Kristin Chenoweth‘s “The Queen of Versailles” has already set its final Broadway performance, less than two weeks after opening. The production disclosed Monday evening that its final bow at the St. James Theatre is set for Jan. 4.
The decision to close continues a trend of new Broadway musicals struggling to catch on with audiences. When the curtain falls on “Queen of Versailles” in January, the production will have run less than two months.
The musical, based on Lauren Greenfield’s 2012 documentary of the same name about a couple of Florida fat cats mounting construction on a 90,000 square-foot estate amid the 2008 global economic crisis, was one of the more high-profile new offerings from Broadway this fall. Led by Chenoweth, the show marked a much-hyped reunion between the stage star and composer Stephen Schwartz. Schwartz composed and wrote lyrics for “Wicked,” which starred Chenoweth as Glinda in the original Broadway production. F. Murray Abraham co-starred, playing the much-older husband to Chenoweth’s lead.
“The Queen of Versailles” began with a 2024 run at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, proving popular enough to warrant a transfer the following year. The production was directed by Michael Arden, who won a Tony Award for his 2023 revival of “Parade” and another in 2024 for helming “Maybe Happy Ending.”
Broadway previews began on Oct. 8 and the production opened on Nov. 9. Reviews have generally been mixed to negative, with Variety’s Aramide Tinubu writing that “while the opening act is fairly intriguing, by the second act, the nearly three-hour-long performance began to drag.”
“For years, people have asked me, ‘What’s your dream role?’” Chenoweth told Variety in an interview ahead of previews. “‘Is it “Hello, Dolly!”? Is it “Gypsy”?’ And I’ve always responded, ‘It hasn’t been written yet.’ Well, it has now.”
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