Kazan made her Broadway debut in 1961 with the musical "The Happiest Girl in the World." She appeared the following year in another musical, "Bravo Giovanni," and understudied Barbra Streisand for the lead role of Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" (1964). When Streisand could not perform due to a throat condition, Kazan took her place in a matinee and evening performance for one day of the show's run. Her popularity increasing, Kazan posed nude for the October 1970 issue of "Playboy," which was reused in "Pocket Playboy" #4, issued in 1974. Her appearance in the magazine opened the door for her to headline and operate two different Playboy Jazz Clubs. Overseen by Hugh Hefner, the clubs were named Lainie's Room West and Lainie's Room East, each on opposite coasts, with the first one located in Los Angeles and the other in Manhattan. Her "Playboy" photographs inspired the look of Jack Kirby’s superheroine Big Barda.