Director Taika Waititi and his wife, singer-songwriter Rita Ora, are producing a stage musical based on the infamous 2017 Fyre Festival disaster. The project aims to turn one of the most notorious event failures in modern history into a theatrical production.
According to Playbill, the musical will be directed and co-produced by Bryan Buckley, who is also writing the book for the show. Acclaimed songwriter and producer Paul Epworth is composing the music. Waititi and Ora confirmed their involvement by sharing the announcement to their Instagram Stories on Monday.
The Fyre Festival, promoted as an ultra-luxurious music festival in the Bahamas, collapsed into chaos after organizers failed to deliver on virtually every promise. Attendees were lured by flashy social media campaigns and celebrity endorsements, paying thousands of dollars for what was billed as an elite experience. Instead, they arrived to find FEMA tents, boxed sandwiches, and no performances—most artists had pulled out well before the event was canceled.
The mastermind behind the failed event, Billy McFarland, was convicted of wire fraud and sentenced to six years in federal prison. He was accused of intentionally defrauding investors and ticket buyers with false promises and fake documents. The event’s collapse became a cultural flashpoint, spawning multiple documentaries and serving as a cautionary tale about hype culture and influencer marketing.
The upcoming musical adds a theatrical twist to the saga, blending entertainment with satire. With Waititi’s history of blending comedy with social commentary, and Ora’s musical background, the production is expected to draw considerable attention once it hits the stage.
