B'way Update: Death Becomes Her

Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard in
Death Becomes Her in Chicago.
Credit: Matthew Murphy and
Evan Zimmerman

Death Becomes Her, the musical version of the 1992 film comedy starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as deadly frenemies, will be coming to Broadway after a run at Chicago's Cadillac Palace where it is playing until June 2. Previews begin Oct. 23 at the Lunt-Fontanne prior to a Nov. 12 opening. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her features a book by Marco Pennette, and an original score by Julia Mattison & Noel Carey. 

The cast will be headlined by Tony nominees Megan Hilty (Wicked, “Smash”), Jennifer Simard (Company, Disaster!), Christopher Sieber (Spamalot, Company), and Grammy® Award winner Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child, Chicago). 

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.

 Life’s a bitch and then you die. Or not!

2024-25 Broadway/Off-Broadway/Awards Calendar (and Beyond)
Spring 2024
May 17--Drama League Awards (Ziegfeld Ballroom)
May 20--Chita Rivera Awards Ceremony (NYU Skirball)
May 23--Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony (Bruno Walter Auditorium/NY Public Library for the Performing Arts)
May 28--Ben Platt at the Palace

Summer 2024

June 4--What Became of Us (Atlantic Stage 2)

June 5--Home (Roundabout/Todd Haimes)

June 10--Drama Desk Awards (NYU Skirball)

June 10--Theater World Awards (Marquis Theater)

June 12--The Welkin (Atlantic Theater Company)

June 12--Titanic (Encores/City Center)

June 16--Tony Awards (David Koch Theater/Lincoln Center)

June 20--Cats (Perelman Performing Arts Center)

June 23--N/A (Mitzi Newhouse)

July 11--Oh, Mary! (Lyceum)

Fall 2024

Sept. 12--The Roommate (Booth)

Sept. 12--Counting and Cracking (Public Theater/NYU Skirball)

Sept. 24--Vladimir (MTC/City Center Stage I) (previews begin; opening TBA)

Sept. 30--MCNEAL (Vivian Beaumont/LCT)

Oct. 1--Yellowface (Roundabout/Todd Haimes)

Oct. 1--Good Bones (Public)

Oct. 9--The Counter (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

Oct. 10--Our Town (Barrymore)

Oct. 10--Deep History (Public)

Oct. 17--Maybe Happy Ending (Belasco)

Oct. 20--Sunset Boulevard (St. James)

Nov. 8--Gatz (Elevator Repair Service/Public)

Nov. 11--What a Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical (Studio 54)

Nov. 14--Tammy Faye (Palace)

Nov. 21--Death Becomes Her (Lunt-Fontanne)

Nov. 25--Eureka Day (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman) (previews begin; opening TBA)

King Lear (Kenneth Branagh Theater Company/The Shed)

Left on Tenth

Romeo and Juliet w/Kit Connor, Rachel Zegler

Winter 2024-25

Jan. 23--English (Roundabout/Todd Haimes Theater)

Feb. 20--Liberation (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

Sumo (Ma-Yi Theater/Public)

2024-25

My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?)

Romeo and Juliet w.Tom Holland/Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (?)

Smash

Wine in the Wilderness (CSC)

Spring 2025

March 25--Old Friends (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman) (previews begins opening TBA)

April 24--The Pirates of Penzance (Roundabout/Todd Haimes Theater)

Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. (Public)

Good Night and Good Luck

Othello

The Picture of Dorian Gray (???)

Show Boat (Target Margin/NYU Skirball)

Summer 2025

Twelfth Night (Public Theater/Delacorte)

Fall 2025

Initiative (Public)

Future--Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death; Beaches the Musical; Black Orpheus; BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical; Come Fall in Love--The DDLJ Musical; Crazy Rich Asians; The Devil Wears Prada; Ella: An American Miracle; Everybody's Talking About Jamie; Frida, the Musical; Game of Thrones; The Griswolds' Broadway Vacation; High Noon; Imitation of Life; The Interestings; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; The Karate Kid; La La Land; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; The Mousetrap; Nancy Drew and the Mystery at Spotlight Manor; Pal Joey; Purple Rain; The Queen's Gambit; Rear Window; The Nanny; The Normal Heart/The Destiny of Me; The Queen of Versailles; The Secret Garden; Sing Street; Soul Train; Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Working Girl.

2024-25 Broadway Season Breakdown

New Plays

Good Night and Good Luck

Left on Tenth

MCNEAL

Oh, Mary!

The Roommate

New Musicals

Death Becomes Her

Maybe Happy Ending

Old Friends

Smash

Tammy Faye

What a Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Play Revivals

English

Eureka Day

Othello

Our Town

Romeo and Juliet

Yellowface

Musical Revivals

The Pirates of Penzance

Sunset Boulevard