UPDATE, with venue, dates: Producers Bill Damaschke, Seaview, Sonia Friedman, and Kristin Chenoweth announced that The Queen of Versailles will play this fall at the St. James Theatre, beginning performances on October 8, with an official press opening on Monday, November 10.
This project reunites Chenoweth with songwriter Stephen Schwartz on Broadway for the first time since Wicked premiered in 2003. Prior to arriving on Broadway, The Queen of Versailles had a box office record-breaking world premiere at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre in the summer of 2024.
“I’m beyond excited to return to Broadway and also make my Broadway producing debut with this incredible company,” said Kristin Chenoweth. “Stephen is a once in a generation songwriter and I’m so lucky we are able to reunite for this original musical, under the direction of the iconic Michael Arden to bring Lindsey Ferrentino’s captivating story to life.”
JULY 29, 2024: The Queen of Versailles has set its date with Broadway. The musical starring Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham will bow during the 2025-26 season, producers announced Monday.
“The entire Queen of Versailles company is having an incredible time building this new original American musical with the gracious and arts-loving audiences in Boston,” said The Queen of Versailles producers Bill Damaschke, Seaview and Diva Worldwide Entertainment. “We look forward to the journey ahead and bringing this story to Broadway in the 2025-26 season.”
The show will run through August 25 at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre.
See details below.
PREVIOUS, July 15: Producers of the Broadway-bound musical The Queen of Versailles released first look images of Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham in character as one-time Florida billionaires Jackie and David Siegel.
Based on Lauren Greenfield’s award-winning 2012 documentary film The Queen of Versailles and the life stories of Jackie and David Siegel, the musical will feature music and lyrics by Oscar-winning songwriter Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Lindsey Ferrentino and direction by Tony winner Michael Arden (Parade, Once on This Island) and choreography by Lauren Yalango-Grant & Christopher Cree Grant (Parade).
In the first-look photo, Chenoweth and Abraham are in character as the Siegels surrounded by the construction and camera crews that would make their elaborate home renovations a living hell.
The musical will begin a pre-Broadway run tomorrow at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre, with opening night slated for August 1. A Broadway production timeline will be announced shortly.
In addition to Chenoweth and Abraham, the principal cast features Melody Butiu, Stephen DeRosa, Greg Hildreth, Tatum Grace Hopkins, Isabel Keating and Nina White.
The Queen of Versailles is produced by Bill Damaschke, Seaview and Kristin Chenoweth through her production banner Diva Worldwide Entertainment. Damaschke previously produced the Boston world premiere engagement of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which re-opened the Colonial in 2018 and went on to win 10 Tony Awards on Broadway including Best Musical.
