Elton John and Jake Shears Broadway musical 'Tammy Faye' to close weeks after opening

THE Tammy Faye The Broadway musical closes just weeks after its debut. According to the New York Timesthe show about the scandal-plagued televangelist/singer of the 1970s-80s who became a camp icon thanks to her outrageous makeup and funny style will turn the lights down after a surprisingly short run.

THE Times reported that the $22 million show with music by Elton John and lyrics by Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters — with a book by James Graham (Ink, Finding Neverland) — received decent reviews at its London premiere in 2022, but was plagued by poor reviews in New York, where it failed to find an audience.

And so the show that opened on Nov. 14 will go dark on Dec. 8 after just 24 previews and 29 regular performances due to what the paper described as a “disastrous” box office performance that included the lowest-grossing Broadway run last year. week, where he played to 37% empty houses at the Palace Theatre, one of the biggest theaters on the Great White Way.

In his review last week, the Times called the show “mild, tonic crash” and a “disjointed, oddly bland musical”. However, former REM singer Michael Stipe begged to differ. Writing on Instagram over the weekend, Stipe said he was moved by the show's opening night, calling it a “tour de force” and “beautifully moving and soulful storytelling of Tammy Faye Bakker's story” in a post that featured a snap of the singer with John and Roseanne Cash.

On Tuesday (November 19), Shears posted a tribute to the show's cast and crew on Instagram. “What a ride these past 12 years (and 12 weeks) have been. To take Tammy Faye Broadway was one of the most exciting experiences of my life.” he wrote. “What a joy to work with this whole cast, their stamina and talent is impressive… and beautiful to watch. Thanks to all collaborators, cast and crew. I am very proud of our work. I believe that musical theater is one of the most archaic art forms: complex and administratively elaborate.”

Sir John also wrote that he was hounded for the Broadway bow, congratulating the cast and crew on “great hard work and talent… it has been a true honor to work with all of you.”

John wrote the score for one of Broadway's most enduring modern hits, The Lion Kingas well as for Tony and Grammy winners Ida, Billy Elliot: The Musical, The Devil Wears Prada and Lestatwith the latter also having a brief run on Broadway, closing after 33 previews and 39 performances in 2006.