Elton John’s $25 million Broadway musical ‘Tammy Faye’ to close after five days

Elton John’s highly anticipated Broadway musical Tammy Faye is set to close on December 8, just five days after its official opening. The production, which opened on November 14 at New York’s Palace Theatre, struggled to fill seats, grossing only $374,371 in its first week with 63% audience capacity. The musical, based on the life of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, was capitalized at $25 million, all of which is now expected to be lost.

The show received harsh reviews, with the New York Post describing it as a “disaster of biblical proportions” and Variety critiquing its conclusion for failing to resonate with audiences. Tammy Faye featured music by Elton John, lyrics by Jake Shears, and a book by James Graham. Katie Brayben played the titular role, joined by Christian Borle and Michael Cerveris in key roles.

The musical originally debuted in London in 2022, receiving a mixed reception. Its Broadway run follows renewed interest in Tammy Faye Bakker, whose life was depicted in the 2022 biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield. Despite the buzz surrounding its creators and subject matter, Tammy Faye struggled to connect with audiences and critics on Broadway, marking it as one of the most notable flops in recent history.