'Funny Girl' actress Beanie Feldstein reveals early exit, calls it a great joy and a true honor

“Funny Girl” star Beanie Feldstein may be known for her comedic chops, but she isn’t joking around when she announces that she is leaving the Broadway production a few months early.  The Golden Globe-nominated actress confirmed her exit from the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl" in an Instagram post-Sunday. The 31st of July will be Feldstein's last show. “The opportunity to play Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so for the last few months has been a true honor and joy,” Feldstein wrote.

While she did not go into too much detail, she cited creative differences as the reason for her departure. As soon as the production decided to take the show in a different direction, Feldstein had to make the extremely difficult decision to step down. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for showing me and our amazing cast and crew such love and support during this incredible experience." "Every night, I've had the great pleasure of bringing Funny Girl to life with incredibly talented and exceptional people, both on and off stage, and I hope you'll continue to join them on Henry Street after I leave."

Feldstein was originally scheduled to appear in the show until Sept. 25 with co-star Jane Lynch, who plays Mrs. Brice. Also on Sunday, the account shared that new casting announcements would be made on Monday. "Funny Girl", a musical dramedy inspired by the life and career of real-life comedian Fanny Brice, depicts Brice's rise to fame and turbulent relationship with gambler Nicky Arnstein. A film adaptation of the show starred Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif in 1968, earning Streisand an Oscar for best actress.