The Elton John-Jake Shears musical Tammy Faye takes its final Broadway bow at the Palace Theatre December 8. Having opened November 14, the run will have lasted just 24 previews and 29 regular performances after the final show.
Though the musical was successful in its world premiere run at London's Almeida Theatre, winning two of its four Olivier nominations (including Best Actress in a Musical for Katie Brayben, who's reprising her performance in the title role on Broadway), the Broadway run struggled to find an audience. Mixed to negative reviews after opening did little to help that situation, and the musical announced a closing date just four days later.
The work features music by Tony winner and five-time Grammy winner John, lyrics by the Scissor Sisters' Shears, and a book by James Graham (Dear England). The work arrived on Broadway following a 2022 world premiere bow in London's West End that earned four Olivier nominations, including Best Musical. Rupert Goold directs.
Brayben leads the company as Tammy Faye opposite two-time Tony winner Christian Borle as Faye's husband, Jim Bakker; and Tony winner Michael Cerveris as Reverend Jerry Falwell.
Get a copy of the limited edition Opening Night Tammy Faye Playbill in The Playbill Store.
READ: Two-Time Olivier Winner Katie Brayben on Finally Making Her Broadway Debut in Tammy Faye
Brayben, Borle, and Cerveris are joined by Nick Bailey as Paul Crouch, Charl Brown as Steve Pieters, Mark Evans as Billy Graham/Larry Flynt/Charles Shepard, Allison Guinn as Jan Crouch, Ian Lassiter as Jimmy Swaggart/Ronald Reagan/Archbishop of Canterbury, Raymond J. Lee as John Fletcher, Max Gordon Moore as Thomas S. Monson/Marvin Gorman, Alana Pollard as Jessica Hahn, and Andy Taylor as Pat Robertson/Ted Turner/Pope John Paul II. Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde) is the alternate for the title role.
READ: Broadway’s Tammy Faye Will Offer a Digital Lottery and $30 Student Rush Tickets
The ensemble comprises Amanda Clement, Jonathan Duvelson, Lily Kaufmann, Elliott Mattox, Brittany Nicholas, Alana Pollard, Aveena Sawyer, Allysa Shorte, Daniel Torres, and Dana Wilton. Swings Michael Di Liberto, Denis Lambert, Keven Quillon, and TJ Tapp round out the company. Casting is by Carrie Gardner and Jillian Cimini of C12 Casting.
Based on the life of American evangelist Tammy Faye Messner, Tammy Faye tells the story of Messner's rise to national recognition atop a Christian television empire. She and her then-husband and fellow televangelist Jim Bakker founded The PTL Club (Praise the Lord) in 1974, a platform they used to preach to millions. Messner, who died in 2007, was noted for her compassion for the LGBTQIA+ community during the AIDS epidemic, despite conflict between the community and the church.
Goold reunited much of his London creative team for the Broadway premiere, including choreographer Lynne Page (Ink), orchestrators Mark Dickman and Tom Deering (Deering is also music supervisor, arranger, and penned additional music), scenic designer Bunny Christie, costume designer Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer Neil Austin, and video designer Finn Ross. Joining the team for the Broadway run: sound designer Nick Lidster for Autograph and music director Chris Fenwick. Wig, hair, and make-up design are by Luc Verschueren for Campbell Young Associates. Timothy R. Semon serves as production stage manager.
Rocket Stage, Greene Light Stage, and James L. Nederlander produced the Broadway run, with David Furnish and Joseph Smith serving as executive producers.
Visit TammyFayeBway.com.
