shes should've never been cast period.
Or maybe, just maybe, theatre arts isn’t just for everyone. You don’t see random actors take random stage play/musical roles just for the sake of it.
A 35 minutes video about the controversy of the year in the Broadway world? I'M IN!!!
There are some classics that are so perfect, that they don't need to be repeated. Julie Andrews owns The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins; Judy Garland owns The Wizard of Oz; Gregory Peck owns To Kill a Mockingbird. This also holds true for Streisand and Funny Girl. It just can't be matched. Over the years, Streisand has been imitated many times, but never matched.
And don't forget Sean Connery as James Bond.
Excellent follow-up to your first Funny Girl doc.
I know people focus on Beanie's weight, but even if that wasn't an issue, she still wasn't right for the part. It was great she had the experience. She wasn't terrible or awful, just not the right fit. Lea was. Case closed. Glad Beanie got the experience anyways. What an opportunity!
no one i know goes to see funny girl for the story; they go to hear the songs and THE VOICE. if u dont have THE VOICE then all the shows biggest problems start becoming glaringly obvious which is what happened with beanie.
Exactly thank you, without the songs you don’t have much and feldstine fans seriously need to get that through there thick heads.
Imo, FUNNY GIRL at its heart is a love story. The believability and chemistry of the two leads is everything. Barbra & Omar had that in spades. Im not sure Beanie & Ramin had that. I didnt see Lea - she was out the night I went. I thought Julie Benko was terrific -& she Ramin had that believability as two people in love.
‘Put to rest’? The show is now a hit on Broadway and shows people will come and see it if Fanny is well casted. I am sad for people who think that it should never be staged again because no one can sing like Barbra. They can sit in their lonely rooms and listen to their old vinyls. Shows need to be seen in a theatre. Music is art, and should be reinterpreted and shown to a new generation. Are we going to start cancelling shows as well?
Well done video btw. Cheers.
It’s…..it’s not a matter of cancelling. There’s a reason why Funny Girl hasn’t been revived on Broadway since the 60s. It is simply not a good show. Streisand gave the turkey wings. It’s not an interesting story and only a handful of songs are memorable (again, thanks to Barbra). Lea is selling tickets but because she’s Lea.
A polished turd is still a turd.
I agree, 100% with everything you just said.
@@williammclean5897 i enjoyed the story while it wasn't as strong or as compelling as let's say Phantom of the Opera I was deeply invested in the story and its far from a turd
I agree with you, I enjoyed the show (though I could be being biased because I’m a fan of Ramin and he’s the only reason I wanted to see it.) and I definitely think it should be brought back someday. Though it probably won’t be back until Barbra has passed on and, forgive me, but that might be for the best, that way her shadow isn’t looming over the show as much as it is now.
@@theoutsiderjess1869
Kinda peak irony to mention Phantom when Ramin Karimloo is staring as Nicky Arnstein in this revival haha.
But as for your comment, I agree with you. I first saw Funny Girl movie over the pandemic and I was surprised by how much I loved it. I enjoyed Fanny and her journey and her path to becoming a star. I liked watching her overcome the hardships while staying true to herself. And I was intrigued by the romantic subplot where she falls for the wrong man who drags her down, but ultimately she's able to overcome and rise again as herself. It's a good story.
However, I can't speak for the live musical since I haven't seen this revival yet. It seems like this show truly lives or dies by the actress cast as Fanny and if she can carry the entire show. Fans go to hear the music/soundtrack. They go to hear the songs. They need an actress who can carry the score. Based on everything that I've read, Beanie couldn't carry the songs but obviously Lea can, and everybody knew she could, since she's been on Broadway already and could carry songs on Glee, as well. The musical production might be too wrapped up in one actress unfortunately, to the point where it might be bland or boring when she's not on stage. That's probably a weakness of the writing. But people go to see the actress carrying the musical, so that's what matters for this role.
I don't think it was fair to the cast or Beanie...to have cast her in that grand show. The cast is so talented and they deserve to have top talent to lead them.
Putting her up with the phenomenon that is Ramin Karimloo didn't help her. I'm sure he was ever gracious but he's just too perfect for Nicky and it made her look even less appropriate.
Didn't know Lea would be taking over until I saw her opening the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!!!
This is so interesting, engaging and educational. Most of all, a fair discussion. You have knocked it out of the park as usual.
OMG the Anne Francis story is kinda tragic because it's untrue. Anne Francis would publish an open letter to Barbra in 2002 stating the whole story was planted by her manager. She confessed that she was essential caught in the middle of a PR scheme and allowed Barbra's reputation to take a hit. Of course Barbra did just fine for herself but stories of alleged diva behavior have dogged Barbra for years.
Here's a Francie open letter to Barbra, which has only survived via blogs and movie sites since her death.
"Dear Barbra,
It has gnawed at me for years that you have believed that I blamed you for
cutting most of my scenes from “Funny Girl.” I felt the sadness of the
misunderstanding all over again when I read a supposed quote of yours last year
saying that you had heard me blame you on a TV talk show. The only talk show I
did on the subject was on Johnny Carson, and Joey Bishop was subbing that night.
I tried to make it plain that I did not blame you, and had no idea why I was cut
from the film. To this day, I don’t know the circumstances that caused the
decision, but I am lead to believe it probably had to do with the length of the
film. The sub plot of Georgia’s histrionics with Florenz Ziegfeld was really not
necessary to the story about Fanny Brice.
In all fairness, I understand that the press believed that I felt that way
because my public relations person, who was also a very dear friend, did believe
it, and she made the statements that were attributed to me. I was caught in the
middle, and rather than point a finger at her, I did the best I could to refute
the story whenever confronted by an interviewer. The whole thing was messy and
painful. I had never been embroiled in that sort of ruckus before. I know you
were going through a lot of flack as well during those stormy days when first
you hit Hollywood (or It hit you!). I had hoped then that it would all blow over
quickly, but when I saw the quote you allegedly made recently, I felt awful once
more.
At the age of thirty five (over the hill in those days!), the role of Georgia
was a great gem for me, and I had high hopes (I had just come off of “Honey
West”) that it would do a lot for my “career.” The flashy role, along with the
drunk scene (which hit the editor’s floor) pretty much cinched the prospect of a
supporting nomination with the Academy that year. So, you can understand the
humiliation when each day a note would be slipped under my dressing room door,
“omit scene so and so.” The scene named would always be the one I had been
called in to do that day. I am not whining, dear lady. We’ve all taken our lumps
in this “Business.” I’m just sharing with you what was going on at that time
with me. You had your own problems. I marveled at how you handled yourself on
your first encounter with the alien world of the film industry.
I have had the greatest respect for your talent and for what you have made of
yourself, Barbra. You are a brilliant woman and I have always wished you the
very best. One more time, it is important for me before I leave this planet to
say, I have never accused you of having the role of Georgia cut to the quick.
God Bless,
Anne Francis
P.S. Your direction of “Prince of Tides” was superb.
Honestly you should be making docs for the big screen - also please do a podcast! I love your content - so amazingly written, amazingly researched and your voice draws me in. Brilliant 🤩
I was curious how Beanie got such a huge role despite her limited experience and vocal ability, and then you realize she's Jonah hill's sister, daughter of a famous wealthy talent agent, and rich Hollywood family.
It bodes just as bad if not worse on the producers and creative team that actually hired her in the first place.
@@StagedRight Well, yes, obviously, no one would question that; it's not Beanie's fault (or at least not entirely), rather it was a dreadfully unprofessional decision from the production team. Whether it was downright nepotism or not, Beanie was just happy to be a part of it, and who can blame her?
And yes, as a professional you should be able to determine with absolute honesty to yourself and your team if you're biting off more than you can chew (and you can see from her pre-opening night interviews that she couldn't believe it, you see it in her nervous little smile that she knew she was being cast in something at a level that was way above her own...), and yet, how could she possibly step away from an opportunity like that one? She would have been mental to reject it.
So, bottom line: the producer's were completely incompetent and unprofessional, and Feldstein couldn't bring herself to say no. Recipe for disaster
@@themarquis336 To her credit, Lanie Kazan left a broadway revival of "The Women", feeling she was miscast as the golddiging Crystal Allen.
And she's looks like Jonah Hill in a wig.
@@StagedRight Backstage politics have been around since Thespis stepped out of the chorus, and will always exist.
Honestly, when I realized where I knew Beanie from (Impeachment), my first thoughts about her casting were disappointments. Lea was born for this role. Diva or not, she's got the vocal prowess and stage presence for this role, and was the only actress today I could really picture in the role anyway. I was thrilled to find out she was taking over and to get another chance to see her on stage.
I have been binge-watching all of the Staged Right videos and loving them! I have watched 10 so far! These are amazing and especially the EDITING!!!! Where does he find all of these great clips? Really great!!!! (: (: (:
You can’t justify 200 up theatre tickets if the cast isn’t up to standards!
I worked for a woman named Linda Gerard and she was Barbra's understudy in Funny Girl.
The problem was never the casting of a full figured woman. If she had the singing chops, I wouldn't have cared at all. I love Beanie and I think she's hilarious.
i feel like this is gonna be talked about for decades.
@NIGHTGUYRYAN: Oh God, I hope not because it’s not that important.
Probably not
Thanks for this balanced take - I feel like through social media, I only saw vitriolic poles on the discussion. The whole story is insane. I love Beanie. She seems lovely. Performance skills aside, it really seems like people spilled a lot of nonsense tea and she got stirred up in the latte.
Beanie also had the bad taste on Broadway to miss a performance or a couple of performances to attend a personal event( christening, wedding?) you don’t do that on Broadway. Also, Leah had a built in audience from Glee. Leah and Barbra deserve each other. As far as their reputations are concerned, they haven’t changed much. Theater people are pretty closed mouth about it all. If you really wanna know the skinny on all of this, you need to talk to the cast, but it would have to be incognito. Her dad and Streisand know each other very well.
@@gilraenn29so dramatic
A very interesting presentation, and I especially liked your closing comments-they were what I was thinking all thru it. Does ‘kindness’ exist in show biz? Probably, but it’s way more in the background than the forefront. There’ll always be powerhouses whose performances we can savor, and that’s fine…..but I’ll always root more for the nice people who are talented but get less attention. The spotlight’s great and all, but it doesn’t always surround you with people who really care about you, or keep you warm at night.
From it's inception, this was innovative marketing excellence at work.. Bennie was a sacrificial lamb.
yupp the pr person has been eating
This is a well produced documentary. Fun and interesting. Couple o' things, though: Yes, yes Beanie was miscast. That's pretty obvious and discussed at length. No there wasn't a wave of excitement about her casting. Beanie and Michelle have the same agent so the transition was awkward but expeditious. Lea's casting and ensuing performance were a relief to the producers as well as the Broadway theater audience, also talked about ad infinitum. Beanie is talented and will recover from all the tumult. One other thing: the Winter Garden announcement, "ladies and gentlemen, in this evening's performance the role of Fanny Brice will be played by...Barbra Streisand" did not occur on Lanie Kazan's intended first understudy performance, it happened on Streisand's last performance in the show on Dec. 27th 1965 as a joke meant to momentarily scare the paying audience. Their relief is obvious. Finally, Barbra had absolutely no power to edit, trim or remove anyone's performance from the FG film. That persistent rumor is delicious gossip, but simply nonsense. Those decisions were Stark's and director, Willie Wyler's.
Thank you for pointing that out about the recorded announcement. I thought the same thing when it was played here.
Thank you for the very unexpected thanks at the end of your video Matt! This was a great video! Love, Carlos Alberto.
Thank you for the photo!
So much content! Great video! Loved the part about og Fanny and her story
I am a fan of her and I am happy for her.
This is very well balanced and quite fair to all involved. Fascinating to see. I thoroughly enjoyed this
Beanie and Lea are beautiful. And they approached Fanny in different ways. The play is simple and sweet, the songs for the most part powerful. There's no reason that this show can't continue for a long time. Mazel tov!!!
I really wished Beanie had the vocal calibre needed for the role. I love her as an actress in the movies she’s been in. I do think she can sing. Not everyone needs to be belter to be a good singer. Her voice just isn’t for the songs in Funny Girl. 😢
Well, I agree with you sir, Beanie shouldn’t have been cast in the first place. As well as Jane Lynch! Don’t get me wrong, I loved Jane in Glee but I think she shouldn’t have been cast as Mrs. Brice. I wish I could go and she Funny Girl now, it seems so right now with Lea and Tovah.
Jane Lynch was so wrong too. She only ever plays...Jane Lynch.
My belief: There has been talk of the show opening back up for a long time with a multitude of great leading ladies. Barbra didnt want any of those women to be in the show because she didnt want to be forgotten about or overlooked when it comes to the show( which she should never because I love her and this role, everything from the movie to the cast recording,) but she might have had all these trys to restart the show stopped in order to preserve her name in the role. So when she heard that someone was Funny Girl was being reopened with someone that may not have been fully qualified, she let it pass. With this in mind, the producers may have always wanted Lea to be Fanny, and having someone who was not completely able to fill the shoes would help it get opened past Barbra, and they could let it run for a bit, than finally replace Beanie with Lea. Thats just a thought though.
They were considering Lady Gaga too!!! Omfg we could’ve had it
Barbara has nothing to worry about. The only two that are in her sphere are Marilyn Michaels and Julie Benko.
@@meyer8199 Julie Benko is not in anyone's sphere. Unless you're one of her weird super-fans. She is a good, if not boring, singer that only got attention because Beanie was just.. really... bad.
@@ToySoldiers Julie Benko should be playing the role period. Has nothing to do with "spheres" and everything to do with talent. What's boring is mediocre talent like lea and know nothing fools that support a television celeb. You can rant all you want, Benko is best. She is in the same league as Marilyn and Barbara. Take it from someone who has seem them all and knows far more than you.
@@meyer8199 I have seen all 3. She is no Barbra. She was good, if not serviceable, but she did not give me chills and I was not left with awe. Lea however? AMAZING. Truly breathtaking. And no, I didn't know Lea from Glee. I saw her in Spring Awakening and she was marvelous there also.
I only wish you'd included a discussion on the Menier Chocolate Factory/West End revival upon which the Broadway revival was based. That production was the beginning of the concept to cast away from a Stresisand-type and also birthed the revised book. It's casting of Sheridan Smith was - for the most part - a success, despite some well publicised issues that arose. Personally, I was unimpressed with her in the role although, given her popularity with television audiences, many loved her in the role (blindly, I figured). As you mentioned re Beanie and song keys, I felt Smith would have been served better with lower keys which would have suited her thin voice better but her gurning grew tired very quickly.
Much like the Broadway revival, the West End revival also saw the understudy take on the role to great acclaim (the far more varied and talented Natasha Barnes who shared the UK tour with Smith).
Of course, Smith got to record a cast album and the UK tour was filmed with her so you can see where the original Broadway concept (now clearly reverted to a bog-standard conceipt) began.
I've heard this as well re: the understudy/alternate on West End having more of the "voice" suited than the original lead actress. Ironically how the same would happen with Beanie and her understudy Julie, as well.
The new recording on Broadway is with Lea, which means they probably waited to see and hesitated to record an album until they found their new voice for Broadway.
A sequel! I love it!
I love your analysis and your frank assessment that Beanie’s casting was a bad decision. She’s the least at fault here for accepting the job; those that decided on her are to blame. Neither her nor Leah deserve any hate for loving this role and going for it.
Funny Girl is mostly known for it's songs. If you can't sing the songs as Streisand sang them. Then you shouldn't have the part. They hired Beanie for her weight. To make it seem different than Streisand. Which was okay. But you can't change the songs.
With Lea's vocal range and talents, I strongly believe if she continues with broadway that she would be a great choice to cast as Elphaba in Wicked as well
Why not half of Hollywood and Broadway already call her witch. Should feel like bedroom slippers to her 🤷♀️⭐️🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
it was not an accident that they cast Idina Menzel as Lea's birth mother on Glee ....
I hope not she is too full of herself- egomaniac
@@playnicechannel youd probably become a witch too if you had to work with that Glee cast, they all pretended to be her friend when they needed her then turned on her after, except Tobin, and Criss.
Agreed, Lea would be a great Elphaba. She definitely has the chops for it
Thank you for this! I stepped away hard from the whole thing back when it all started; kinda curious to see who got the part, but absolutely disgusted with the tone online. I'm glad Beanie got to try. I'm glad Lea finally got the part she's dreamed of since she was a little girl. Any behaviour during rehearsal and run is not our business, and if at all mentioned should be criticism aimed at the producers who fail to foster a good working climate.
The idea that one of the big problems is with the original book misses the point: Isobel Lennart was a screenwriter, and one of her most famous movies was LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME, the musical biopic about Ruth Etting which starred Doris Day and James Cagney. Ray and Fran Stark went to the premiere, and Ray walked out saying to Fran, why can't we do a movie like that about your mother? And so Ray hired Isobel Lennart to write a script about Fanny Brice, and she did. But it took so long, and finally it was decided to bring it to Broadway. If anyone had ever looked at Isobel Lennart's credits, they would have realized that a lot of the structural "holes" come from the fact that a movie doesn't have to have a traditional three-act structure. And the part of Nicky Arnstein was supposed to be large: Fran Stark had a real father complex, and to her, her father was larger-than-life and perfect! And part of Isobel Lennart's task was to ensure that Nicky Arnstein was an idealized person. BTW the one person involved in the original production who was NOT in favor of Barbra Streisand was (initially) Fran Stark.
Loved Love Me or Leave Me! That Fran Stark did not like Streisand was mentioned in the video. With this production and Harvey Fierstein's re-writes, the attempt was made to bring Nicky back into the story, giving him the role he actually played in Fanny's life. Ramin does a wonderful job of bringing him to life, especially with Lea. Someone, not me, on another blog said that Nicky was the driving force of show in many ways, most every plot point involves him. Personally, I would really love to know about what happened to him once he got out of jail. All I know is he never got into trouble with the law after the incarceration alluded to in FG.
I think Fran Stark never liked Barbra Streisand. I think she went to her deathbed resenting how much her cushy life depended on the financial gifts Barbra’s success brought to it.
@@jareddavidhirsh4948 Ouch. One might say that without Fran Stark Barbra would never have had the success she achieved with FG. Without that vehicle, no FG mystique. Not so say should wouldn't have become a superstar - she already had a number of albums - but a show that just couldn't be produced without her? A whole different animal.
I suspect Fran's dislike was more personal. Someone here pointed out that Fran adored her father - Barbra diminished the character of Nicky in the show until it become little more than a bit, so you can't blame Fran for being annoyed. I read somewhere that the show was originally going to be entitle My Man and the Woman Who Loved Him (not sure if that is exact). The title suggesting Nicky was supposed to have a more prominent role. Harvey Fierstein brought back Nicky to some extent in this incarnation of the show that I think Fran would have appreciated.
@@Makeji Fran Stack hung around with the likes of Babe Paley. She thought that Barbra Streisand was too low class and poor to have the “proper breeding” to play her mother. Yes Funny Girl was the major break for Barbra Streisand, when she was 21, but with talent like hers she would have rose to the top(perhaps not as quickly).
The animosity and resentment that Fran Stark felt immediately the first time she saw Barbra perform at the Bon Soir only grew larger year by year. I think Jon Peter’s called her cheap c*** (Fran Stark) in an interview I read.
@@jareddavidhirsh4948 Definitely not nice. Didn't know that. I doubt her mother would have been proud of her (or her father for that matter). What's amusing is Fanny started doing her routines for friends when she was in her teens and worked in burlesque and did figure modeling. Not exactly the behavior of the upper class, although her mother was a solid businesswoman, so they were definitely not poor. Still. Kind of sad what happens to some people when they work/live within an industry - their perceptions get skewed. Thanks for the history lesson.
OMG your explanation was riveting. Thanks!!!!!!!
Gonna be voting third party here - I think Julie Benko is the best actress playing Fanny in this revival. I 100% bought her not as somebody *doing* Barbra as Fanny but rather as Fanny herself, and I can’t say that for Lea or Beanie.
I agree, I saw the show twice (both times with Julie) I have an old movie with Fanny in it (Everybody Sings) and Julie really came off more as the actual Fanny, with the accent and humor.
Though I’m not gonna lie, yes I know the musical is a loose (basically fantasized) adaptation of her story, but the character of Fanny in the show seems very different from the real Fanny Brice. The real Fanny (from how she is in the movie I’ve seen her in and what this guy revealed in the other video about her) didn’t seem to come off as this powerhouse singer claiming to be the greatest star. She came off as a humble but very talented performer.
Very interesting video, thank you for sharing the history of such a famous (at times infamous) production
Well done...I have been following this story closely, with no intention of seeing the revival, I can't afford it, but I had the same optimism about Beanie that you did.. And I hope she has weathered this storm..
There’s also the small factor that Lea had the added advantage of knowing the director who also did Spring awakening. With the reunion special aligning so closely with the announcement I’m sure she personally threw her hat in the ring. And so she should. Just a little possibility to add to the pile I guess.
Funny Girl is Barbra Streisand and Barbra Streisand is Funny Girl. The ticket buyers wanted Streisand and if they couldn’t have the original a faux Streisand like Leah Michelle would do just fine. The ticket buying crowd would overlook the fact that there was absolutely no chemistry between the two leads and Beanie being short and fat, but will not forgive a bad singer with a little voice(at best) singing a score that was tailored to the Streisand voice and personality. You can’t gaslight the public into believing that Beanie’s comic chops are more important than singing a score. The public as a collective whole understands “the truth.” I saw the production 4 times, 2 times with Beanie in preview and once after opening night and then again with Leah in September. I was consistent with my opinion on Beanie’s performance and believability in the roll and it was bad. What I still don’t understand is why everyone acted as though I was fat shaming Beanie because I said she was lousy. Leah was tremendous in portraying Barbra Streisand portraying Fannie Brice.
Did they hand pick beanie or did she audition? Id love to see some of the other people who auditioned also🤔
I believe she was mostly handpicked due to her industry connections. She’s a great performer but isn’t right for this role, which is fine, not everyone is right for every role. She wouldn’t have passed through a normal Broadway audition process.
I agree that bad behavior in the entertainment industry is still awarded and applauded instead of cancelling them all together! Also, people mainly came to see Lea showcase her vocal skills and less on her campy acting, that and combined with her fans who went just to go.
Since celebrities are only being put in to sell tickets, rather than for their "talent", then Ru Paul should have played Brice. Much bigger fan base and far more entertaining than Lea.
One other difference between Bennie and Lea Julie Benko.
The understudy is not supposed to be better than you,the star of the show.
Good point! Here's Julie doing "Parade"
th-cam.com/video/TceBkK09B4Q/w-d-xo.html
You mean better than Beanie. There's something that wasn't touched on in the video, didn't julie also undermine Beanie on social media?
The book was always been a problem. Because of Barbra’s enormous talent is what was focused on. Ever, how can anyone do a show that was tailored to one performer’s spectacular talent? They can’t.
I really enjoyed this but I found the characterization of Streisand a little more rooted in the myth than the actual woman. First lets be clear she would have been 23, about to turn 24 when Funny Girl opened. While she had a featured role in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale" she had never been the lead in a Broadway musical and enjoyed it so much she never did it again. The best creatives will shape their work to their cast and there is little doubt Styne, Merrill, Lennart, Robbins, and Kanin all helped build Funny Girl around Streisand. The notion of Styne, Merrill and Robbins in particular as somehow capitulating to Streisand isn't objectively credible. Where Lainie ends up makes sense. Rather than conniving Streisand was far more likely to have been a little insecure and inexperienced.
Sydney Chaplin had little sway with the creatives before or after his romance with Streisand soured. That Nicky Arnstein isn't a great part has nothing to do with Streisand.
Funny Girl the movie is all about editing, none of the 2nd Act numbers survived the adaptation to the screen. While I'm sure it is fun to propagate the salacious rumor that neophyte film actress Streisand jealously cut all your scenes it sounds more like conjecture than fact. In any case I can't recall anyone anywhere (except for maybe Anne herself) ever clamoring for more Anne Francis in Funny Girl. If it was Streisand that axed her scenes, she wasn't wrong.
Harvey, for the record, has always been clear he was given many restrictions in relation to revising the Funny Girl book.
Lea vs Beanie. Adjusting the keys isn't going to help land numbers like I'm the Greatest Star or DROMP. Sutton Foster isn't a soprano but she knows how to sell a number. She had her critics for singing it differently but she still earned a Tony nom and won a Drama League Award for her performance in The Music Man. The show also ran for a year and supposedly will recoup before it closes. I hope Beanie makes it back to Broadway, a Jean Kerr revival maybe?
Thank you! Spot on about Streisand. And the Anne Francis scenes as Georgia weren't in the play, so it's no surprise they were cut.
People of today, I’m happy you enjoyed the show with Beanie and Lea, whoever. But to those of us who are still around from the good old days, there is virtually zero comparison to the fine, brilliant Broadway show from 1965. There is only one Barbra Streisand and she, for most of us, continues to embody the gold standard performance as Fanny Brice in this enduring Broadway piece of literature. I’ve seen the others, and while they each indeed have gifts, forgive me if even talking about other people portraying Fanny Brice, in “Funny Girl” is like “nails on a chalkboard” to me. There was a grandeur about the older Broadway shows that I miss so much. Forever Barbra! ❤️
Funny Girl is a period piece. That the flaws of Fanny's era is disapproved of today says something about us, and thank goodness! But should we whitewash them in the arts today to suit the sensibilities of a modern audience? Or should we trust the audience to be able to tell the difference between today and yesterday, and appreciate that there were people who had to exist in the norms of their time while paving the way for a different set. Telling stories is important. Tell fantasies. Create parallel universes. But we mustn't be afraid of the period piece. It is where we came from--the bad with the good. For the human race it's one step forward, one step back, with some inching forward now and then to make any headways. Our ancestors had to deal with a lot of injustice, and perpetrated a lot of injustice, too. Fanny was a trailblazer for women and Jews. It was messy, and she had to operate in the grips of her society's norms, but she plugged along brilliantly. Interestingly, we have her wacky tropes to thank for the unpopularity of them today.
Beautifully put👌
Do we whitewash the Mona Lisa? If "modern" audiences are too stupid to see a period piece for what it is, then our society has sunk to a new low.
I questioned Beanie’s casting from the beginning. And I took heat for it in a lot of groups on Facebook to which I belong. I was told, unequivocally that it wasn’t a musical based on the life of Barbra Streisand, and starring Barbra Streisand, it was a musical loosely based on the life of Fanny Brice, and it was right and fitting for a revival to star someone like Feldstein. I naturally hit back citing that Beanie could and would not be able to sing the big numbers like “Don’t Rain on my Parade”, “I’m the greatest star”, and “the Music that makes me dance”, simply because she did not possess the same set of pipes as La Streisand, and moreover having heard Beanie sing, her vocals were thin and weak. So after all the scandal and negative press, Lea Michele finally stepped into the show and by all accounts has saved it. And whilst I can recognise and respect her vocals, she will never ever match the maestro. One only has to listen to Cornet Man to realise why Barbra Streisand immortalised the role, and whilst I am very pleased to see it revived, and it has been saved from ending its run prematurely. It still remains a performance from a woman who went on to become a global superstar in her own right. Sadly I cannot see that happening to Lea Michele, however good a performance she delivers.
Fanny Brice would not have been able to effectively sing the songs from "Funny Girl" as they were built around Barbra's voice, Fanny's voice was not big. Not to mention that Nick wasn't Fanny's first husband and there is no mention of her son in the piece, but that's the way her son wanted it.
Ok, so I went to watch it when Beanie was playing because of Ramin. And honestly, yes, her vocals are not as strong as Lea or Barbara. But I thought it worked because the show was about a girl who does not fit the typical beauty standard. And thus she have to be the “funny girl.” So I thought the casting finally fit with the character. Its just that this show demand strong vocal, and people tend to judge it solely on that.
Beanie doesn't have the voice, needed for funny girl. And her interpretation and phrasing of the lyrics is off.
I think the idea of a Fanny Brice, who was more like the real Fanny Brice, intrigued people. But it cleary didn't work. Whether that was all Beanie's fault or not.The producers should have seen she was wrong for the part before opening night. (I think that was clear from a preview on here TH-cam). And they should have saved her from the slaughter. she inevitably faced. I think letting her go on was cruel and It was even crueler to force her out the way they did.
Besides not having the voice? she obviously didn't have the confidence or the passion that Fanny needed, regardless of how she was played. She is a talented actress and fair singer, but this is not the role for her.
Whatever you or I think of Lea, she has a great voice, She was born to play this role and she is at a point in her life, where she is going through things, that have made her better for this role, than she ever could have been the past.
She has done an amazing job. And she has put enough of the Barbara version of Fanny in there, that people know and love, while still finding a way to make the role her own. It's just a shame she can't win a Tony for it. Because I think she definitely would have!
If the show had an out of town run, Beanie would have never made it to Broadway.
You forgot to mention that Lennart was chosen because Stark originally hired her to write a movie about Fanny (called "My Man"), to star Judy Garland. The movie was never made, so Stark turned it into what became "Funny Girl" for the stage.
I really think the production team as a whole didnt quite know what they wanted or that they threw beanie under the bus to get online discussion boiling. both might honestly be possible and i feel awful that she was low key put through hell for this
Face it…no one will ever equal Barbra’s performance on stage and screen
@tapking40: Well, that’s your opinion and it doesn’t make it right. Or wrong.
Should u do a 3rd part now the Barbra has written a book?
It’s an idea… With respect, I feel like I may be Barbra’d out. I genuinely think someone else could do a better job than me. Also, as I’ve learned, using a memoir as the basis for fact is not always wise.
Since the book has so many issues, I wonder why they didn't do an adaption of the movie version.
This was so good!
Fanny wasn't the right vehicle for Beanie who is quite talented in her own way. Great role for Lea.
Amazing video!
Thanks!
Will see Lea as Fanny this month, and cannot wait. The sneaks have been wonderful. Saw Beanie in the role, and she was just plain awful.
Lea just got lucky.
@@GeorgiaAndrea No, it was the SHOW that got lucky - to have her in it!
@@michaelkwiat5054 I don’t know what you people worship her with this role anyway. Sure she can sing broadway but that’s just it. Her acting is mediocre at best and thanks to Glee, she’s being worshipped by her fans to be Barbra, not Fanny. She is nothing more but a copycat of Barbra.
@@GeorgiaAndrea Hello Georgia - did you even see the show? Lea took the role in a Fannyish direction, deliberately NOT copying Barbra. No one can hold a candle to Barbra, but Lea is such a vast improvement over Beanie that she has made the show coherent and radiant with her talent. I don't worship her - just glad the show has found solid ground with her in the role.
Can you explain why the designs were polarizing? or is there some article I can find? Thanks!
From what I recall, I think some reviewers and even just audience members were underwhelmed with the design in general. Kind of garish at times, utilitarian.
Beanie as Fanny Brice was nepotism gone wrong 😂. The voice is just never there.
Exactly nailed it.
Hi there, I really enjoyed this video, but I do think that it's worth reviewing what you said about Barbra Streisand during the whole Funny Girl process (both the stage show and the film). she goes into quite a lot of detail about it in her memoir and it does shed quite a light on HER side of the comings and goings of the events that took place and the people involved. She talks about it in a profoundly honest way that might differ in some ways from what you mentioned.
@@idogonen3075 Yup, this came out a year before the memoir. Really hated reading about what Sydney Chaplin put her through. Maybe one day I’ll consolidate everything. X
@@StagedRight to think that he almost singlehandedly destroyed the chances for the world of seeing more Barbra on stage!
It’s unfortunate that Beanie was cast in a role that required a far better voice than hers. I guarantee if Beanie had nailed it vocally, the rude and aggressive insults would not have happened. I really hate the type of fat shaming she was subjected to. It only reflects on the hateful people who posted them. And I hate the general gossip that happens online. Congrats to Leah Michelle for doing such a great job.
THANK YOU for this. I love listening to your thoughts on this issue. I also hope that Beanie Feldstein returns to Broadway. She looked like she had FUN on stage. That cannot be faked.
The story of Cass Elliot, who was a member of the Mamas and the Papas and who sang, "Dream a Little Dream of Me" deserves to be turned into a stage production on broadway. Cass had to deal with drug addictions, alcoholism, vicious band infighting, and the hatred of large women - then and now - it is a story that definately needs to be told. In the same way as the ORIGINAL Fame film (not the white-washed TV version), with all it´s grime and sordid reality. The phoenix rises again and that must be the story of Beanie Feldstein.
Keep up the good work!
I didn't know beanie, but for me she doesn't have a strong personality and presence to be fanny brice she's so weak to perform that character, Lea instead seemed a lot strong, I didn't care about the story about how she was behind the scene ( are always opinions that can't be confirm ), the important thing is to get the people on the theatre, sell tickets and that is a thing Lea Achieved in the last weeks.
"Random Gentile On TH-cam?" Streisand has been happily married to James Brolin,an Irish/Scottish-American Gentile for well over 20 yrs.
It’s a self deprecating moment. X
Lee Michelle also started in an Animated movie called Monkeys of Mumbia.
The youtube side at the beginning with BKR and Trixie and Katya, it only missed Max Miller and that could be MY youtube sides.
Great work! Loved every minute. The true problem with mounting Funny Girl on stage is you are competing with the film and 50 plus years of a superstar singing the songs. The public that is perhaps only aware of Funny Girl via Glee only has two versions of People, Don't Rain on my Parade, etc and that's Lea and Streisand. Its very hard to go in any other direction. Also, Fanny is a role that requires the audience to believe they are watching the greatest star. You can't play that; you have to be it. The shows book is clunky and the only reason we still care about the show is Streisand got to do the film and kept singing the songs from the show on TV, in concert, on record. I totally see why the producers tried to go in a totally anti Streisand direction, but its hard to make that work without a true star at the center who can get you to forget the recordings of all the songs. Personally, I'd love to see this show totally rethought or done as a Hello Dolly style show with short runs with various stars where the fun is in seeing a star sing these songs. I can see lots of stars wanting a chance to step in for a month or so.
I saw Barbra in 1965, loved it, but also loved Beanie's interpretation and the changes. Lea was merely a copy of Barbra.
I wanna see Bonnie Milligan as fanny brice🤣
I learned from your first video how Beanie's presence is more like the real Fanny, but it wasn't Fanny for which the soaring songs were written. I always wished they looked at Jessica Vosk when recasting. She has lovely personal story, great voice, and excellent comedic presence.
I think Jessica is amazing, but Lea is phenomenal in the role.
My reaction to Beanie F, despite liking her in many movies, was basically meh. I still wish I had a Time Machine to see Barbra in the original production.
It’s show Business - so like it or not it is a Business with the goal to make Profit. So while as a society as a whole we should invest more in nonprofits and not-for-profits - the issue is that investors put in money in order to make back as much as possible. And Lea has done that & Beanie didn’t seem to be able to be on track to recoup their investment.
Why at 2:09 did you show WEST Broadway, which is in Soho - waaaay south of the Theater District. ALSO: In Wm. Mann's book Hello Gorgeous, he maintains that no one wanted Streisand EXCEPT FOR Frances, who had ultimate approval on casting (along with everything else).
Hey Steve. I read two books that stated Frances did not want Barbra. The Barbra Archives online also state this multiple times. Can’t really vouch for what this other book says. Also: I’m working with what I have. A tricky thing while researching is some authors of various biographies contradict each other. They spin facts or make conflations and mistakes. So while Frances did ultimately have final say on much of the casting (she didn’t want Jerry Orbach to play Nicky), she may have been trumped by Ray as producer from a business perspective. As I said in this video, Barbra was a startling talent who was an inevitable star and Frances may have had to just put up with Barbra who she felt was too ‘quirky and ethnic’. All while making a fortune off of her performance. Boo boo.
As for the ‘Broadway’ in So Ho shot… If I remember correctly, I actually just liked how quiet and removed the shot was from the theatre district. It’s also a rather innocuous moment in the video and if it bothers you, well, I can’t really say much. I’m usually just trying to determine whether I’ve pissed off Beanie or Lea fans the most based on the comments here…
@@StagedRight Oh, I was just teasing about the "West Broadway" clip. Your argument is fair; I'd just add that Barbra had already developed a reputation for her obvious boredom into the run of I Can Get It for You Wholesale and the way she would add bits of "business" to the anger of cast members & the director. I saw Funny Girl just before she decamped for Hollywood, and even to a little hick like me it was obvious that she was walking through the performance.
never been a fan of lea, and don't have any doubts she was a pain in the @$$ to work with on 'glee', but i'm not sure it's in anyone's interest to fixate on accounts of someone's behavior from 10yrs ago.. . i think ppl SHOULD be allowed to grow up and prove they can/will do better.. . otherwise if ppl are supposed to be forever punished for their past behavior then we're creating an environment where there's really no incentive to for anyone to ever take accountability, own up to past mistakes, and ultimately become a better person. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thank you! It seems she will always be thrown under the bus for Glee, shes a wife and mom now her priorities I'm sure have shifted.
It not only glee, others from others' projects also complains. We don't know if she really changed. She needs to show and not tell. If Lea is a full-blown out narcissistic, it is unlikely that she changed without the help of a professional.
That role was _so_ Streisand. Even with Lea Michelle, it’s a pale imitation. Listening to Julie Benko, I don't get why they didn't just finish the run with her. She was great.
I echo your sentiment at the end. When this run is over, Funny Girl should be put down ala Old Yeller. I saw Feldstein in June and it was three hours and $100 I will never get back. Obnoxious, cloying, and embarrassing. Her ovation was not that of the greatest star giving a virtuoso performance, but rather the kind of sympathetic cheers given to a valiant cancer patient.
It's interesting because I think with Barbra, it makes Funny Girl at odds with itself in such a way that remains unsolvable to this day. Fanny Brice's story is one about using your "flaws" to your advantage within the entertainment industry, and whilst Barbra's Fanny does practice this within the musical, her story is one of using your talent to change the perception of your beauty - everyone fell in love with her for her beauty, which uses quirks inspired by Fanny (though also very much Barbra) to come across endearing, but the music of it is the centrepiece, and Barbra's singing is beautiful. Fanny's story is to specifically profit off of exploiting her Jewishness, Barbra's Fanny's story is to become beautiful to the live audience - which is how Barbra's performance lives in memory, beautiful.
This may explain why people were so pressed and hateful toward Beanie - Barbra's version made the story one no longer about the performances of Fanny Brice or embracing flaws, but one about being talented and beautiful, and unfortunately to many her inability to sing like Barbra. I'm not saying Beanie isn't beautiful, but people online found that she wasn't; I think this is due obviously in part to her looks, even though casting an unconventionally attractive actress for Fanny made sense back when Barbra did it, people remember Barbra as beautiful and expected that. You'd then expect Beanie to be able to do what Fanny did - sing her way into endearing the audience. And it's clear audiences weren't convinced.
I think in this way, Lea Michele's rise to the role makes perfect sense - Barbra's Fanny in memory is not a story about Fanny as a person, it's a vehicle to showcase a big voice in an adorkably attractive character. Michele was kind of pimped out on Glee, really attempted to be sold as attractive to the audience (which was VERY strange, but anyway), but even the character of Rachel Berry has been collectively found annoying (I love her, mostly in Season 1, but I digress) let alone the perceptions of Lea as a person. She kind of has the same thing going that the Barbra production does in that Fanny's personality is secondary to taking in the awe of her talent (though Fanny is much more endearing than Lea or Rachel in personality). As Kurt Hummel once said, "She may be difficult, but boy can she sing." The Rachel Berry solos get tiresome, but people agree they are technically some of the best on the show - even if you don't like her "awful" personality, she has a seemingly beautiful talent to offer.