Beaches, The New Musical is the first Tonys casualty of the season and will now close May 24 after being shut out of the nominations.
The show began previews at the Majestic Theatre March 27, ahead of an April 22 opening date, but has failed to catch on with audiences and with critics, who delivered mixed to negative reviews. Last week on Broadway, the musical played to just 51 percent capacity, and it has been bringing in $550,000 or less per week since opening, which is far below the running costs of an average musical.
The show, which stars Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett, likely hoped for nominations for its leads or for the musical itself to help right the ship.
Still, the show was always set for a limited Broadway run, through Sept. 6, before heading on a national tour. The production said Tuesday that plans are currently underway for the tour. It came to Broadway after about a 10-year development period with an international premiere in 2024 at Theatre Calgary in Alberta, Canada, with that version of the production also starring Vosk and Barrett.
The plot itself is based on The New York Times bestseller that became the 1998 film, starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey, written by Iris Rainer Dart. The story follows the evolution of the friendship between Cee Cee and Bertie, who meet as children and evolve their relationship through marriage, career highs and lows and illness.
Lonny Price (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close) and Matt Cowart (who served as associate director on Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill) co-direct the musical. The musical features a score by Grammy Award winner Mike Stoller, lyrics by Dart and a book by Dart and Thom Thomas. The musical was developed in collaboration with David Austin.
“Bringing a new musical to Broadway is always an enormous undertaking, and we are deeply proud of this company who created a production filled with heart, humanity, humor, and emotional truth,” said producerJennifer Maloney-Prezioso.“Night after night, audiences have laughed, cried, called their friends on the way out of the theater, and connected deeply with this story of friendship and love. That impact is real, and it will stay with people long after the final curtain. We are profoundly grateful to everyone who helped bringBeachesto life at the Majestic Theatre, and look forward to sharing this special show with audiences across America on our national tour.”