Tammy Faye Broadway Musical to Close After Just 29 Performances Amid Criticism and Low Ticket Sales
tammy faye musical broadway, The highly anticipated Broadway musical Tammy Faye, based on the life of infamous ’80s televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, is set to close less than a month after its official debut on November 14. The show, produced by Elton John, will end its run at the Palace Theatre on December 8, following a total of 24 preview performances and 29 regular shows.
Despite the star power behind the production, which featured new music by the legendary Elton John and lyrics by Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters, Tammy Faye struggled both with critics and at the box office. Critics were quick to point out the musical’s flaws, with New York Daily News critic Chris Jones calling it a “sneering and superficial production,” accusing it of lacking a clear purpose and feeling dismissive of its American subjects.
Audience interest appeared lukewarm as well, with the show playing to only 63% of its seating capacity last week, according to The Broadway League. Reports indicated that Tammy Faye was capitalized at a hefty $22 million.
The show’s brief Broadway run follows its more successful debut in London’s West End in 2022, where it garnered four Olivier Award nominations, including Best Musical. Katie Brayben, who earned praise for her portrayal of the mascara-wearing TV personality, reprised her role for the Broadway production. The cast also included Christian Borle as Jim Bakker, Michael Cerveris as Jerry Falwell, and Charl Brown as gay pastor Steve Pieters.
Despite its early closure, Tammy Faye‘s West End success shows the potential for future life beyond Broadway, though its rapid demise has raised questions about the challenges of translating such ambitious projects to the New York stage.
