Stage and screen star Idina Menzel will be singing another tune on GLEE: the actress will bring "Funny Girl" to the small screen.
Hollywoodnews.com recently spoke to GLEE creator Ryan Murphy: "Idina Menzel sings Funny Girl which was written for this movie," Murphy said. "It was not in the Broadway show so that's sort of our Funny Girl homage."
Murphy adds that ""The thing about [Funny Girl, the movie] that I think is so beautiful, and I talk about Glee in this way, Glee to me is about the most different thing about you is the most beautiful thing about you," Murphy said. "I think that is the key to this movie. I remember, even at three, looking at Barbra Streisand - I grew up in Indiana by the way - and thinking, ‘Oh, I get that. I get her energy. I get that idea that you're kind of not beautiful or perfect but there's something in you that is.' It really made a huge impact on me and infused all of my creativity."
Murphy, a huge fan of Streisand, finally got to meet the star, although in his former career as a journalist. In 1991, Murphy interviewed Streisand for The Prince of Tides.
"I was a journalist and I got to meet Barbra and I was alone with her in a room for one hour which was my fantasy of all time," Murphy said. "We talked and talked and talked. At the end of it I said, ‘I really so loved you in Funny Girl. I wish you would do something else like Funny Girl.' She looked at me and she got tears in her eyes and she said, ‘Once in a lifetime.' Then she said, ‘Okay, your time is up.'"
To read the entire hollywoodnews.com interview, click here.
Recent winner of the People's Choice Award for Best New Comedy and Golden Globe winner for Best Television Series Comedy or Musical, GLEE, the new musical comedy series, follows an optimistic teacher who - against all odds and a malicious cheerleading coach - attempts to save McKinley High's Glee Club from obscurity while helping a group of aspiring underdogs realize their true star potential.
The show, which also garnered Golden Globe recognition, stars Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz.
GLEE is produced by Ryan Murphy Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan are co-creators of the series. Murphy, Falchuk and Dante di Loreto serve as executive producers, while Ian Brennan serves as co-executive producer.
GLEE airs on FOX Tuesdays at 9:000pm.
