The Broadway musical The Queen of Versailles, starring Kristin Chenoweth, will end its run on January 4, 2026, less than two months after opening. The production, based on a 2012 documentary about a billionaire couple's financial downfall, has struggled to attract audiences despite high-profile talent. It marks a quick closure for one of fall 2025's anticipated new shows.
Closing Details
The Queen of Versailles opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on November 9, 2025, following previews that began October 8. Producers announced the final performance for January 4, 2026, continuing a trend of new musicals facing challenges in building audiences. To date, the show has grossed $5,566,554 from nine performances and 32 previews.
Cast and Creative Team
Led by Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth as Jackie Siegel, the cast includes F. Murray Abraham as her husband David. The musical reunites Chenoweth with composer Stephen Schwartz, who wrote music and lyrics; their last collaboration was Wicked in 2003, where Chenoweth originated Glinda. Lindsey Ferrentino penned the book, and Michael Arden directed; Arden recently won Tonys for Parade (2023) and Maybe Happy Ending (2024).
Background and Reception
Adapted from Lauren Greenfield's 2012 Sundance-winning documentary, the story follows Florida billionaires Jackie and David Siegel as they build a Versailles-inspired mansion amid the 2008 financial crisis. The documentary grossed nearly $2.5 million worldwide through Magnolia Pictures. The musical premiered in Boston at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in July 2024, setting box office records before transferring to Broadway.
Reviews have been mixed to negative. Variety critic Aramide Tinubu noted the first act's intrigue but found the nearly three-hour show dragging in the second. Chenoweth shared her enthusiasm pre-opening: “For years, people have asked me, ‘What’s your dream role?’... Well, it has now.”