The Way 'Funny Girl' Producers Are Ignoring Lea Michele's Troublesome Past Is Disgusting

Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

A couple of years ago, I was at a BroadwayCon and I was having an interesting conversation with an aspiring theater student.

She told me that she was in the midst of her first year in high school. She had just been cast in her first musical. We talked about her favorite performers, the type of school she was going to, and why she wanted to pursue performing as a career.

But it was one question she asked me that gave me pause at the time and has been on my mind ever since.

“Will Broadway embrace someone like me?”

I struggled to answer that question. After all, I was talking to a young Black aspiring theater student who was so excited about the potential of fulfilling her dreams. At the same time, this was before the massive call to action for better representation on Broadway.

“I really believe it will,” I said. “I know there are good people working in this industry who are trying to impact change.”

She smiled. We chatted for a couple of minutes more about what she was planning on doing while she was in town with her family. And then she left.

I don’t know if that was the right answer. To be honest, I don’t know if there was a right answer at the time. However, after watching the events that have unfolded with Lea Michele‘s casting in ‘Funny Girl’, I feel like I lied to her.

A couple of days ago, I wrote a piece about the situation where I stated that it felt like “watching a Karen win a Nobel Peace Prize.” I caught some flack for that, but I don’t take it back. I meant every word. Because it really does feel like that.

Then yesterday, the Daily Beast published an article that included some very candid comments from a coproducer of ‘Funny Girl’ that confirmed every question I had as to why producers were ignoring Michele’s very problematic past and just blindly giving her the reigns to the production.

They said,

“The senior show source said they were not nervous of Michele’s alleged bullying of colleagues and diva antics, putting it down to youth, the “snippiness” that can happen when working under pressure, and the “pressures of fame” as experienced when young.”

This quote didn’t surprise me. I’ve heard it said firsthand many times when there have been similar situations with equally, if not more problematic people. As long as there are talented people, there will be people making excuses for their awful behavior. We need to stop asking where the line is that someone has to step over in order to never be afforded the privilege of performing on Broadway or professionally again. Because that line doesn’t exist. I don’t know if it ever has.

Now, if you think I’m being unfair to Lea Michele, or that she should be given the benefit of the doubt, or she should just be given a second chance - what you really need to understand is that forgiveness and second chances and the benefit of the doubt should be afforded to people that have done the work to earn it.

Lea Michele has not earned it.

When all of the controversy and accusations came out, some of which were downright horrifying, Lea Michele only issued a public statement of apology. Judging from the words of those who brought forth the allegations, she did not privately reach out to apologize nor has she done anything in terms of doing the work to show that she’s a better person and has truly changed.

All she did was basically disappear for a year and then come back to the public eye with a ‘Spring Awakening’ reunion. Because of that, we’re supposed to just welcome her back with flowers and hugs?

It shouldn’t work like that.

Not in 2022.

Not after everything we’ve been through and trying to change in this industry.

But what I find extraordinarily disgusting is the way the producers are turning a blind eye and making excuses for Lea Michele and why they are casting her. It terrifies me that this is the first step towards erasing any progress we’ve made in terms of making this industry better and safer.

The producers of this show must think that we’re morons, and in regards to a certain population that buys tickets to these shows, they’re not wrong in that belief.

So what can we do? I honestly don’t know at this point.

We can stay loud on social media. We can start hashtags. We can boycott shows. But does any of that make a difference in the end? Because when you look at the majority demographic that buys tickets to these shows, they don’t necessarily give a shit about the problematic histories of the performers that are paying to see. They just want to see a good show.

My hope is that situations like these inspire a new generation of theater students to not aspire to be performers but to be producers, to be directors, to be people that can be in places of power and change the course of how this industry is run.

It might take decades for that to happen.

But I’m hopeful. I have to be.