Sir Elton John, 77, faces huge blow as Broadway show axed just days after opening

Sir Elton John’s Broadway musical Tammy Faye is set to close just weeks after opening, following a battle to sell tickets at New York’s Palace Theatre.

The £20 million production, which opened on November 14, will have its final curtain call on December 8 after playing just 24 previews and 29 regular performances.

The show, based on the life of televangelists Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker, failed to attract audiences despite its highly anticipated transfer from London’s West End.

The musical, featuring music by Sir Elton and lyrics by Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, emerged as the lowest-grossing show on Broadway last week.

A source close to the production told The Mail the show was always “at risk of not working” after reviews “killed it”.

The production, which reportedly cost up to $25 million (£19.79 million), struggled to fill seats at the Palace Theatre.

The 1,700-capacity venue was selling only around 300 tickets per night, according to insiders.

Reports indicate the audience was consistently 37 per cent empty, with some theatregoers even walking out mid-performance.

“When I ran to the bathroom at the immediate start of intermission, I passed by a woman sprinting past the usher near the main entrance,” one audience member reported. “The usher yelled after her, ‘Ma’am, you’re going toward the exit’ and she responded loudly, ‘I know.'”

The show’s final week ending November 17 brought in a gross of £296,323, with an overall attendance of 5,732 – just 63 percent of the venue’s capacity.

Fans called the decision to close “brutal”, with one commenting that “new theatre hardly stands a chance these days”.

A source close to the production told The Mail: “It was always going to be difficult, even the writers feared the storyline didn’t translate for the audience.”

The insider added: “The first-night reviews were not exactly positive. They thought they’d be cancelled before the year is out.”

Critical reception in New York was notably harsh, with The New York Times describing the production as “strangely bland”.

Variety went further, declaring it a “misguided West End import”.

This stands in stark contrast to the show’s London reception, where it received largely four-star reviews.

The Guardian had praised the London production as “infectious in its music, exuberant in its performances and gloriously kitsch in its aesthetic”.

TimeOut London similarly rated it highly, describing it as a “terrific piece of entertainment”, while The Independent dubbed it “gloriously OTT”.

John composed the music for Tammy Faye alongside Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, who wrote the lyrics, and playwright James Graham.

The creative team had previously found success in musical theatre, with John known for his work on The Lion King and Billy Elliot the Musical.

The show originally premiered at London’s Almeida Theatre in 2022, where it enjoyed a successful run.

Jake Shears reflected on the production’s journey just a day before the closure announcement, writing: “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.”

He added: “Thank you to all the collaborators, cast and crew.. I’m immensely proud of our work.”

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The show was produced by Rocket Stage, John’s production company. The show’s final week on Broadway painted a stark picture of its financial struggles.

Box office figures revealed a gross of £296,323 for the week ending November 17, with attendance reaching just 5,732 people.

Jake Shears shared his thoughts on the production’s journey, describing musical theatre as “one of the most archaic forms of art”.

“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,” he wrote.

In his social media post, Shears thanked the production team, adding: “Thank you Team Tammy, and thank you to all my fam and friends that have supported me and encouraged me through the entire process.”

The closure marks a significant contrast to the show’s 2022 London run at the Almeida theatre, where it sold out and garnered awards nominations.