Lempicka Sets Final Broadway Performance

Lempicka, the new Broadway musical about 20th-century artist Tamara de Lempicka, will play its final performance at the Longacre Theatre on May 19. The production, directed by Tony winner Rachel Chavkin, began previews March 19 and opened April 14.

“We are so proud of our production and the family of artists and artisans who’ve shaped it," Lempicka's producers said in a statement. "Few knew better than Tamara de Lempicka that art isn’t easy but always worth the effort.”

Lempicka is written by Carson Kreitzer (lyrics and book) and Matt Gould (music and book) and is inspired by the life of Lempicka, a Polish painter who fled to Paris with her husband Tadeusz following the Russian Revolution. The story imagines her journey of self-discovery in hedonistic Interwar Europe where she makes a lover of her muse, Rafaela. 

The production stars Eden Espinosa in the title role with Amber Iman as Rafaela, Andrew Samonsky as Tadeusz Lempicki, George Abud as Marinetti, Natalie Joy Johnson as Suzy Solidor, Zoe Glick as Kizette, Nathaniel Stampley as the Baron and Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as the Baroness. Raja Feather Kelly lends choreography. 

"I did not think this was going to be a Broadway show because I did not trust Broadway to be open to the complexity of this woman," Kreitzer said in an interview with Broadway.com. "She behaves in ways that we really do not like women to behave in this culture. I know she's going to be challenging to some people." 

"You have to enter this space knowing that as much control as you have as a writer, you don't have control over how the piece will be received and what people will say," said Gould in the same interview. "I guess I always knew if this day ever came, it would only be on a piece like this. I don't know how to write something that doesn't keep me up at night." 

The show garnered Tony nominations for Espinosa and Iman, as well as scenic designers Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini.