In a shocking turn of events, Elton John’s much-anticipated musical Tammy Faye has posted an abrupt closing notice on Broadway, barely a month after its star-studded opening night. The sudden demise of this high-profile production has sent shockwaves through the theater community and left fans wondering what went wrong.
From West End Triumph to Broadway Bust
Tammy Faye, which chronicles the rise and fall of the eponymous televangelist, first premiered to critical acclaim and sold-out houses at London’s Almeida Theatre in 2022. The show, featuring music by Elton John, lyrics by Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, and a book by award-winning playwright James Graham, seemed poised for success.
Its West End run garnered rave reviews and an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Musical. Katie Brayben won an Olivier for her powerhouse performance as Tammy Faye Bakker. The buzz was palpable as the production prepared to transfer to Broadway, with many pundits predicting it would be a major contender in the upcoming Tony Awards race.
A Muted Broadway Reception
However, something was lost in translation as Tammy Faye made the journey across the pond. Despite a top-notch creative team and the retention of Brayben in the title role, opposite Broadway favorite Christian Borle as Jim Bakker, the musical failed to connect with New York critics and audiences alike.
Reviews ranged from tepid to outright pans, with the New York Times dubbing it “strangely bland” and Variety deeming it “misguided.”
– According to theater insiders
Ticket sales were sluggish from the start, with the show playing to half-empty houses even in its first weeks of previews. The disappointing box office and lack of positive word-of-mouth sealed Tammy Faye’s fate, leading producers to post a closing notice just 24 performances into the musical’s official run.
Elton John’s Passion Project
For Elton John, Tammy Faye was a deeply personal endeavor. The music icon has spoken openly about his admiration for the late televangelist, particularly her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community at the height of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
“She won me over when she did that,” Elton John said of Tammy Faye’s famous 1985 interview with Steve Pieters, a gay pastor living with HIV. “It was pretty remarkable for someone in the religious community.”
– According to a source close to the production
John poured his heart and soul into the musical, collaborating closely with Shears and Graham to bring Tammy Faye’s story to life on stage. The creative team aimed to capture the essence of this complex, often misunderstood figure, highlighting both her charisma and her flaws.
An Uncertain Future
As Tammy Faye plays its final weeks at the Palace Theatre, questions linger about what could have been done differently. Some have speculated that the show’s campy, over-the-top style, which played well in London, proved too niche for mainstream Broadway audiences. Others wonder if the subject matter itself was too esoteric, with younger theatergoers unfamiliar with the Bakkers’ televangelist empire and scandalous downfall.
The premature closing of Tammy Faye is a bitter pill to swallow for Elton John and the show’s creators, who believed deeply in the project. It remains to be seen if the musical will have an afterlife in regional productions or international stagings, or if it will become a footnote in Broadway history, a cautionary tale of a surefire hit that failed to live up to expectations.
As the curtain falls on Tammy Faye’s brief Broadway run, one thing is certain: The unpredictable, high-stakes world of commercial theater remains as thrilling and unforgiving as ever, where even the most promising productions can struggle to find their footing. For now, Elton John and company will have to chalk this one up as a learning experience, a reminder that in the world of Broadway, there are no guarantees.
