The musical that ticked off Meghan McCain is opening this week
The much anticipated new play The Ghost of John McCain is due to preview off-Broadway on September 3, 2024, to the delight of theater and political fanatics alike. The only person who isn’t excited about this snarky new satire is the late senator’s daughter, Meghan McCain.
What is The Ghost of John McCain about?
The Ghost of John McCain is a satirical musical that was the brainchild of McCain’s first chief of staff, Grant Woods. Woods also served as the Attorney General of Arizona for most of the 1990s, and he delivered McCain’s eulogy at his funeral in 2018. Woods passed away in 2021, and his legacy lives on in this new creative project.
In the play, John McCain dies and discovers that his “heaven,” or afterlife, is actually inside Donald Trump’s brain. According to their website, a Greek chorus of iconic political figures including Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, Eva Perón, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Jordan, Lindsey Graham, George W. Bush, Tiffany Trump, Grizabella from Cats, Barack Obama, Kanye West, Grant Woods, Elizabeth Warren, Taylor Swift, Joe Biden, Sarah Palin, Eric Trump, and Clint Eastwood “rebel against the former President’s relentless demands for affirmation.”
Who’s in the cast and crew?
Playwright and composer Scott Elmegreen wrote the script along with the book to accompany the play, and Drew Fornarola, who is best known for his musical work for Dreamworks, wrote an all-new score. Catie Davis will direct, and political strategist and public relations executive Jason Rose, Lynn Londen, and Max Fose will produce. Fose also has a personal connection with the late senator, serving as McCain’s campaign consultant for decades.
On stage, we’ll see Jason Tam as John McCain; Luke Kolbe Mannikus as Donald Trump; Aaron Michael Ray as Donald Trump’s Brain; Zonya Love as Kamala Harris, Karen, and Eva Peron; Lindsay Nicole Chambers as Hillary Clinton, Daughter-Wife, and Sexy Lady Fox News Anchor; and Ben Fankhauser as Roy Cohn, Lindsey Graham, and Joe Biden.
Why is Meghan McCain mad?
A better question might be “When has Meghan McCain ever denied herself the feeling of righteous indignation?” Never, of course! She was against the play as soon as she heard the title, even though many of her father’s trusted colleagues were behind it. She maintains that she and her family were never consulted before the play was greenlit.
In a tweet on April 3, 2024, McCain’s daughter called the new play, which she has not seen in any capacity, “trash” and “a gross cash grab by mediocre desperate people.”
“I hope it bombs,” she added. Ouch! McCain followed up her initial reaction with another serious burn, tweeting, “I am going to say this again – I don’t know the people who decided to make this trash, it is disrespectful to my family and father’s memory. It is just as gross as what Trump has done himself. I breathe fire for my family but wish I didn’t always have to. I hope this bombs.”
Okay, we get it! Megs is not a fan. In a “kill ’em with kindness” move I can’t help but admire, producers Jason Rose and Max Fose issued a statement inviting McCain and her husband Ben Domenech to attend a reading of the play ahead of its off-Broadway debut. To date, McCain has not accepted the invitation.
When and where can we see The Ghost of John McCain?
The Ghost of John McCain will preview at the Soho Playhouse on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. The official opening will be on Tuesday, September 24, and the limited engagement runs through Sunday, November 10, 2024.
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