In 2022, London’s Almeida Theatre became home to Elton John‘s campy musical Tammy Faye, about the life of evangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. The production ran for just under two months, and positive reviews set the stage for a transfer to Broadway for the 2024-2025 season. The show opened at Palace Theatre on Nov. 14 but is already slated to close on Dec. 8 following poor sales and unfavorable reviews.
The December finale will conclude Tammy Faye after 24 preview performances and 29 regular performances. According to the New York Times, its opening run marked the lowest-grossing show on Broadway that week, with some showings having 37 percent of the seats empty. Palace Theatre, for reference, has a capacity of just over 1,600.
John helmed the music for Tammy Faye alongside Jake Shears, who penned lyrics for the show. James Graham wrote its book. On opening night, John shared a celebratory post on Instagram, writing: “It’s been a true honour to collaborate with you all. Wishing you all the very best on this milestone night. Break a leg!”
“What a ride these last 12 years (and 12 weeks) have been. Getting Tammy Faye up on Broadway has been one of the most thrilling experiences of my life,” Sears wrote on Instagram on Monday, Nov. 19. “What a joy working with this entire cast, their stamina and talent staggering… and beautiful to watch. Thank you to all the collaborators, cast and crew.. I’m immensely proud of our work. I believe that musical theatre is one of the most archaic forms of art: complicated and managerially elaborate.”
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He added: “It’s the same process as it was 800 years ago. There are no shortcuts. And that’s what I love about it the most. Also having fun with brilliant, wonderful people. Thank you Team Tammy, and thank you to all my fam and friends that have supported me and encouraged me through the entire process.”
Tammy Faye stars Katie Brayben in the titular role, with Christian Borle taking on the role of Jim Bakker. Christian Borle, Charl Brown, Mark Evans, Nick Bailey, Andy Taylor, and more also appear in the two-act Broadway production.
