The cult classic film finds fresh vitality on stage as Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard bring camp comedy to new heights
The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre hosted the opening of the Broadway musical adaption of “Death Becomes Her” on Thursday night. It turns the well-known 1992 movie into an exciting stage play that will captivate audiences.
Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn’s original roles are reimagined in the musical, which stars Jennifer Simard and Megan Hilty, both of whom are Tony nominees. Among the celebrities on opening night were Brooke Shields, Tina Fey, and Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Tina Knowles, who made an unexpected visit.
Meryl Streep’s playful greeting to Hilty,
“Break a leg, or I’ll break it for you,” along with a bunch of withered flowers, was a highlight of the evening and perfectly captured the dark humor of the act.
With a book by Marco Pennette and music by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey,
the musical stays true to the campy humor of the original movie. The film’s well-known special effects, such as a terrifying shotgun scene and a spectacular staircase collapse, have been brilliantly recreated for the stage by director Christopher Gattelli. Death Becomes Her
Hilty told me, “We found in Chicago that audiences love when we embrace the show’s campy nature.
” The show explores aging, beauty standards, and how the entertainment industry treats women while balancing humor and more somber emotional moments.
Hilty told me, “We found in Chicago that audiences love when we embrace the show’s campy nature.
” The show explores aging, beauty standards, and how the entertainment industry treats women while balancing humor and more somber emotional moments.
An outstanding creative team consists of Paul Tazewell (costumes), Justin Towsend (lighting), and Derek McLane (sets). The atmosphere of the concert had “a delicious, autumnal feeling of spookiness,” according to Simard.
Michelle Williams and Christopher Sieber will appear in the musical, which will run until August 2025.
Deadline described it as “a virtually perfect big-budget, broad-appeal musical comedy that improves on the original film,” and early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.
It looks like “Death Becomes Her” will be a fantastic Broadway production that blends passion, humor, and societal criticism.