It’s a sad day for Muppets fans. Just days before its grand opening, a Broadway show starring Jim Henson’s beloved characters has announced that it will close much earlier than originally planned.
The Muppets on Broadway
“Rob Lake Magic With Special Guests the Muppets” began preview performances at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City on October 28, with an opening date originally planned for November 6. However, the show’s grand opening was delayed to November 11. It was set to run through January 18, 2026, for a limited engagement.
As suggested by the title, the show featured magician Rob Lake, who performed visual stunts and illusions alongside special appearances by iconic Muppets characters, including Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and others. The show marked a significant moment as it was the Broadway debut for Jim Henson’s characters, though the idea of bringing The Muppets to the stage in New York City had been circulating for more than 50 years.
“The idea of bringing The Muppets to Broadway has been around for 50 years,” Producer Joe Quenqua told Entertainment Weekly. “That we are the ones who finally have the honor of making that dream come true is truly humbling.”
An Early Closure
The day of the grand opening, November 11, Playbill reported that “Rob Lake Magic With Special Guests the Muppets” had announced its early closure. The final performance will take place on November 16, 2025, after just 20 preview performances and 4 regular performances.
Broadway shows typically release critic reviews either the night of or the day after a grand opening, giving productions time to tweak their performances during the preview period. However, in this case, the closure announcement appears to have delayed the publication of any potential reviews.
Though critics hadn’t yet spoken, audience reactions had already begun to surface. On Playbill’s Instagram announcement of the closure, many fans expressed disappointment that the show had been advertised as featuring The Muppets, only for them to appear for less than 10 minutes during the 90-minute performance.
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“The problem is, the people were promised a show with The Muppets fully being a part of it, but instead, Rob Lake decided to have the show centered around him and have The Muppets, the real main appeal of the show, only on stage for 10-15 minutes,” read one of the top comments from @mandiistone.
“We’d have paid full price for an actual play with Muppets,” @ahnagler commented.
Others blamed the show’s timing, which did not align with the peak holiday tourism season in New York City.
“It opened too early,” said @siennaroseofficial. “If it waited a month they would’ve got the holiday crowd.”
One user, @wesley_collects, suggested, “No shade to Rob at all but if this had been a Muppet Christmas Carol production or a live version of The Muppet Show, I think it would’ve been a hit. Either that or this show should’ve been in Vegas.”
Despite this, many fans remained hopeful that Disney would view this experience as a learning opportunity.
“The Muppets are stars and shouldn’t be second fiddle to someone else,” @inturnaround commented. “I really do hope that the lesson Disney takes away from this is that people don’t want the Muppets, it’s that this wasn’t what the people wanted from the Muppets at Broadway ticket prices.”
“I enjoyed it, but the Muppets need their own show,” @jennjansen80 added.
Looking Ahead For The Muppets
Although the early closure of “Rob Lake Magic With Special Guests the Muppets” has left fans disappointed, Jim Henson’s iconic characters are far from disappearing from the spotlight. In September, Disney+ announced a new The Muppet Show special starring Sabrina Carpenter, slated for release in 2026. Additionally, Jennifer Lawrence has confirmed that she and Emma Stone are developing a Miss Piggy movie, written by Tony Award winner Cole Escola.
This summer, Muppet*Vision 3D said goodbye to Disney’s Hollywood Studios after years of delighting fans. Although this beloved attraction has closed, Disney has promised to preserve it in some form for future enjoyment.
Fans will get another chance to experience The Muppets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2026 with the reimagined Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets, coming next summer.
In the meantime, don’t miss Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog live on stage during Disney Holidays in Hollywood at Disney Jollywood Nights, a seasonal event at Walt Disney World Resort.
Should The Muppets try another Broadway show? Share your thoughts with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
