The new Off-Broadway musical Ghost of John McCain is now playing in New York City and Meghan McCain is not too happy about it.
Ghost of John McCain thrusts the late Senator into an afterlife he never expected when he finds that “heaven” is inside Trump‘s brain. There, he encounters a “Greek Chorus” of iconic figures who rebel against the former President’s relentless demands for affirmation.
The show stars Broadway favorites Jason Tam (as the title character), Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Ben Fankhauser, and more. Performances just started at the SoHo Playhouse and tickets are on sale now through November 10.
Following, Meghan‘s criticism of the show, the producers have written her an open letter.
Meghan tweeted back in April, “This is trash – nothing more than a gross cash grab by mediocre desperate people. I hope it bombs.”
This is trash – nothing more than a gross cash grab by mediocre desperate people.
I hope it bombs. https://t.co/aGShaEwP4K
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) April 2, 2024
Keep reading to find out more…
Read the open letter below…
We write as the producers of The Ghost of John McCain: Meghan, can we get a do-over?
Your comments on our new musical leave us wondering, how can you evaluate a show without seeing it first?
As you might not be aware, this show was co-conceived by the late Grant Woods, former Arizona Attorney General and more to the point, your dad’s first Chief of Staff. We all saw Grant beautifully eulogize your father, alongside President Biden. Grant loved your dad. He would have never done anything he felt would besmirch your father’s legacy, nor would we. All three of us producers also admired your father, and now wish only to honor him.
No one knows better than you what a tremendous and wickedly salty sense of humor your father possessed. The comedy in our show intends to reflect his own love of satire. “Would Senator McCain find this funny?” was a constant refrain throughout the writing and rehearsal process. I like to think he would have been as amused as anyone by what we’ve created, even the more outrageous material. And it does get outrageous sometimes.
We believe art, broadly, and comedy, specifically, are essential tools for bridging ideological divides, fostering understanding, and even changing hearts and minds. Even at its most absurd, our show is making a point about the meaning of leadership and the importance of democracy – two topics about which your father was most passionate. An uproarious exploration of power, rivalry, and the human condition, The Ghost of John McCain is the ticket we need during the election cycle from hell.
We’d like to extend another heart-felt invitation to you and Ben, and hope you will be our guest at any performance at the Soho Playhouse. Or, if you’d prefer, please join us for Opening Night on Tuesday, September 24th.
After seeing it, we welcome any feedback you have. Knowing, however, how much humor, integrity, and reverence for your dad you possess, we have a hunch you may find this art form to be a wonderful way to celebrate a life well-lived and capture a political system at an extraordinary inflection point.
Thank you for your consideration! We hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Jason Rose, Max Fose, and Lynn Londen
