“Death Becomes Her” Musical - Best Friends

Ill-conceived advertisement. I would like to hear one of the tunes from the show instead of the insipid banter between two actors I don't recognize.

The opening musical scene of the film always makes me laugh.

These actors are not abusing an Ozempic prescription.

The stage musical adaptation of the 1992 film comedy Death Becomes Her will make its pre-Broadway debut in Chicago this spring, producers announced today.

Starring Tony nominees Megan Hilty (Wicked, TV’s Smash) as “Madeline Ashton” (Meryl Streep in the film) and Jennifer Simard (Company, Once Upon A One More Time) as “Helen Sharp” (Goldie Hawn in the movie), the world premiere of Death Becomes Her will run at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre from April 30 – June 2, 2024.

Outtakes

In this version both women live off cans of frosting.

Full cast announced.

Christopher Sieber as Ernest Menville Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child) as Viola Van Horn (Lisle in the film)

The BELLIES

Yes I suppose a Death Becomes Her musical could work. They better come up with some very good songs though.

They really need to quit making musicals out of straight comedies.

Beetlejuice.

Back to the Future.

Pretty Woman.

9 to 5.

WRITE YOUR OWN FUCKING PROPERTY, YOU ASSHOLES!

Well, musicals are often based on source material, i.e. books, plays, feature films, documentaries, etc.

R9 Musicals based on books have indeed become legendary.

West Side Story

The King and I

The Sound of Music

Wicked

But musicals based on movies made after 1980? Movies that were written as straight comedies, scored with pop music, and not at all intended to be transformed into jukebox musicals? There's not one goddamn winner in that bunch.

It's coming to Broadway in October and Amex presale tickets are available now.

It looks fun. Hope the score measures up.

I have tickets for this coming Wednesday! Taking myself on a solo date night and I'm very excited about it. I'll be sure to report back.

I am interested r13 because the film always makes me laugh and I have seen it dozens of times

Poor Megan Hilty can’t land a hit to save her life.

Aren't they a little fat for the show?

I have heard a bootleg of the third preview. Even just hearing it, it shows promise, though not all lyrics were intelligible given the recording quality, especially when they belted.

It’ll definitely be cut down for Broadway, it’s too long at the moment (not uncommon for previews, I know). The score is better than I thought it might be, but there’s no real “standout” song yet. The book seemed fairly strong. Not as subtle as parts of the film, as the laugh lines have been beefed up significantly.

Michelle Williams as the Lisle equivalent may look great in publicity stills, but her voice is too “pop” in my opinion. Someone more exotic, maybe even operatic, would be better.

Jennifer Simard as Helen came across the best, I thought. Very droll and deadpan. Hilty was fun but a little cartoonish.

So certainly room for improvement, but better than a lot of screen-to-stage shows. The crowd certainly seemed to be loving it.

You can hear part of the overture here. Definitely inspired by Alan Silvestri.

Clever how they recreated the film’s opening shot.

Brand new promo footage.

Jennifer Simard was wonderful in Company.

Did they make them look heavy so the look amazing after taking the potion? They aged M up so she'd look terrific post-potion

In the movie there's a cut scene where Mad takes a call from Dakota begging her forgiveness. That's where's she's heading to when Ern knocks her down the stairs. I always assumed she was going out to a trendy bar or club to get hit on.

I'm hating what I'm seeing so far of Michelle Williams. She's too sexless for for the Lisle role.

They both look like HARDCORE Fraus

That was a really cool older film, but this musical looks super cheesy and frau-ish. I hope I’m wrong.

The jokes are tired — and didn’t Mame and Vera use that “old, old, old friend” joke? Come on.

Creating a new musical is a big financial risk. Having a pre-existing fan base makes it seem like a safer bet. Also, basing the show on a known property means people have some idea what to expect and may make them more comfortable shelling out to see it.

I think I just saw a variation of that “old, old, friend” schtick in 1981’s Evil Under the Sun with Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith.

Les Miserables, based on a book Oklahoma, based on a book Carousel, based on a play King & I, based on a novel which had become a movie Phantom, the same Oliver, the same Ragtime, the same MAME, based on a novel that had become a play that had become a movie Man of La Mancha, based on a teleplay that was based on a book Cabaret, based on a play which was based on a novel Sweet Charity, based on a film Annie, based on a comic strip Applause, based on a movie that was based on a magazine story or something Promises Promises, based on a movie

And on and on and on.

The problem isn’t the theft of ideas, as R8 seems to suggest. It’s that the product people keep cranking out these days is garbage. Absolute SHIT. You want to musicalize something? That’s awesome. But it better be good. It’s as if folks are going through IMDB for titles that could sell, all “we have to do is write some songs! They don’t have to be good!”

SHREK, the musical? Absolute shit. One of the worst evenings I spent in a theatre. What was the point? A money-grab. 9 To 5? Oooooph Big Fish? PU Devil Wears Prada? An embarrassment. I sat in the audience, embarrassed for the performers.

R8 wants original properties and ideas. Those happen, too, but far too infrequently. Known titles and properties are safer bets, from a producer’s standpoint. But it IS exciting when it’s fresh and new and funny. I just can’t remember the last time that happened?

R18. Who is creating these advertisements? They're not enticing or informative

R19 this is what I needed to see and hear to confirm my interest, the music sounds shrill. An irritant. But it was so funny to see Destiny's Child Michelle Williams, I thought you were speaking of Heath Ledgers baby mama!

Have any actresses ever got their tits out in a musical?

Apparently Nicole Scherzinger was originally meant to play the part of Viola (Lisle) but had to drop out at the last minute because of Sunset Boulevard's huge success, so Michelle stepped in at the last minute.

According to reviews of the previews, her performance is the only disappointing one—anemic, wooden, timid, just wrong for the role and wrong for Broadway in general, though her singing is apparently glorious. She's just not an actress. I'm quite certain she'll be replaced before it moves to Broadway, if for no other reason to put the poor girl out of her misery. Obviously Isabella played the role quite deadpan in the film, but for the stage, it requires BIG camp to make an impact, like Ursula big, and Michelle just doesn't have it in her.

But people are saying it's hilarious, campy as fuck, deliciously cunty, and GAY GAY GAY. Also apparently the sets but especially the costumes are already Tony contenders, even in the previews. I'm going to see it Tuesday but my friend who went to the opening night show recorded a bit for me, and I'm fairly certain the number "Into the Gaze" will be an instant drag classic. My friend refused to spoil for me how they pulled off the falling down the stairs stunt but she said they couldn't have done it better if they tried. She also said Megan and Jennifer knock it out of the park and their chemistry is sensational.

I hope for Megan Hilty that this is a hit!

I hope for Jennifer…well…

[quote] Have any actresses ever got their tits out in a musical?

On purpose?

Based on the clip r19 provided, Williams has a surprisingly strong voice. I am of the opinion these little pop princesses can not sing live but Williams proved otherwise

I thought Kristin Chenoweth was ramping up to do this show. What happened to her?

Michelle Williams’ singing is mediocre, at best, and she’s terrible on stage. She looks like a deer in headlights.

One fan review said the music was fun in the moment but hard to remember afterwards. Seems to be the case with a lot of modern musicals. Maybe they’ll write a really memorable showstopper for the Broadway run, but I’m not holding my breath.

Chicago Tribune Review

How come they're both chunky post-potion, they don't look any better in R40

How are they going to show the special fx live? And how will they show her great fall?

SPOILERS:

I don’t know about the hole in stomach, but as of now, Madeline’s head does not twist around. A bone sticks out of her neck. The fall is accomplished by a stunt double and apparently very well executed.

The seems like campy sludge.

I'm a [bold]HUGE[/bold] fan of the movie (one of my fave movies) but I don't like the look of this musical. Death Becomes Her could have done without this.

Variety’s critic considers the show an improvement over the film. I think that’s a bit of a stretch.

If Dirty Rotten Scoundrels can run, why can't this?

Did you see it, R46?

C'mon R48 you saw those clips? No actress is a patch on Goldie, Meryl or even Isabella