THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES To Close December 21, 2025- Page 17

[Kad]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 12:34pm

This is hardly the first flop in recent years that had its creatives and producers publicly blame everything and everyone but themselves for its failure. 
 

Broadway creatives love to position themselves as brave artists, but bravery means acknowledging when you’ve failed. 

[shomeika]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 3:40pm

So, let's say that the lead actress of an expensive musical ran their mouth - or posted crap on twitter - that offended many theater fans - is there ever any legal repercussion for this?

Do actors sign a contract in regards of what to say and what not to say?  I think the horrid reviews coupled with someone's running of their mouth hurt this show. Charlie Kirk and his Empire was/ is a hatemongering, homophobic, sexist, just a wretched horrible person. Do actors ever get in trouble/slapped on the hand for creating bad press? 

Updated On: 12/22/25 at 03:40 PM

[MezzA101]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 3:45pm

Kristin Chenoweth Says Goodbye to 'The Queen of Versailles' on Broadway

https://people.com/kristin-chenoweth-admits-its-hard-to-say-goodbye-as-the-queen-of-versailles-closes-on-broadway-early-11874671

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 3:57pm

shomeika said: "Charlie Kirk is a hatemonger, homophobe, racist, and a horrible person.”

 

Was.

 

 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 5:38pm

shomeika said: "So, let's say that the lead actress of an expensive musical ran their mouth - or posted crap on twitter - that offended the fan base of a show - is there ever any legal repercussion for this?

Do actors not sign a contract in regards of what to say and what not to say? I think the horrid reviews coupled with someone's running of their mouth hurt this show. Charlie Kirk is a hatemonger, homophobe, racist, and a horrible person. Do actors ever get in trouble/slapped on the hand for creating bad press?"

I mean, what were they gonna do? Sue her for breach of contract? I assure you that's going bring a lot of negative attention and more damage to the show more than what she said. 

[shomeika]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 6:04pm

TotallyEffed said: "shomeika said: "Charlie Kirk is a hatemonger, homophobe, racist, and a horrible person.”

Was.
"

Yep.

[shomeika]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 6:07pm

TheatreFan4 said: "shomeika said: "So, let's say that the lead actress of an expensive musical ran their mouth - or posted crap on twitter - that offended the fan base of a show - is there ever any legal repercussion for this?
Do actors not sign a contract in regards of what to say and what not to say? I think the horrid reviews coupled with someone's running of their mouth hurt this show. Charlie Kirk is a hatemonger, homophobe, racist, and a horrible person. Do actors ever get in trouble/slapped on the hand for creating bad press?"

I mean, what were they gonna do? Sue her for breach of contract? I assure you that's going bring a lot of negative attention and more damage to the showmore than what she said."

I have no idea what they "do", hence my question.  The show sucked, the press was horrible, advance sales were bad, but the lead spokeslady really did not help one bit. Anyway, good riddance to this decadent, self indulgent mess of a show.  I am hoping someone has educated insight as to what occurs behind the scenes when cast self sabotage their own shows.  

[pmensky]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 8:34pm

I think this show will be the butt of many jokes at this year’s Tonys. Where’s writer Bruce Vilanch and host Nathan Lane when you need them? Also, what are the chances that CBS drops the show considering they’re happily at the mercy of the executive branch these days?

[UWS10023]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 9:54pm

dramadude said: "UWS10023 said: "I went to the closing performance because I was just too curious. I basically feltit jumped the shark about a third of the way through when it started focusing on the daughter and the cousin. I basically thought most of their scenes could have been cut. And the actress who played the daughter was not very good. Their trajectories could have been summed up without much scene work. I felt like there might have been a shorter off Broadway musical in their somewhere making fun of excess and vanity. Putting all the scene work downstage with the construction behind looked very cluttered and the actors movedlike chess pieces. And it made the staging look amateurish. Kristin was bogged down a little by the whole thing but she sangwell and Murray was good.
But by the by…..the real Queen of Versailles was there letting everyone take pictures of her in the lobby after the show! Who knew!"

This is an insane take to not think that Nina White andKristin Chenowethdidn’t deliver in an otherwise misguided/directed musical?! Also shoutout toIsabelle Keating working double time between Jackie’s mom as well as the rest of the tireless chorus.

If there is any award other than set design this show should be nominated, it’s for supporting actress for Nina White.

Although the show isn’t going to win any major awards for score, there are some memorable songs and moments I’m glad that made it to stage."

They were both victims of a thin book and poor direction. Kristin was fine but the character was  2 dimensional iso there was only so much she could do. Nina was often flat when she was belting and her performance did not go beyond the first couple of rows partly because it was too internal and she was looking down frequently.. And the unmotivated blocking did not help her. I am sure she is talented and a lovely person but she just sunk on the sinking ship.

I guess another poster will be going up at Joe Allen.

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 11:32pm

shomeika said: "So, let's say that the lead actress of an expensive musical ran their mouth - or posted crap on twitter - that offended many theater fans - is there ever any legal repercussion for this?

Do actorssign a contract in regards of what to say and what not to say? I think the horrid reviews coupled with someone's running of their mouth hurt this show. Charlie Kirk and his Empire was/ is a hatemongering, homophobic, sexist, just a wretched horrible person. Do actors ever get in trouble/slapped on the hand for creating bad press?"

I can imagine there is some standard NDA-related paperwork related to any show, as well as some non-disparagement clauses (meaning she can’t talk bad about the show/cast/crew while the show is ongoing).

However, neither would be applicable here as Kristin was using social media as herself and not representing the show. And yeah, if they thought it was so problematic that her presence ultimately fostered a hostile work environment, then the could fire her - but that also is basically delivering the final coup de grâce to their show and potentially opening them up to a First Amendment lawsuit.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 12/22/25 at 11:41pm

This is an insane take to not think that Nina White and Kristin Chenoweth didn’t deliver in an otherwise misguided/directed musical?!

They didn't and no, it's not an insane take, it's what the majority of people thought considering how quickly it closed and truly awful the reviews were. What a weird thing to say.

And let’s not pretend the controversy around Chenoweth didn’t factor into the public’s reaction. When a performer publicly aligns themselves with someone whose rhetoric is widely seen as harmful, it affects how people engage with the work. That’s not “an axe to grind,” that’s cause and effect.

Perfect comment. It's crazy how many people on here honestly thought it had nothing to do with its closing when so many people were deeply hurt by her embarrassing words regarding that.....creature.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 12:39pm

‘The Queen of Versailles’ Bombed on Broadway. What Went Wrong?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/theater/queen-versailles-broadway-closing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.xWnZ.h2WSVsJd1M6Y&smid=nytcore-android-share

[Observation]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 1:10pm

Saw on a cast member's Tik Tok that they will have a cast recording. Apologies if that's been mentioned. 

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 2:07pm

Observation said: "Saw on a cast member's Tik Tok that they will have a cast recording. Apologies if that's been mentioned."

It was officially announced back in September but aside from a few streaming drops (Caviar Dreams, Pretty Wins, and most recently Each and Every Day) we still haven’t heard anything official about the timeline.

The show was flawed but there are a large handful of songs I am really, really excited to listen to again. I hope this is still coming.

Which cast member? Did they give any other details?

[abcd12]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 2:50pm

MezzA101 said: "‘The Queen of Versailles’ Bombed on Broadway. What Went Wrong?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/theater/queen-versailles-broadway-closing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.xWnZ.h2WSVsJd1M6Y&smid=nytcore-android-share"

Great! Even more blame placed on the audiences, now in print! 

[MB124]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 2:57pm

abcd12 said: "MezzA101 said: "‘The Queen of Versailles’ Bombed on Broadway. What Went Wrong?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/theater/queen-versailles-broadway-closing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.xWnZ.h2WSVsJd1M6Y&smid=nytcore-android-share"

Great! Even more blame placed on the audiences, now in print!"

LOL for real 

Also, why is Chenoweth so adamant about not addressing her Charlie Kirk comments? She gave a non-response in that Frank Dilella “interview” with her fake crocodile tears, making herself the victim, and that’s it? Embarrassing. 

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 3:54pm

"The audience is making us feel bad!" jfc

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 4:45pm

“We wanted to examine the cost to a person and a society who value money and fame and acquisitiveness above all else, and we think it’s an important and timely subject,” he said. “If people saw the show and thought, ‘Well, they just didn’t do it well,’ fair enough. But this thought that we were somehow trying to celebrate or glorify billionaires is like saying ‘Sweeney Todd’ is glorifying cannibalism — it’s a complete misunderstanding of what we were attempting.”

If almost everybody is "misunderstanding" what somebody has attempted, isn't that the attempters fault? The job of a theatremaker is inherently one that serves the audience. A lot of people don't want to admit this, but it is the truth. You're like an elected official of theatre. Your job is to serve the people. That doesn't mean water down messages. I'd argue it means the opposite. We aren't dumb. We can take a more searing criticism of this family. You just didn't want to give that to us.

[abcd12]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 5:04pm

FolliesCabaret said: "“We wanted to examine the cost to a person and a society who value money and fame and acquisitiveness above all else, and we think it’s an important and timely subject,” he said. “If people saw the show and thought, ‘Well, they just didn’t do it well,’ fair enough. But this thought that we were somehow trying to celebrate or glorify billionaires is like saying ‘Sweeney Todd’ is glorifying cannibalism — it’s a complete misunderstanding of what we were attempting.”

If almost everybody is "misunderstanding" what somebody has attempted, isn't that the attempters fault? The job of a theatremaker is inherently one that serves the audience. A lot of people don't want to admit this, but it is the truth. You're like an elected official of theatre. Your job is to serve the people. That doesn't mean water down messages. I'd argue it means the opposite. We aren't dumb. We can take a more searing criticism of this family. You just didn't want to give that to us."

Exactly. The fact that their takeaway is that the audiences “just didn’t get it” is…something. 

Updated On: 12/23/25 at 05:04 PM

[kdogg36]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 5:09pm

FolliesCabaret said: "If almost everybody is "misunderstanding" what somebody has attempted, isn't that the attempters fault? The job of a theatremaker is inherently one that serves the audience. A lot of people don't want to admit this, but it is the truth. You're like an elected official of theatre. Your job is to serve the people."

It was refreshing to hear Sondheim, on the commentary for the Passion DVD, plainly acknowledge that it was his (and Lapine's) fault that initial audiences didn't understand the show, particularly the significance of Giorgio's illness at the end of the story.

[ER765]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 5:15pm

kdogg36 said: "FolliesCabaret said: "If almost everybody is "misunderstanding" what somebody has attempted, isn't that the attempters fault? The job of a theatremaker is inherently one that serves the audience. A lot of people don't want to admit this, but it is the truth. You're like an elected official of theatre. Your job is to serve the people."

It was refreshing to hear Sondheim, on the commentary for thePassionDVD, plainly acknowledge that it was his (and Lapine's) fault that initial audiences didn't understand the show, particularly the significance of Giorgio's illness at the end of the story."

This type of self awareness, artistic introspection, and ability to take criticism in stride is dead and gone in the theater world nowadays. It’s very unfortunate. 

Updated On: 12/23/25 at 05:15 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 5:18pm

It's all giving Zack Snyder saying that what he learned from the reaction to his BATMAN V. SUPERMAN (one of the worst major studio releases in history and among the biggest missed opportunities) is that fans and audiences don't want subtext or to have their icons challenged. 

[theatrekid3302]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 5:45pm

MB124 said: "abcd12 said: "MezzA101 said: "‘The Queen of Versailles’ Bombed on Broadway. What Went Wrong?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/theater/queen-versailles-broadway-closing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.xWnZ.h2WSVsJd1M6Y&smid=nytcore-android-share"

Great! Even more blame placed on the audiences, now in print!"

LOL for real

Also, why is Chenoweth so adamant about not addressing her Charlie Kirk comments? She gave a non-response in that Frank Dilella “interview” with her fake crocodile tears, making herself the victim, and that’s it? Embarrassing."

She didn't say anything wrong. Why should she apologize? It's such a shame that the controversy over these comments was the reason this wonderful show closed. I saw it twice, once with Kristen and once with Sherie Rene Scott. I thought it was extremely funny and a great show. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 6:19pm

FolliesCabaret said: "“We wanted to examine the cost to a person and a society who value money and fame and acquisitiveness above all else, and we think it’s an important and timely subject,” he said. “If people saw the show and thought, ‘Well, they just didn’t do it well,’ fair enough. But this thought that we were somehow trying to celebrate or glorify billionaires is like saying ‘Sweeney Todd’ is glorifying cannibalism — it’s a complete misunderstanding of what we were attempting.

You can't say this while the source material of your show is intimately involved and doing press for it! Like... that is a by definition a conflict of interest. You wanted her approval, you wanted to use the name, your hands were tied by that. 

[ER765]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 6:31pm

theatrekid3302 said: "MB124 said: "abcd12 said: "MezzA101 said: "‘The Queen of Versailles’ Bombed on Broadway. What Went Wrong?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/theater/queen-versailles-broadway-closing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.xWnZ.h2WSVsJd1M6Y&smid=nytcore-android-share"

Great! Even more blame placed on the audiences, now in print!"

LOL for real

Also, why is Chenoweth so adamant about not addressing her Charlie Kirk comments? She gave a non-response in that Frank Dilella “interview” with her fake crocodile tears, making herself the victim, and that’s it? Embarrassing."

She didn't say anything wrong. Why should she apologize? It's such a shame that the controversy over these comments was the reason this wonderful show closed. I saw it twice, once with Kristen and once with Sherie Rene Scott. I thought it was extremely funny and agreat show."

I’ll let someone else take this one.