Billy McFarland Says He’s Developing a Fyre Fest Broadway Musical

It’s official, Fyre Fest 2.0 is underway. Billy McFarland revealed in an interview this week that he is in the process of paying off debts from the messy 2017 iteration of the festival, and is working on launching the second version as well as a Broadway musical about the original event.

“Instead of like traditional Broadway actors, it’s going to be current music artists, combined with the Broadway format of the play — making fun of me, but also I think sharing some of the good sides as well,” he told NYC journalist Adam Glyn of the upcoming play, which he has tentatively titled Fyre Fest 1.5.

While McFarland won’t be starring in the play himself, he’ll be narrating the story as well as hiring an actor to portray him. “I have a killer partner who is doingall the logistics. I’m here to just f— things up and make s— go viral,” he said of plans surrounding the venue and production dates.

As for Fyre Fest 2.0, McFarland said that the Bahamian people and companies owed money from the disgraced first edition of the festival “are getting paid back right now.”
In 2018, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison after admitting to defrauding investors in the disastrous 2017 Fyre Festival, which was promised to be a luxury destination music event with extravagant promotion from A-list celebrity influencers. But when ticket-holders showed up to the Exuma island in The Bahamas, they found the event they were promised was totally unrealized. McFarland also pleaded guilty to charges in a later ticket-selling scam.

He was released in May 2022, and owed $26 million to investors.

“I’m getting help with the logistics,” McFarland told Glyn of his plans for the 2.0 festival, adding that it will take place at another undisclosed island. “I’m getting the best music partners to do the toilets, bathrooms and food. I’m just going to help make this thing a f—ing adventure, which I love to do.”

“The reaction for getting artists has been so extreme,” he continued. “Half of them are like, ‘F— off. How dare you even call us?’ And there’s half [who have been] been texting, emailing, saying, ‘Hey, like what can we do to come?’”

Watch the full interview below.