According to critics, Lea Michele finally gives theater kids the Funny Girl they deserve
With Lea Michele in the lead, critics find something nice to say about Funny Girl

Few names strike fear into the heart of mere mortals quite like Lea Michele. Since her time on Glee, Michele’s striving for modern-day Streisand status has made her a fixture of tabloids, Tumblr, and gossip, from her co-workers accusing her of microaggressions to all those illiteracy rumors. People love to talk about Lea Michele almost as much as they love to see her perform.
But while her personal life can sometimes overshadow her talent, she’s been chasing the role of Fanny Brice from Funny Girl for years, performing songs on Glee and in person and telling whoever would listen that she’s ready for the revival at a moment’s notice. So when Beanie Feldstein took the role to more or less disastrous ends, Tony watchers around the country wondered when Michele would get her crack at treading the boards on the Great White Way as Fanny Brice.
The wait was worth it, apparently. Taking over for Feldstein last month, Michele’s inaugural run has earned rave reviews, with the word “spectacular” being a frequently printed adjective or, as EW put it, “simply spectacular.” Writer Jessica Derschowitz continues by rightly comparing Michele to a “stealth missile”:
Those who come to the August Wilson expecting Michele to blow the roof off the place won’t be disappointed. The surrounding buildings on 52nd Street should brace for impact, too. Michele uses her voice like a stealth missile, belting easily through marquee songs like “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and earning all the enthusiastic applause she gets for them.
Deadline also liked the word “spectacular,” and, like EW, enjoyed putting things “simply.”