Considered a music icon, Elton John used his love for music to sell over 300 million albums throughout his career. And that was just the start as songs like “I’m Still Standing” and “Rocket Man” helped him land in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Outside of the studio, he helped bring musicals like The Lion King and Billy Elliot to life. Although a hitmaker who has won countless awards, it appears that not everything John produces is a hit. After only a week on Broadway, John’s musical Tammy Faye is closing its doors.
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For those who might need a refresher, Tammy Faye Messner was a popular televangelist who founded the program The PTL Club. Working alongside her husband Jim Bakker, Faye even built a Christian theme park. And when it came to community outreach, Faye continuously showed love and support to members of the LGBTQ community. Passing away in 2007, John hoped to turn her life into a Broadway musical.
Once speaking about the impact Faye had on him, John told Good Morning America, “She took a chance. It was pretty remarkable for someone in the religious community.” Not remotely worried about the backlash for supporting the LGBTQ community and those suffering from HIV/AIDS, Faye continued to spread love. And according to John, “No one else in the evangelical community was very gay friendly at all. They, well, totally hated us. She stood out. And I loved her for that.”
New Musical From Elton John Only Sold “300 Tickets A Night”
While wanting to honor Faye, the musical fell short as it struggled to sell tickets. One insider told The Daily Mail, “It was always going to be difficult, even the writers feared the storyline didn’t translate for the audience. The 1700 capacity venue was only selling 300 tickets a night. This is not exactly great for Elton.” Remembering the reviews surrounding the musical, the Insider explained, “The first-night reviews were not exactly positive. They thought they’d be canceled before the year is out.”
With the musical scheduled to close on December 8th, the show ended with more than bad reviews as the production cost over $20 million.
(Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images)
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