‘Death Becomes Her’ Musical Sets Fall Broadway Opening

The stage musical adaptation of Death Becomes Her will open on Broadway this fall, with Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber and Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams in the principal roles they’re currently playing in Chicago.

The production, directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, will begin previews Wednesday, October 23, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, officially opening on Thursday, November 21. Death Becomes Her features a book by Marco Pennette, and an original score by Julia Mattison & Noel Carey. The Chicago staging runs through Sunday, June 2.

The musical is based on the Universal Pictures 1992 film starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, and Isabella Rossellini, written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan, and directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The musical’s official synopsis: “Madeline Ashton is the most beautiful actress (just ask her) ever to grace the stage and screen. Helen Sharp is the long- suffering author (just ask her) who lives in her shadow. They have always been the best of frenemies… until Madeline steals Helen’s fiancé away. As Helen plots revenge and Madeline clings to her rapidly fading star, their world is suddenly turned upside down by Viola Van Horn, a mysterious woman with a secret that’s to die for. After one sip of Viola’s magical potion, Madeline and Helen begin a new era of life (and death) with their youth and beauty restored…and a grudge to last eternity.”

Hilty (WickedTV’s Smash) plays Madeline, Simard (Company, Disaster!) is Helen, Sieber (Spamalot, Company) plays fiancé Ernest and Williams (Destiny’s Child, Chicago) portrays Viola.

In addition to Gattelli, a Tony winner for his choreography of Newsiesthe creative team includes Derek McLane, scenic design; Paul Tazewell, costume design; Justin Townsend, lighting design; Peter Hylenski, sound design; Rob Lake, illusions; Charles LaPointe, hair and wig design; Joe Dulude II, make-up design; Thomas Schall, fight direction; with music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, dance & incidental music arrangements by Sam Davis, and music direction by Ben Cohn.

Death Becomes Her is produced by Universal Theatrical Group (UTG), overseen by Jimmy Horowitz (Chairman of Business Affairs and Operations, NBCUniversal), and led by Chris Herzberger (Senior Vice President, Universal Theatrical Group). UTG’s Vice President of Creative Development and Production, Lowe Cunningham, oversees on behalf of UTG.