Broadway play Hillary and Clinton is set to close its final curtain on Sunday, June 23, four weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the production managed to pull a meager $4.7 million gross sales throughout its nearly four-month run. In the past two weeks alone, Hillary and Clinton achieved only 36 percent of its total gross potential at the John Golden Theater. The dwindling figures caused the show’s final performance to be moved up four weeks from its original closing date of July 21.
Despite bringing a heavy dose of starpower from Laurie Metcalf and Jon Lithgow in the title roles, the play failed to rake in large figures at the box office and only received lukewarm reception from critics as well. It opened in March to mixed reviews and earned just one Tony Award nomination, recognizing “The Conners” star Metcalf in the Lead Actress category.
The Lucas Hnath-penned play focuses on the former Secretary of State’s 2008 presidential campaign and tells a fictionalized account of how she coped with Barack Obama picking up steam against her at a critical point in the race. Set in a New Hampshire hotel room in 2008, the story is largely told solely through interactions between the Clintons.
Hillary and Clinton is the third Broadway project produced by Scott Rudin to fold earlier than expected in this season alone. His previous works King Lear and Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus each wrapped earlier this month – weeks before their originally scheduled final curtain.
While Rudin may have struck out at the box office with those works, he’s behind some of Broadway’s newest successes as well. His production of The Waverly Gallery (which was previously housed at the John Golden Theater before Hillary and Clinton premiered) earned a Tony Award for Elaine May, who edged Metcalf for Best Actress in a Play. Rudin also serves as lead producer of Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, which has been shattering box office records since its premiere at the Shubert Theatre late last year.