The Queen of Versailles

Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission. Location: St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th Street.

The Broadway musical “The Queen of Versailles” revolves around an incomplete mansion in Florida, one of the largest private residences in the U.S.

This grand home, misguided and extravagant, serves as a metaphor for the American Dream—though it feels, well, a bit of a stretch to even call it that.

Instead, just moments into the show, this colossus turns into something almost painfully absurd. A mighty wrecking ball of a production premiered at St. James Theater on Sunday night.

Both the ornate palace in Windermere and the “Queen of Versailles” raise a rather poignant question: Why pursue such a project?

Jackie Siegel, the real-life figure behind this story, aimed to escape her modest beginnings by constructing a palace inspired by French grandeur after honeymooning in France.

It feels like perhaps Stephen Schwartz, the composer known for “Wicked,” along with author Lindsay Ferentino, wanted to comment on the vast economic divide in a nation that frequently spans conversations about wealth.

After all, this show is based on a well-known documentary that emerged post-2008 financial crisis.

Or maybe they just wanted to give Christine Chenoweth a prominent role as an eccentric diva, marking her return to Broadway after a long absence.

That said, the real answer might just be a simple “Because I Can,” which is how one could sum up one of the poorer songs in Schwartz’s career.

The result feels far too haphazard to conclude otherwise.

The foundation is shaky, and even if the creative team gets a second chance, I doubt “The Queen of Versailles” will ever transform into a captivating musical.

That seems clear, especially since director Michael Arden seems at a loss on how to handle Jackie Siegel, a former pageant winner turned millionaire spouse.

Should we root for her? Criticize her? At the very least, you’d hope to feel a sense of empathy—but the writers don’t quite navigate the character’s complexity. Instead, they leave her feeling like an emotional void.

Jackie becomes this carefree, giggly presence whose story unfolds awkwardly, barely ever expressed through song.

There’s little judgment cast upon her; rather, she’s left unexamined as the production struggles to make her relatable. It’s hard not to wonder if Siegel’s involvement in production plays a role in this lack of depth.

Initially, we see the youthful Jackie, a girl from upstate New York obsessed with “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Chenoweth plays her with flair across different ages, echoing a longing for the extravagant life.

Yet, in her “I want” number—dubbed “Caviar Dreams”—there’s a certain cheesiness about her desire to escape mundane suburban life. She dreams of being “American royalty,” and frankly, that’s when I found myself silently wishing for a bit of divine intervention.

After a series of odd jobs, a failed marriage, and winning Mrs. Florida, she finally achieves her ambitions by marrying David Siegel, founder of Westgate Resorts.

David, the model of mediocrity, comically portrayed by F. Murray Abraham, serves as a constant reminder that humor isn’t Schwartz’s forte.

The couple’s journey begins in Versailles, and while the second act might delve into some family turmoil involving Jackie, her critical daughter, Victoria, and her adopted niece, Jonquil, it mostly drags on without much excitement.

In fact, the second half can be summarized by two bizarre scenes: a requiem sung about a deceased lizard and a trip to Sundance.

I had high hopes for what the duo of Chenoweth and Arden could conjure, but alas, there was no magic. Chenoweth certainly has the talent, but even a gifted actress can’t perform miracles with subpar material.

Working with such shallow substance, she seems to serve up mediocre performances as if just going through the motions. If only this long-anticipated comeback could have lived up to the hype.

The narrative framework—featuring the French court, Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette—should have been cast aside early on.

Despite the promise of Arden’s past successes, this production falls flat, filled with overstuffed narrative elements, awkward video segments shot by documentary filmmakers, and uninspired staging that squandered potential.

While Jackie’s Florida mansion remains incomplete, she assures us it could be done soon. A Broadway musical based on it, however? That seems more likely to face demolition.