The Bubble Has Finally Exploded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                               

                                      Darlings, I am telling you, when the smoke clears, and history settles in, this could be the "All About Eve" of our time.  Going back almost a year, to when it was announced Beanie Feldstein would perform the lead in "Funny Girl," I, like many intelligent Theater Queens, knew she was wrong for the role.  And when I saw the performance, on April 2, well, it was worse than I thought.  Then came the reviews.  Then no TONY nomination.  And Beanie, a garden variety spoiled brat, acted like such, missing performances, saying how much she cared about her dream, when she had lost it.  Let me tell you, if I was performing a dream role, nothing, not even the critics, could stop me from getting out there and doing it.  Did you know Richard Feldstein, her father, was one of the show's producers?  And that Beanie did not even have to audition for the role?  Which explains why, before a single performance was given, she requested, and got days off.  Some just four days after the opening.   There was no doubt, girls, Daddy bought his dumpling a Broadway show.

                                        But when Beanie did not get the reviews or the TONY nod, she just lost interest, and started skipping shows.  Plus, she got engaged to be married, so that, not the show, became her priority.  Hey, Beanie is not only a non-team player, but she is also fickle.  And, yes, spoiled.  So, she and Jane Lynch announced their departures from the show, to take place on September 25.  Fine.  Many of us couldn't wait to see Beanie go; especially those having seen her perform.

                                            However, this past Sunday, Beanie busted forth and announced she would be leaving on July 31, two months before scheduled.  Jane Lynch, too.  Something was going on.  With Beanie, it was simply that the producers finally owned to having made a mistake, savaging any future career for director Michael Mayer, and deservedly.  So, it is farewell and good riddance to Beannie, who, in ten years, will be a Long Island housewife with a baby, unless Daddy promotes her in some Off-Broadway vanity show which no one will come to see.  She is almost as nuts as Bette Davis in 'Baby Jane!' The producers, in order to cut ties with Beanie sooner, fired her, and bought out her contract.  Hey, it couldn't happen to a better person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                As for Jane....Lynch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Yesterday, it was announced that Lea Michele, and Tovah Feldshuh, would replace Beanie and Jane, beginning September 6.  Someone must have been reading this blog, because I have been touting Tovah ever since Jane's departure was announced.  I even said Tovah should have been cast in the first place.  So, I am dancing all over the place, for her!

                                                Now, Lea Michele is the snake in the grass of this whole story.  I remember her less than stellar performance of "Don't Rain On My Parade," on the 2011 TONY Awards.  This was to have served as a sort of audition for her to do "Funny Girl."  But Lea screwed up, so everyone thought that was it for Lea's chances.  Except for Lea.

                                                    That whole bit, about her having dinner with Michael Mayer, saying what a wonderful choice Beanie was, and sending Beanie a congratulatory card about her being "the greatest star" was pure bullshit.  In reality, Lea was gunning from the role even then, probably having learned that Daddy bought her the show, because otherwise Beanie would not get it.  Lea knew Beanie would implode, and when she did, there she would be, ready to go on.  Which is pretty much what happened.  I mean, she got away with Naya Rivera's murder, so to step into the Anne Baxter/Eve Harrington role is nothing for Lea.

                                                         However, Lea screwed up once, she could do it again.  At 35, even from a stage distance, her skin looks hardened.  Can she sustain the show's schedule?  She had requested two nights off, but was only granted Thursday, when Julie Benko will go on.  Julie will also perform exclusively from August 2 to September 4, so already she has more shows under her belt than Lea.  I am sure when Lea and Julie cross paths, Lea will let her know up front who the Queen Bee at the August Wilson Theatre is.  Which explains why Jane Lynch is departing early; after bearing several years of Lea's behavior, she does not want any more.  I don't blame her.

                                                           Yes, dears, the bubble has exploded, but the story will go on.  I am sure, once this show is done, someone will reveal the truth, which may be more than even I have recorded.  My hope is if Lea acts up, Tovah, a gracious lady, but also a tough cookie who has been around theater longer than Lea, will set her straight.  But that remains to be seen.

                                                                David and I will be seeing Lea and Tovah.  We have to, just to see if Lea can claim to do what she has maintained all along.

                                                                 It is certainly too bad Al Hirschfeld is not around.  I would love to end this post with a cartoon of his, showing Beanie getting her fat ass booted out of the August Wilson Theatre, and Broadway, for good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                  See you on the aisle, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!