Theater Review: 'The Queen of Versailles' with Kristin Chenoweth gets lost in a Hall of Mirrors

NEW YORK (AP) — The new Broadway show "The Queen of Versailles" feels unfinished, despite reuniting Kristin Chenoweth with "Wicked" songwriter Stephen Schwartz, Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy says. Based on a 2012 documentary, it explores socialite Jackie Siegel's attempt to build America's largest private home. The musical, which opened Sunday at the St. James Theatre, struggles to find its tone, wavering between ridicule and admiration. It misses the chance to comment on wealth inequality. Set against the backdrop of Trump's America, the show features extravagant elements but lacks memorable songs. Despite a tryout in Boston, Kennedy says it still feels like a work in progress.

Recommended for you

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Recommended for you

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.

Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal.

Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!

Want to join the discussion?

Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.

Already a subscriber? Login Here