‘Tammy Faye’ musical fails to do her justice

‘TAMMY FAYE’: Katie Brayben & Christian Borle. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

TAMMY FAYE
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Jake Shears
Book by James Graham
Directed by Rupert Goold
Through December 8, 2024
Palace Theatre
160 West 47^th St.
https://tammyfayebway.com/

By Scott Harrah

Tammy Faye has opened on Broadway after an Olivier Award-winning run at the Almeida Theatre in London. The Brits love any show that pokes fun at American excess, but their “Yanks are so bloody foolish” sensibilities do not always translate well when productions cross the pond. Case in point: Remember the 2010 play Enron? Based on the Enron scandal, the show (also directed by Rupert Goold) was a sensation in London but totally flopped in New York. It was slammed by critics here, snubbed by the Tony Awards and closed after a month. Alas, Tammy Faye has suffered a similar fate because the show is closing early on December 8, 2024, after opening on November 14.

Perplexing book

Anyone unfamiliar with Tammy might want to watch the 2021 film The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Jessica Chastain won an Oscar for portraying the troubled televangelist) to learn more about her backstory. Or, better yet, look up her many videos on YouTube from her “PTL Club” TV shows back in the 1980s. Why? Although this musical—with music by Elton John and lyrics by Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters—has some fun moments, James Graham’s book is often confusing. As a result, the show might be perplexing for anyone who was too young to remember the Jim and Tammy era.

The story includes a scene showing Tammy interviewing an AIDS patient, Steve Pieters (Charl Brown) on PTL and urging Christians to love AIDS patients and gay men in particular. This was shocking indeed in the 1980s, a time when many Christian fundamentalists claimed AIDS was “God’s wrath” on gays and other outcasts. However, there was much more to the woman than her support for people with AIDS.

The glory days of Jim & Tammy

I have fond memories of watching Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker on “The PTL Club” back in the ’80s when I was in high school. I’d watch “The PTL [Praise the Lord] Club” on TV with my big brother and laugh hysterically at Jim and Tammy Faye because they were both so hokey and unintentionally funny. Tammy Faye, with her outrageous clothes, surreal clown-like makeup, squeaky voice and an ability to cry on cue, was especially amusing.

Fast forward to 1987. The Bakkers became a media sensation when allegations of fraud, an extramarital affair between Jim Bakker and church secretary Jessica Hahn (Alana Pollard) covered up by “hush money” became tabloid fodder. In addition, reports alleged that donations were spent on the Bakkers’ lavish lifestyle (such as an air-conditioned dog house for their pet pooch) and other outrageous unethical wrongdoings. As a result, this caused the PTL empire to collapse. The Reverend Jerry Falwell (Michael Cerveris) offered to “temporarily” take control of PTL and then, surprise, turned on Jim and Tammy.

For anyone who knows the whole Jim and Tammy saga well, Tammy Faye just doesn’t feel genuine. Why? The story of PTL was always convoluted, with so many characters, and truly explaining their rise and fall cannot be done via musical theater.

Katie Brayben & Christian Boyle

Some cast members do their best to bring the scandalous Bakkers to life. The gifted Katie Brayben plays Tammy  with a lot of heart and soul, and exudes all the charm of the real-life woman she portrays. Ms. Brayben has an amazing voice, far better than Tammy herself did. Christian Borle is equally powerful as Jim, the lovable milquetoast. Together, Jim and Tammy Bakker were unlike any of the televangelists of the era because they promoted love instead of fear. “God loves you; He really does!” was their famous catchphrase, and this feel-good sentimentality made PTL viewers reach deep into their pockets. Yes, the Bakkers were delightful to watch, but they were still charlatans.

The story opens with Tammy at a doctor’s office, learning that she has colon cancer. Tammy Faye makes tasteless jokes about why she chose a gay doctor (Max Gordon Moore), and this sets the questionable tone for the entire show. James Graham’s scattershot book walks a fine line between camp and drama but somehow fails at both. For anyone who knows the whole Jim and Tammy Faye saga well, Tammy Faye just doesn’t feel genuine. This musical does not portray her accurately or do her justice, and that is a shame because it was created by some of the entertainment world’s biggest stars.

Too tasteful?

Part of the problem is the way Tammy Faye is presented. She was bigger than life and famous for multiple coats of heavy makeup and spider-like false eyelashes. However, in Tammy Faye her face is too tastefully made up. She was almost a cartoon character but, in this musical, she has had a “make down.” Not to be petty, but she never wore wigs as bad as the ones in this show. She had much better “bad taste” than what is portrayed here. Tammy Faye died in 2007 and was a lovable eccentric, but here, her character as written by James Graham comes across as sanitized and dull.

Shallow score

Elton John and Jake Shears are both masters of pop music from different generations, but it is perplexing why they chose to make a musical about Tammy. Songs like “He’s Inside Me” (yes, there’s actually a bad double entendre in that title) and “If You Came to See Me Cry” say nothing about the late woman or offer any insight we didn’t already know, and they really do not propel the story forward.

Evangelical Christians probably just want to forget about Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, and the gay male Tammy Faye fans who actually remember her have moved on to other divas. Those were Tammy’s two fan bases, so who does that leave now?

Michael Cerveris does a good job playing the villain Jerry Falwell, and Mark Evans is quite effective portraying everyone from Billy Graham to Hustler publisher Larry Flynt. However, all the great acting onstage is sabotaged by the flimsy book and Rupert Goold’s shoddy direction.

A ‘hot mess’

Yes, Tammy was hilarious and a “hot mess,” and her story is indeed tragic, but there is nothing Shakespearean or operatic about her life. Still, for all the Tammy fans out there who loved her larger-than-life persona, her tarantula-like eyelashes and goofy spirit—heaven knows that she deserved a better musical tribute than this.

Published November 20, 2024
Reviewed at press performance on November 17, 2024

‘TAMMY FAYE’: Katie Brayben & Christian Borle. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘TAMMY FAYE’: Katie Brayben. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘TAMMY FAYE’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘TAMMY FAYE’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘TAMMY FAYE’: Michael Cerveris & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.