After earning rave reviews in London, Elton John‘s latest musical, Tammy Faye, will hit Broadway for the 2024-2025 season.
As the title suggests, the show is inspired by the life of late Tammy Faye Messner, who pioneered televangelism by co-founding the TV show The PTL Club with her then-husband, Jim Bakker. After Bakker was sent to prison for fraud and conspiracy in 1989, Tammy Faye divorced him and married megachurch builder Roe Messner.
Known for her glamorous image and layers of makeup, Tammy Faye, who died in 2007, became a gay icon by preaching compassion for HIV/AIDS patients and support for the LGBTQ community. Jessica Chastain won the Oscar for playing her in the 2021 movie The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
Elton wrote the music for the show, while Jake Shears of the group Scissor Sisters wrote the lyrics. The musical, which premiered last fall in London, was nominated for four Olivier Awards, the U.K. equivalent of the Tony Awards.
Details of the show will be announced later.
Meanwhile, a “substantially reworked” version of Elton’s other musical, The Devil Wears Prada, is opening on London’s West End next year. The original was savaged by critics when it ran last year in Chicago.
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