On November 14, the opening night of Tammy Faye on Broadway, Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris was very honest with how he felt: "Exhausted, which is, you know, understandable I think. But also, just really, deliriously happy."

Cerveris is one of the many actors in the new musical from Elton John, Jake Shears, and James Graham—which details the life of famed televangelist Tammy Faye Messner. Read the reviews here. The show is currently running at the Palace Theatre.

It's normal to feel tired after a preview process, with rehearsals during the show and performances at night, with numerous changes being made to the script. But this version of Tammy Faye has been particularly eye-opening for star Katie Brayben, who plays the title role after winning an Olivier Award for it when she did the show in London. On the red carpet, Brayben admits it's been an "emotional" journey.

"The day of the election, the day after, and since, the material, I feel, has resonated more with people," Brayben explains. "It's deepened for our cast as well for everyone involved, you know, spreading that message of love and acceptance. And that idea that you can be who you are and not be judged for that, and be included is so important right now. I certainly feel it. I feel it on stage every night."

Brayben isn't the only one channeling Tammy Faye on opening night. On the red (actually dark blue) carpet, Playbill asked the attendees to channel their inner Tammy Faye with a mascara streaks phone filter and a shocking confession. See what they, including RuPaul's Drag Race Ginger Minj, had to say below, and scroll down to read more opening-night coverage.

Just like how Messner took her moment, Tammy Faye alternate Autumn Hurlbert (who covers the title role) is also more than ready to be opening this new show. It has been 16 years since her last Broadway show, which was Legally Blonde. "I love every single second, every second, honey!" she exclaimed. "To be able to sing these lyrics and say these words, and then literally run around stage like a little chicken with my head cut off has been a thrill. It truly has been the most electric experience. I don't think I've slept in months."

Tammy Faye emphasizes not just Messner's legacy as a televangelist, but also how she was radically accepting of others, including the gay community, at a time when it was normal to scorn them. And that's been a message that many of the cast want the audience to take away from the musical. 

Said Tony Award winner Christian Borle, who plays Tammy Faye's husband Jim Bakker, "The whole reason that we're doing this musical, I think, is the message of it, which is love more than hate. It's that simple, and that's who Tammy Faye was. That's why we're telling her story."

Composer Elton John concurred, saying in a video provided from the show to Playbill: "There's so much hate and violence, and we all seem to be so far apart, Tammy was an example of inclusivity." 

Below, see photos from the dark blue carpet, where attendees included Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria, David Burtka, Tituss Burgess, and more.

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Photos: Opening Night of Tammy Faye on Broadway

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Tammy Faye first ran in 2022 at the Almeida Theatre in London, where it earned four Olivier Award nominations, including Best Musical.

Brayben, Borle, and Cerveris are joined by Nick Bailey as Paul Crouch, Charl Brown as Steve Pieters, Mark Evans as Billy Graham/Larry Flynt/Charles Shepard, Allison Guinn as Jan Crouch, Ian Lassiter as Jimmy Swaggart/Ronald Reagan/Archbishop of Canterbury, Raymond J. Lee as John Fletcher, Max Gordon Moore as Thomas S. Monson/Marvin Gorman, Alana Pollard as Jessica Hahn, and Andy Taylor as Pat Robertson/Ted Turner/Pope John Paul II.

READ: Two-Time Olivier Winner Katie Brayben on Finally Making Her Broadway Debut in Tammy Faye

The ensemble comprises Amanda Clement, Jonathan Duvelson, Lily Kaufmann, Elliott Mattox, Brittany Nicholas, Alana Pollard, Aveena Sawyer, Allysa Shorte, Daniel Torres, and Dana Wilton. Swings Michael Di Liberto, Denis Lambert, Keven Quillon, and TJ Tapp round out the company. Casting is by Carrie Gardner and Jillian Cimini of C12 Casting.

The show is directed by Rupert Goold, who has reunited much of his London creative team for the Broadway premiere, including choreographer Lynne Page (Ink), orchestrators Mark Dickman and Tom Deering (Deering is also music supervisor, arranger, and has penned additional music), scenic designer Bunny Christie, costume designer Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer Neil Austin, and video designer Finn Ross. Joining the team for the Broadway run are sound designer Nick Lidster for Autograph and music director Chris Fenwick. Wig, hair, and make-up design are by Luc Verschueren for Campbell Young Associates. Timothy R. Semon serves as production stage manager.

Rocket Stage, Greene Light Stage, and James L. Nederlander produce the Broadway run, with David Furnish and Joseph Smith serving as executive producers.

Visit TammyFayeBway.com.