Tammy Fayethe Elton John-Jake Shears musical about televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker that opened last week to negative reviews, will close on December 8, less than a month after its official November 14 opening.
In addition to the harsh reviews, box office has been disappointing, with the most recent figures, for the week ending November 17, indicating only 63% of seats at the Palace were occupied. The gross for the week was a dismal $374,371.
Tammy Faye stars Olivier Award-winner Katie Brayben in the title role, with Christian Borle as Jim Bakker, and Michael Cerveris as Jerry Falwell.
Upon closing, the production will have played 24 previews and 29 performances. The announcement makes Tammy Faye the fastest-closing show of the current Broadway season.
The Almeida Theatre production features music by Elton John, lyrics by Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, a book by James Graham, choreography by Lynne Page, and direction by Rupert Goold. Previews began Saturday, October 19. The musical is produced by Rocket Stage, Greene Light Stage, and James L. Nederlander.
The musical tells the story of famed (and later disgraced) ’80s televangelists the Bakkers, who rose to prominence largely on the screen appeal of the big-haired, heavily mascaraed Tammy Faye, who sang with the confidence of a country star and shed vulnerable tears as she shared her triumphs and tragedies with the home audience.
The closing of the $22 million show opens up one of Broadway’s most coveted venues. Rumors have been swirling around Broadway that the recent well-received City Center Encores! production of Ragtime could be a Palace contender, though that possibility is far from assured. The musical revival’s director, Encores!’s Lear deBessonet, was recently named the new artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater, a role she’ll assume in June.
DeBessonet’s move to Lincoln Center could conceivably signal a home there for Ragtime.
