Ryan Raftery To Return To Joe’s Pub This September With THE BALLAD OF JONBENÉT RAMSEY

Joe’s Pub will present Ryan Raftery: THE BALLAD OF JONBENÉT RAMSEY, a new musical satire from the acclaimed performer and playwright, running September 12–17, 2025. Raftery returns with a camp-fueled exploration of obsession, media, and America’s true crime fixation.

The Ballad of JonBenét Ramsey follows Jessica Feltcher, a lonely skincare marketing manager who becomes consumed by the unsolved 1996 murder of child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey. What begins as a quirky true crime podcast evolves into a hit—and then a personal unraveling. As Jessica's fame rises, her grip on reality loosens, in a whirlwind story told through parody songs by artists including Kiss, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, and Alan Menken.

“The idea came from an article that said many women fall asleep to true crime podcasts,” said Raftery. “It’s like a roller coaster: the thrill without the consequence. I wrote this show to explore that obsession, to poke fun at it, and to ask what happens when fascination turns into fixation—when the story you're telling starts to unravel you.”

The show features book and parody lyrics by Raftery, story by Ryan Raftery & Jay Turton, stage direction by Jay Turton, musical direction by Brandon James Gwinn, and wig design by Isaac Davidson.

Raftery’s past solo bio-musicals—centered on icons like Kris Jenner, Anna Wintour, Andy Warhol, and Martha Stewart—have played to sold-out crowds from coast to coast and received praise from The New York Times, People Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and more.

Tickets