New musical 'Amazing Grace' closing on Broadway after failing to ignite box office

NEW YORK — No prayers can save the new musical "Amazing Grace" on Broadway — it's closing.

The musical, with music and lyrics by Christopher Smith and a book by Smith and Arthur Giron, centres on John Newton, an 18th-century slave trader whose spiritual awakening led him to write the hymn.

The show, starring Tony Award nominee Josh Young and Tony winner Chuck Cooper, will close Oct. 25 after 24 previews and 114 regular performances.

In a statement, producer Carolyn Rossi Copeland said her team is "incredibly disappointed" in the show's performance at the box office" and promised a national tour.

The show was poorly received by critics and struggled to fill even half the Nederlander Theatre. It rarely pulled in more than 30 per cent of its $1 million weekly box office potential.

Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press