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Broadway is full of musicals based on real people. Alexander Hamilton, Eva Peron, and Fanny Brice have proven that history can be the basis for great theater. But for every hit based on a famous figure, there are many shows that failed to find their audience.
Some of these productions featured acclaimed composers, Tony Award-winning actors, huge budgets, or historical plots that seemed perfectly suited for the stage. But it didn't matter. Broadway has produced musicals that have lost millions, vanished within weeks, and, in one spectacular case, survived only one official performance.
Here are ten historical figures who inspired truly epic Broadway flops.
See also: 10 Worst Film Adaptations of Musicals
10. Jackie Robinson: The First
On this momentous day in New York sports history, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Jackie Robinson changed the history of American sports when he broke the modern racial barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947 while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Broadway seemed the perfect place to tell his story, especially with Martin Charnin, the director and lyricist for the song, in attendance. the musical "Annie"« .
The film "The First"« tells Robinson's story, from the moment he signed with Dodgers executive Branch Rickey to the abuse and resistance he faced as the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball. The music was composed by Bob Brush, the lyrics were written and directed by Charnin, and Robinson was played by a young David Alan Grier.
The musical premiered in November 1981 at Broadway's Martin Beck Theatre, but critical reception was largely negative. Reviewers found the musical dramatically clumsy, despite admiring its theme, and it closed after just 31 regular performances, following 33 previews.
There was one bright spot. Grier was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical and won a Theatre World Award for his performance. Broadway may not have found success with Robinson's story, but its star was safely established.[1]
9. King Charles VII: Good Charlie
Joel Grey on "Goodtime Charlie"«
Joan of Arc is undoubtedly the heroine of her story. This young French peasant girl reported divine visions, helped rally the French troops during the Hundred Years' War, and played a decisive role in the coronation of the Dauphin Charles VII. Naturally, Broadway decided to stage a musical about... Charles.
In the film «Goodtime Charlie» The story is told primarily from the king's perspective, with Joel Grey playing Charles VII and Ann Reinking as Joan. This unusual approach focuses on the relationship between the king, who was reluctant to marry, and the much more determined young woman who helped him ascend to the throne.
The musical opened in March 1975 and received an impressive seven Tony Award nominations, including acting nominations for Gray and Reinking. However, the awards' attention failed to translate into increased ticket sales, and the show closed after 104 performances.
Thus, «Goodtime Charlie» — it was an unusual failure: a production that was obviously respected by Broadway awards federations, but audiences couldn't support it. Joan may have secured Carl's coronation, but even she couldn't secure him a long-running musical.[2]
8. Diana Spencer: Diana: The Musical
A thorough dissection of the musical "Diana".
Princess Diana's life already contained almost everything one could wish for in a musical: romance, royalty, betrayal, fame, tragedy, and one of the most recognizable public figures of the 20th century. However, turning this story into a successful Broadway show proved unexpectedly difficult.
The musical "Diana"« began previews on Broadway in March 2020, but within days, the theater industry was shut down due to COVID-19. While Broadway remained closed, producers filmed a stage production. They released it on Netflix in October 2021, before the musical's official premiere.
This meant audiences around the world had plenty of time to immerse themselves in songs about Diana's wardrobe, royal marriage, and tabloid fame before Broadway critics had a chance to weigh in. The film version was panned, but ultimately won five Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Supporting Actress, Worst Director, and Worst Screenplay.
The production premiered on November 17, 2021. It closed just one month after 34 performances. Remarkably, the Broadway show still received a Tony Award nomination for costumes—a fitting nod for a musical whose heroine has become one of the world's greatest fashion icons.
Many Broadway flops receive poor reviews. Few manage to win five Golden Raspberry Awards simultaneously.[3].
7. Victoria Woodhull: Go Victoria!
«"Go Victoria" (December 14, 1980, premiere and closing) - Full Version - Jill Eikenberry
Victoria Woodhull's life seemed like a stage play. She and her sister became pioneers among female brokers on Wall Street, she published a radical newspaper, advocated for women's suffrage and "free love," and in 1872 became the first woman widely considered a candidate for president of the United States.
Complications arose. Woodhull was only 34 years old at the time of the election, and she would still be under the constitutional age of 35 by Inauguration Day. Her Equal Rights Party also nominated Frederick Douglass as vice president, but he did not accept—or, apparently, even acknowledge—the nomination.
On Broadway, this extraordinary story was brought to life in the musical "Go Victoria"« , starring Jill Eikenberry as Woodhull. The musical ran for 23 previews before officially opening on December 14, 1980.
It closed that same day.
Yes, a musical. «"Go ahead, Victoria!"» was performed on Broadway only once. For a musical whose title promised forward movement, "forward" turned out to be overly optimistic.[4]
6. Andrew Jackson: Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson performs emo rock
Andrew Jackson remains one of America's most controversial presidents. His populist policies fundamentally changed American political life, and his administration's support for the removal of Native Americans led to enormous suffering and death. In other words, obvious material for an emo-rock musical.
In my album «"Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"» He presented the seventh president of the United States as a self-satisfied rock star, using contemporary music and deliberately anachronistic humor to satirize populism, political fame, expansionism, and Jackson's treatment of Native Americans.
The play was created as part of the Center Theatre Group and New York's Public Theater projects before moving to Broadway in 2010. Critics were intrigued by the unusual combination of history, satire, and emo music, and the production ultimately received two Tony Award nominations—for Best Libretto and Best Set Design.
But acclaim and originality weren't enough. The Broadway production closed in January 2011 after 94 mainstage performances and 26 previews.
Five years later Hamilton demonstrated how huge the audience could be for American political history retold through contemporary music. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson experimented with a remarkably similar core idea—he just chose a much more difficult president to promote.[5]
5. King Henry VIII: The Tsar
Field of Golden Cloth / Where is My Son?
Few historical figures fit the world of musical theater as seamlessly as Henry VIII. His reign was filled with romance, betrayal, religion, executions, and enough wives to fill an entire cast. Yet even such a dramatic king couldn't guarantee success on Broadway.
The musical "Rex"« opened in 1976 with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, the lyricist for «Fiddler on the Roof» . Nicol Williamson played Henry VIII, and a young Glenn Close played Princess Mary in her first Broadway musical.
On paper, this resume looked impressive. Rodgers was already one of the most renowned composers in Broadway history, Harnick had helped create one of the greatest musicals, and Williamson was a renowned stage actor. However, critics found the libretto and the production as a whole significantly weaker than the play's musical merits suggested.
The musical "Rex"« ran for only 48 regular performances after 14 previews. Close, of course, went on to become one of the most famous performers on Broadway and Hollywood. Henry VIII survived six wives, a break with Rome, and numerous political crises. And yet even he couldn't keep this musical on the throne.[6]
4. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow: Bonnie and Clyde
Why did critics hate Bonnie and Clyde so much?! | A review of reviews of the new West End musical
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow gained national notoriety during their crime spree in the early 1930s. Photographs discovered after a shootout in Joplin, Missouri—including shots of Bonnie posing with a gun and a cigar—helped create a glamorous image of the criminals that newspapers, films, and popular culture continued to cultivate long after their deaths.
The reality was far less romantic. The Barrow Gang robbed banks, gas stations, and convenience stores, and its members were responsible for numerous murders. Nevertheless, the myth of doomed young lovers proved irresistibly appealing to Broadway.
Musical «Bonnie and Clyde» opened in December 2011, starring Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan. The music was written by seasoned composer Frank Wildhorn, who has previously worked on Broadway productions such as «Jekyll and Hyde» и «Scarlet Pimpernel» .
The musical received mixed reviews and struggled financially, closing after just 36 regular performances and 33 previews. However, its subsequent fortunes fared much better than on Broadway: a recording of the show gained a devoted following, and subsequent productions helped transform the show into something of a cult classic.
There's another surprisingly apt historical twist. Bonnie Parker reportedly dreamed of becoming an actress and achieving fame. Broadway ultimately gave her just that—albeit some 80 years too late.[7]
3. Gráinne O'Malley: The Pirate Queen
Stephanie J. Block is heading to Broadway in The Pirate Queen in 2007!
Grainie O'Malley (often written as Grace O'Malley) was a 16th-century Irish clan chieftain, maritime merchant, and influential political figure whose ships raided rivals and exacted tribute along the west coast of Ireland. She resisted English invasion and is known to have met with Queen Elizabeth I in 1593 to negotiate the release of her family members.
It was a life made for a grand musical. Broadway certainly spent its money as expected.
The Pirate Queen Party« created by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, a creative duo known for musicals "Les Miserables"« и «Miss Saigon» . Stephanie J. Block stars as O'Malley in a production filled with fencing, Irish dancing, elaborate costumes, aerial acrobatics, and music that requires her to sing in an unusually challenging role.
The production reportedly cost approximately $16 million. It premiered on Broadway in April 2007 after 32 previews, but closed after just 85 regular performances. It received no Tony Award nominations and reportedly lost most of its investment.
Block later recalled how physically grueling the role was: she sang in more than 20 numbers, as well as fencing, choreography, and other complex productions. Granie O'Malley survived pirates, warring clans, imprisonment, and English political power. Her Broadway counterpart failed to sustain box office success.[8]
2. Joseph McCarthy: Senator Joe
Perry Kroger talks about his experience as a screenwriter on the film "Senator Joe.".
Senator Joseph McCarthy earned his reputation in the early 1950s by alleging communist infiltration of the US government. His accusations, hearings, and increasingly reckless tactics contributed to the political phenomenon known today as McCarthyism.
Decades later, someone decided it was material for musical theatre.
Musical «Senator Joe» opened on Broadway in January 1989, starring Peter Gallagher as McCarthy. The play attempted to combine political biography with musical spectacle. However, critics were never given the opportunity to review the official premiere.
The film crew held only three preview screenings.
According to Broadway records, only 470 tickets were sold for all performances at the theater, which seats over 1,300 people. The show closed on January 8, 1989, ahead of its scheduled opening.
The disaster didn't end there. Producer Adela Holzer later served a prison sentence after being convicted of another fraud involving millions of dollars received from investors.
Many Broadway musicals receive bad reviews. Senator Joe achieved something even rarer: he was effectively blacklisted even before his official opening.[9]
1. Jack's Legs Diamond: The Legs Diamond
News of the opening ceremony of Legs Diamond stadium from December 26, 1988.
Jack "Legs" Diamond was one of New York's most notorious gangsters during the Prohibition era. Known as the "Clay Pigeon of the Underworld," he survived multiple assassination attempts before finally being shot dead in Albany in 1931.
The Broadway version of "Legs Diamond" was considerably less concerned with historical accuracy. «Legs Diamond» , based in part on the 1960 film «The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond» , openly described itself as "an almost entirely fictional musical hysteria." Instead of simply tracing Diamond's criminal career, the show turned him into a gangster with showbiz ambitions.
Australian artist Peter Allen played Diamond and also composed the film's score. Even before the premiere, enthusiasm was incredibly high: advance ticket sales reportedly reached approximately $10 million.
Then people finally saw the show.
After a staggering 72 previews, the play «Legs Diamond» officially opened in December 1988. Reviews were disastrous, audiences left, and the production closed after just 64 regular performances. Estimated losses were approximately $5.3 million.
Allen later called the show the greatest disappointment of his career. The final irony was what happened after his death: in 2003, the musical opened on Broadway. «The Boy from Oz» , based on Allen's life. This production ran for almost a year and earned Hugh Jackman a Tony Award.
Peter Allen couldn't turn Jack Diamond into a Broadway hit. Broadway was much luckier in turning Peter Allen into a hit.[10]
More great lists
Top 10 Broadway flops that weren't that bad.
10 unsung figures behind some of the most important events in history…
10 Historical Figures Who Have Supernatural Stories About Them
10 Influential Historical Figures You've Never Heard Of...
10 stories about historical figures and their lives…
10 Historical Figures You Didn't Know Had Tattoos.
10 times historical figures were humiliated.
10 Unusual Things Famous Historical Figures Did for Love
10 True Stories Behind Incredible Historical Mysteries
Fact checked by Darci Heikkinen ShareTweetWhatsAppPinShareEmail0 reposts