“Funny Girl” has had a funny time on Broadway. But now, it’s planning a farewell.
The first revival ever of the famed musical that starred Barbra Streisand will ring down the curtain on September 3, 2023. That will be one year after Lea Michele and Tovah Feldshuh stepped in and saved the show that had opened in April 2022.
When the new cast came in, box office receipts — which had been spotty — suddenly took off like crazy. In the first week, box office shot up by $1 million to $1.6 mil. The show was sold out and people were paying top dollar just to get in.
As recently as February 12, 2023, the box office was up to $1.8 million, an amazing feat.
Back during the pre-Lea Michele fun, Beanie Feldstein missed a lot of shows, which contributed to the problems. Recently, Lea Michele has been out some, too. Her standby, Julie Benko, plays every Thursday.
This past week showed that interest in “Funny Girl” collapses with Lea Michele’s absence — she was on vacation. Last week’s box office was down around 50% from February 12th. The show took an expected nose dive. Lea Michele’s back now, so the numbers will rise, but producers obviously see the writing on the wall. By September 3rd, “Funny Girl” will have fulfilled its mission.
