Kristin Chenoweth delivered a heartfelt farewell to audiences as ‘The Queen of Versailles’ concluded its Broadway run prematurely, closing two weeks ahead of schedule despite the star’s powerful performance and emotional investment in the production.
The curtain fell for the final time on Kristin Chenoweth‘s Broadway musical The Queen of Versailles on December 21, 2025, marking an emotional end to a production that struggled to find its audience despite its star power and ambitious scope. The closure came two weeks earlier than originally scheduled, a decision announced by producers last month amid challenging box office performance.
Following the final performance at the St. James Theatre, Chenoweth was presented with flowers by co-star Sherie Rene Scott, prompting an emotional address to the audience. “You are such a special audience because you were here on the final performance of The Queen of Versailles,” Chenoweth told the crowd. “I just want to thank you for choosing to come to something that’s new. We choose a big swing and we are so proud of where we landed, so proud.”
The Tony Award winner specifically acknowledged composer Stephen Schwartz and director Michael Arden, telling them “we love you” during her farewell remarks. She also expressed gratitude to the entire company and crew at the St. James Theatre “for keeping us safe” throughout the run.
Most poignantly, Chenoweth reflected on the deep bonds formed with her castmates: “You know, the cast is always saying to me, ‘Oh Kristin, you lift us up.’ I say, ‘No, you lift me up, so it’s a beautiful circle.’ And we love, love each other like family. This will be a very hard one to say goodbye to. But never goodbye. I always say, ‘To be continued.'”
The Queen of Versailles told the extraordinary true story of Florida socialite Jackie Siegel and her husband David’s unfinished quest to build the largest private residence in the United States—a 90,000-square-foot mansion modeled after the Palace of Versailles. The musical was adapted by Lindsey Ferrentino from Lauren Greenfield’s 2012 documentary film of the same name.
The production featured Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham as timeshare magnate David Siegel, who passed away in April 2025 at age 89. The cast also included Melody Butiu, Stephen DeRosa, Greg Hildreth, Tatum Grace Hopkins, Isabel Keating, and Nina White as Victoria, Jackie’s daughter who died of an accidental drug overdose in 2015 at age 18.
The musical premiered on Broadway November 9, 2025, following an out-of-town tryout at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre during summer 2024. Throughout its Broadway engagement, the production played 32 preview performances and 41 regular performances before announcing its early closure.
When news of the closing broke last month, Chenoweth took to Instagram to express her pride in the production while acknowledging the challenges facing new Broadway works. “I just want to say that I’m so proud of this new art that we’ve created, and it’s getting harder and harder to do so,” she stated. “I think about all of the shows in the past couple of seasons that have come and gone that, you know, not everybody got to see.”
The early closure of The Queen of Versailles reflects broader challenges facing the Broadway industry, particularly for original productions without built-in name recognition or franchise backing. Despite critical acclaim for Chenoweth’s performance and the production’s ambitious scope, the musical struggled to maintain sufficient audience numbers in a competitive season.
Chenoweth’s emotional farewell underscores the personal investment performers make in their productions, particularly when portraying real-life figures with complex, emotionally charged stories. Her connection to Jackie Siegel’s narrative—particularly the tragic elements involving family loss and extravagant ambition—resonated deeply with the actress throughout the production’s development and run.
The production’s legacy may extend beyond its abbreviated Broadway engagement. Like many shows that close early but develop cult followings, The Queen of Versailles could potentially find second life in regional productions, touring versions, or even film adaptations, fulfilling Chenoweth’s promise that this isn’t “goodbye” but rather “to be continued.”
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