at eight years old, michele went with a friend to an open casting call for a musical. she decided on a whim she wanted to try out. she was offered the part and made her debut on broadway in 1995 as a replacement in the role of young cosette in the new york city showing of "les misérables". then, in 1998, she played tateh's daughter, the little girl, in the original broadway cast of "ragtime". in 2004, michele played shprintze and chava in the broadway revival of the musical "fiddler on the roof". she also sang on the 2003 broadway revival cast recording of "fiddler on the roof".