Michele Eyes 'Fanny Brice' Role in Broadway's FUNNY GIRL

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, Broadway producer Bob Boyett is endeavoring to revive FUNNY GIRL on Broadway with famed director Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, Awake and Sing, The Light in the Piazza) at the helm. The pair are currently planning a six week out-of-town tryout in late 2011 in preparation for a swift Broadway transfer later that season, according to the report. This would be the first revival of the show on Broadway.  Boyett currently secures the rights.

No additional details are in place yet for the project, however, the pair can count on one Lea Michele to be in line for a 'Fanny Brice' audition, in the hopes of recreating the role made famous by Barbra Streisand in the 1964 original production.

Michele tells the New York Times: "I literally would film ‘Glee' during the day, fly at night, play Fanny Brice, get back on a plane, go play Rachel Berry, do a Fanny Brice matinee, go film ‘Glee' at night...It's such an incredible role, but right now Rachel's only a sophomore. I have to make sure she graduates first. I have to get her that diploma."

Boyett has been noncommital about the Michele option, but has only had complimentary things to say of the songbird. To read Boyett's interview in the New York Times, click here.

FUNNY GIRL has a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of Broadway, film star and comedienne Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein. The musical was produced by Ray Stark, who was Brice's son-in-law via his marriage to her daughter Frances, and starred Barbra Streisand. The production was nominated for eight Tony Awards but, facing tough competition from Hello, Dolly!, it failed to win in any categories.

In the meantime, Michele is enjoying her emmy nomination, announced this morning. She says of GLEE's 19 nominations, including her own:  "When the Golden Globe nominations came out...we were in the middle of filming and we were working, and we were very aware of the things that were coming up...I knew this was coming up but I haven't felt I was in it. Maybe that was good, because I woke up this morning and it was such an awesome shock."