Beaches producers announce early closure after 38 performances on Broadway

Cecilia Currie as Little Bertie and Addison Wagman as Little Cee Cee in Beaches the Musical at Theatre Calgary. (Photo: Trudie Lee)

Beaches, the musical that had its pre-Broadway tryout at Theatre Calgary, is closing ahead of schedule.

The musical adaptation of the 1985 Iris Rainier Dart novel that inspired the 1988 film starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey announced last Tuesday that it will play its final performance Sunday at the Majestic Theatre in New York.

Its first preview was March 27 and the show opened April 22, according to the New York Times. It played 28 previews and 38 regular performances.

The tear jerker which starred Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett, had a book by Dart and Thom Thomas and music by Mike Stoller with lyrics by Dart. It was co-directed by Lonny Price and Matt Cowart.

Originally, the plan was to run through summer until the first week of September, but Beaches struggled to sell tickets. It received tepid reviews and was shut out of the Tony nominations.

The producers of Beaches have said they plan to tour the show across the U.S. in 2027.

“There’s never been a better time for this particular story,” said the musical’s lead producer, Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso in a New York Times article. “It’s a love story about friendship, and I think the world needs that right now — a world where there’s a loneliness epidemic, and friendships are such an essential part of getting through that.”

The same cast and directors presented Beaches at Theatre Calgary in the spring of 2024.