This bagel’s departing the plate full of onion rolls earlier than anticipated. Beanie Feldstein, the star of Broadway’s Funny Girl, said Sunday evening that she plans to depart the musical two months ahead of the previously announced date. Rather than Sept. 25, she’ll take her final bow on July 31, Feldstein said in an Instagram post. “Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine,” Feldstein wrote, “and doing so for the last few months has been a great joy and true honor. Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated.” The actress did not elaborate on the production’s “different direction.” Though rumors have been swirling for weeks that Glee alum Lea Michele will be Feldstein’s replacement, the show’s producers have made no comment on casting. But Fanny fans won’t have to hold their breath for too long: The Funny Girl Twitter account posted an update around the same time Feldstein made her announcement, promising “exciting casting announcements” to come early Monday afternoon.
