Senator Joe

Senator Joe

From Closing Night by Patrick Oliver Jones

March 31, 2025 · 37 min · Season 2 · Episode 5

About this episode

This episode explores the chaotic production of the musical Senator Joe, which attempted to portray Joseph McCarthy and ultimately failed spectacularly on Broadway.

History and politics have long found their way onto the Broadway stage, from Hamilton and 1776 to Parade and Fiorello! But in 1989, one musical took a wildly unconventional approach—bringing the infamous Senator Joseph McCarthy to life in Senator Joe. Helmed by Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar director Tom O’Horgan, this audacious and bizarre production featured everything from Brechtian satire to a musical number inside McCarthy’s alcohol-ravaged liver. Yet, after only three Broadway previews, the show collapsed under the weight of its own chaos, ending in scandal when its producer was arrested in a phone booth. How did Senator Joe go so wrong? And why did anyone think a musical about McCarthyism would work in the first place? This episode dives into the missteps, mayhem, and misguided ambition that turned a political firebrand into one of Broadway’s most infamous flops. Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. Click here to find a transcript for this episode and a full list of materials and resources used. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Patrick Oliver Jones

Topics covered

  • Broadway history
  • political musicals
  • Joseph McCarthy
  • theatrical failures
  • musical production
  • Brechtian satire

Keywords

  • Senator Joe
  • Joseph McCarthy
  • Tom O’Horgan
  • Broadway flop
  • musical theater
  • political satire
  • theater history

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Senator Joe, Hamilton, 1776, Parade, Fiorello!

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