Jane Lynch Addresses Timing Of Broadway Exit Coinciding With Lea Michele Arrival

Lynch dismissed the exit as pure coincidence.

Circumstances seemed kind of fishy, or funny, but there really was nothing off about Jane Lynch’s exit from Broadway’s Funny Girl.

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Far from it, she said.

And no, she didn’t leave because Lea Michele is coming in, she added.

“I have a vacation August 14th, and then I had just like five shows after that, and it’s a six-hour flight, so I thought, ‘Let’s end it now,’ ” Lynch told Playbill. “It has nothing to do with not wanting to see Lea.”

Lynch, 62, plays Mrs. Brice in the production. Her last performance was scheduled for Sept. 4. And she won’t just be on vacation. She will also be attending the Creative Arts Emmys in Los Angeles on Sept. 1, having been nominated for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for her work on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.

As for Funny Girl, Lynch reiterated she is happy for Michele, her co-star on Glee. Michele will replace Beanie Feldstein in Funny Girl, playing the role of Fanny Brice.

“I text with Lea. She and I are fine. I’m thrilled for her,” Lynch said. “I love working with [current Fanny] Julie [Benko]. I loved working with Beanie. There’s no drama here. None.”

The fact some people even suspected that there may have been some drama is, well, downright funny. At least, that’s the way Lynch appears to see it.

How does Lynch do it every day?

As for being funny on a nightly basis in Funny Girl, Lynch told Playbill it takes a team.

“Well, that’s the thing about being in a play—you leave all of that behind as soon as you step through the stage door, and when you’re in the theatre, it’s all about putting on a play,” she said. “That’s my favorite thing about live theatre, that you’re a part of a group and you kind of forget your own individual identity and work for this group on putting on the show.

“I bet if you asked every performer on Broadway, or anywhere they’re doing a play, they would say the same thing. It’s a sacred space. We just keep it positive. Nobody talks about that stuff. If anybody’s reading it, they keep it to themselves. We’re there for each other. And that’s why I love it so much.”

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