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Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Lea Michele was met with multiple standing ovations while making her debut in the Broadway musical Funny Girl. The 36-year-old singer and actress received six standing ovations during her debut performance Tuesday at August Wilson Theatre in New York.
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Michele, who replaces Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice, was greeted with a standing ovation as soon as she took the stage.
Michele and the cast also took their first bows to a standing ovation, as seen in a video on the Funny Girl official Instagram account.
Michele's former Glee co-star Jonathan Groff, Glee creator Ryan Murphy, and actors Drew Barrymore, Zachary Quinto and Lee Pace were among the stars in the audience.
Michele paid tribute to Feldstein, Julie Benko, Ephie Aardema and Barbra Streisand, who originated the role of Fanny on Broadway, in a post on Instagram Stories ahead of her debut.
"For the Fannys who have fearlessly graced this stage before me @beaniefeldstein @jujujuliebee @ephieaardema you all have climbed the mountain that is Fanny and I am honored to be in your company," she wrote. "And of course @barbrastreisand our queen."
Funny Girl marks Michele's first Broadway role since Wendla Bergmann in the 2006 musical Spring Awakening. The actress is best known for playing Rachel Berry on Glee, which had a six-season run on Fox from 2009 to 2015.
Michele has largely kept out of the spotlight since former Glee actress Samantha Marie Ware accused her in 2020 of making the Glee set "a living hell." Michele apologized at the time for "any pain" she caused.
