The dramatic off-stage saga of Beanie Feldstein quitting Broadway musical Funny Girl early, and Lea Michele being announced as her replacement in the role of Fanny Brice, has been given a fresh piquancy with the revelation that both actors are being represented by the same theater agent.
The Daily Beast has learned that David Kalodner, of top agency WME’s theater department, is representing both stars. Kalodner, via his representatives, did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday about how he had balanced the actors’ different interests in the backstage negotiations that have led Michele to replace Feldstein in the show.
In a wide-ranging article charting the tumult of the last few weeks and months, and producer disagreements over Feldstein playing the role, a senior show source told The Daily Beast that Michele had signed up to play Brice a short time after this year’s Tony Awards, and that Feldstein had banned producers from directly speaking to her after a Gawker article was published, reporting Michele was set to succeed her—even though, by that time the source said, Michele had already signed on the dotted line. Reps for Feldstein, Michele, and Funny Girl did not respond to requests for comment.
Read it at The Daily Beast
