Edge Media Network
‘Beaches’ to Close Early on Broadway After Tony Shutout and Soft Sales
By Chris Tremblay
May 22, 2026
“Beaches, A New Musical” will play its final Broadway performance this Sunday, May 24, at the Majestic Theatre, ending its run more than three months earlier than originally scheduled. The production was initially announced as a limited engagement set to run through September 6 before embarking on a national tour.
Performances for “Beaches” began with previews at the Majestic Theatre on March 27, followed by an official opening night on April 22. According to production information and performance tallies, the show will have completed 28 preview performances and 38 regular performances at the time of closing, significantly shorter than the planned limited run.
Background and source material
The musical is based on Iris Rainer Dart’s 1985 novel “Beaches,” which later inspired the popular 1988 film starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. The Broadway staging emphasizes the lifelong friendship between the outspoken, aspiring performer Cee Cee Bloom and the more reserved Bertie White, mirroring the core relationship that has long resonated with queer and feminist audiences who see themselves in stories of chosen family and enduring bonds.
“Beaches” arrives on Broadway after earlier developmental and regional productions that attempted to translate the novel’s decades-spanning narrative and emotional tone into a book musical structure. The current production’s creative team includes directors Lonny Price and Matt Cowart, with Price known for previous concert and revival work, and Cowart as a frequent collaborator, giving the show a pedigree closely watched by theatergoers.
Creative team, cast, and design
The Broadway company is led by Jessica Vosk as Cee Cee Bloom and Kelli Barrett as Bertie White, taking on roles associated in popular culture with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. Both performers were ruled eligible this season in the Tony Awards category for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.
The Tony Awards Administration Committee also determined that James Noone and David Bengali would be jointly eligible in the category of Best Scenic Design of a Musical for their work on “Beaches.” Set and projection elements have been cited in coverage as part of the show’s effort to navigate time shifts and multiple locations, from boardwalks and backstage spaces to hospitals, all while maintaining a consistent emotional thread for audiences.
Critical reception and box office challenges
Upon its Broadway opening, “Beaches” received mixed to negative reviews, with several critics expressing reservations about the score and the overall execution of the story. TheaterMania described the production as one of the most notable omissions from the Tony nominations and reported that reviews were “mostly dismal” aside from praise for Jessica Vosk’s performance.
Laura Collins-Hughes of The New York Times characterized the storytelling framework around Bertie’s impending death as “distractingly sloppy,” while Time Out critic Adam Feldman called the show “mostly… just banal and inconsistent, particularly in Bertie’s material.” These critical assessments contributed to a perception that, despite the built-in name recognition and emotional subject matter, the production struggled to secure the kind of acclaim that can sustain a Broadway musical through word-of-mouth.
Box office performance has been cited as a significant factor in the decision to close. TheaterMania reported that in the week preceding the Tony nominations, the show grossed $520,119.10 at the box office, a figure it described as “a deadly number in a big theater like the Majestic.” 56% of the seats at the Majestic Theatre sat completely unsold, resulting in a ticket average of $77, which made the massive venue financially impossible to maintain.
Tony eligibility, snub, and community reaction
For the 79th Annual Tony Awards, the eligibility list confirmed that “Beaches” would compete in multiple musical categories, including leading performance and scenic design, placing it among 13 productions under consideration in the final eligibility meeting. This positioned the show in a season that observers characterized as relatively thin for new musicals, with expectations that well-known titles might fare strongly.
However, when nominations were announced on May 5, “Beaches” did not receive a single Tony nod. Broadway.com listed “Beaches” among the eligible shows completely shut out, alongside titles such as “Call Me Izzy,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Art,” “The Queen of Versailles,” and “Proof.”
Feature coverage in Culture Sauce and TheaterMania labeled “Beaches” as a major snub of the 2026 nominations, specifically highlighting that it received “zero Tony nominations” despite expectations, while noting the absence of recognition for Jessica Vosk’s widely praised performance. TheaterMania suggested that producers had been “holding out for a Tony nom or two as a lifeline” and argued that “a closing notice cannot be far behind” after the show’s shutout, implicitly linking awards momentum and financial viability.
Performers associated with the production addressed the news publicly. BroadwayWorld reported that Jessica Vosk responded to the Tony nominations in a social media video, reflecting on what it meant to be eligible for the first time and speaking candidly about processing the disappointment while maintaining gratitude for the role and the company. Just Jared likewise noted that Vosk reacted in a TikTok clip, saying it was the first time she had seriously allowed herself to consider the possibility of a Tony nomination.
From limited run to early shutdown
Production listings on BroadwayWorld and other platforms originally framed “Beaches” as a limited engagement at the Majestic Theatre, slated to close on September 6 before launching a national tour. The newly announced closing date of May 24 therefore represents a substantial contraction of the Broadway run, cutting the engagement by over three months.
Multiple outlets directly connected the early closure to a combination of low ticket sales and the Tony Awards shutout. Just Jared reported that the musical would “shut down early after experiencing low ticket sales and a complete shut-out from the Tony Awards,” summarizing the financial and awards context in which producers made their decision.
New York Theatre Guide likewise confirmed that the final performance would occur on May 24, stating that the adaptation of the “beloved movie” starring Vosk and Barrett would end its run this month at the Majestic Theatre after 66 total performances. Wikipedia’s entry, citing performance data, notes that the production will conclude after 28 preview performances and 38 regular performances indicating some variance in how performances are being counted or defined, which may relate to distinctions between preview and post-opening runs.
Awards beyond the Tonys and future plans
While “Beaches” did not secure Tony nominations, the production has been recognized in other theater award circles. Award listings show that the musical received nominations at the Drama League Awards for Outstanding Production of a Musical, as well as a Distinguished Performance nomination for Jessica Vosk, and at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical.
BroadwayWorld’s show page also indicates that a tour has been planned following the Broadway engagement, and Just Jared reports that a national tour is scheduled for 2027, suggesting that the producers see a future for the title beyond its New York run. For audiences, including many LGBTQ+ people who have embraced “Beaches” as a story about chosen family and enduring friendship, the tour may provide access to the show in regions far from Broadway’s traditional theater district.
Broader implications for Broadway musicals
Coverage of the 2026 Tony nominations has highlighted “Beaches” as part of a cluster of high-profile productions that entered the season with recognizable titles but failed to convert that familiarity into awards recognition. In Culture Sauce’s “snubs and surprises” rundown, the outlet paired “Beaches” with “The Queen of Versailles” as examples of adaptations that “came in with high expectations but landed mostly with a thud,” emphasizing that both shows ended up with “zero Tony nominations between them.”
TheaterMania’s discussion of the show’s disappointing box office and lack of nominations framed “Beaches” as emblematic of the economic pressures on new musicals in large Broadway houses, particularly when they do not receive critical endorsements or high-profile awards attention. Broadway.com’s nomination analysis underscored that several other eligible titles were also completely shut out, pointing to a season where a relatively small cluster of productions dominated the awards conversation.
For theatergoers, including LGBTQ+ audiences who often seek out stories centered on deep friendships, emotional resilience, and complex women’s lives, the early closing of “Beaches” may feel like a loss of a potential new favorite in the Broadway landscape. At the same time, the planned tour and ongoing visibility of the property suggest that the story’s cultural resonance—shaped by decades of connection with queer audiences—will likely continue beyond this particular Broadway chapter.
