F. Murray Abraham, Melody Butiu, and Nina White Join Kristin Chenoweth-Led THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES Musical Workshop

Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham, Here Lies Love’s Melody Butiu, and Kimberly Akimbo’s Nina White have joined the cast of a workshop presentation of The Queen of Versailles being held in NYC this November. Starring Kristin Chenoweth and featuring music by Stephen Schwartz, The Queen of Versailles is a new musical based on the award-winning documentary of the same name and the life of beauty queen, socialite and TV personality Jacqueline “Jackie” Siegel. 

A veteran of screen and stage, F. Murray Abraham has appeared in over 90 plays and 80 films including Amadeus, for which he received the Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as Golden Globe and L.A. Film Critics Awards. Abraham recently starred in the second season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” for which he received an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and can currently be seen in the HBO limited series “The White House Plumbers” as Judge John Sirica.

Melody Butiu is currently starring as Estrella Cumpas in David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s immersive disco musical Here Lies Love on Broadway, a role she originated at The Public Theater. TV and film credits include Easter Sunday starring stand-up comedy sensation Jo Koy, “Call Me Kat,” “Mom,” “This is Us,” “NCIS,” and “The Kominsky Method.” She has also been seen on stage in Doctor Zhivago (Broadway) and regional performances at Theatre Under the Stars (Houston), South Coast Repertory, Geva Theatre Center, Arena Stage, and many others.

Nina White is currently starring on Broadway in Kimberly Akimbo as Teresa, a role which she originated Off-Broadway. Additional regional theater credits include Sister Act (Music Theatre Wichita) and 2AZ (Purple Rose Theater Co.). She can soon be seen onscreen in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” on Amazon Prime and A24’s A Different Man. Originally from Michigan, White is a University of Michigan alum.

The production is also pleased to announce that Tony and Olivier Award-winning theater and film company Seaview has joined The Queen of Versailles producing team. Recent credits include Just for Us starring Alex Edelman, Parade starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window starring Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan, Mike Birbiglia’s The Old Man & the Pool, Selina Fillinger’s POTUS, as well as the upcoming productions of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea starring Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott, Enemy of the People starring Jeremy Strong, and Lempicka directed by Rachel Chavkin.

From computer engineer to Mrs. Florida to billionairess, Jackie sees herself as the embodiment of the American Dream. Now, as the wife of David “The Timeshare King” and mother of their eight children, they invite us to behold their most grandiose venture yet: they’re building the largest private home in America in Orlando, Florida — a $100 million house big enough for her dreams and inspired by the Palace of Versailles. But with the Great Recession of 2008 looming, Jackie and David’s dreams begin to crumble, along with their lavish lifestyle.

Based on the wildly astonishing documentary directed by award-winning film maker Lauren Greenfield, The Queen of Versailles reunites celebrated Oscar-winning songwriter Stephen Schwartz with Tony and Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth as Jackie Siegel. With a book by Lindsey Ferrentino (Ugly Lies the Bone, Amy and the Orphans) and direction by Tony nominee Michael Arden (Parade, Once on This Island), The Queen of Versailles is a new musical exploring the true cost of fame, fortune, and family.

The Queen of Versailles is produced by Bill Damaschke, Seaview and Kristin Chenoweth through her production banner Diva Worldwide Entertainment.

 

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