The actress announced Sunday in an Instagram post that she will be leaving the show on July 31. Last month, producers said she and co-star Jane Lynch would be exiting their roles on September 25 instead of the end of the year as originally expected. In her post, Feldstein said the decision came after producers “decided to take the show in a different direction,” but did not elaborate. “Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so over the past few months has been a great joy and a true honor,” she wrote. “Once production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away earlier than expected.” She went on to praise her co-stars and crew and thanked those who came to see her performance. “I will never forget this experience and from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank every person who came to August Wilson for the love and support you showed me and our amazing cast and crew,” she wrote. “The people I’ve had the great pleasure of bringing Funny Girl to life every night, both on and off the stage, are all incredibly talented and wonderful people, and I hope you’ll continue to join them on Henry Street after I leave on July 31 . .” The show’s official Twitter account tweeted Sunday that “exciting casting announcements” will be revealed at 1 p.m. ET on Monday. Understudy Ephie Aardema debuted the role on Sunday, according to a tweet reposted by the official account. The revival debuted in April to mixed reviews, with many arguing that it failed to fill the big shoes left by Barbra Streisand, who originated the role on Broadway in 1964, earning a Tony nom and then winning an Oscar for her performance in 1968. film adaptation. Feldstein “has a wonderful, light voice in a piece that often calls for the power of a big belt,” David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote in his review, noting that Streisand’s legacy “is a lot for any artist.” Feldstein last month missed several shows after testing positive for COVID-19. The current revival earned a single Tony nomination at the 2022 ceremony, for actor Jared Grimes. Lynch plays her mother, while Grimes plays Eddie Ryan and Ramin Karimloo plays Nick Arnstein. In their statement last month, producers said Gimes and Karimloo would continue. “Beanie is coming back tomorrow!” The show’s official Twitter account posted on June 15. “14 weeks left to see Beanie Feldstein & Jane Lynch until September 25th. Stay tuned for additional casting news to join Ramin Karimloo & Jared Grimes and the Funny Girl crew.” Stay tuned gorgeous… pic.twitter.com/s9DIfSq2Jg — Funny Girl on Broadway (@FunnyGirlBwy) July 10, 2022
