Death Becomes Her, Starring Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard, Comes to Life on Broadway

Death Becomes Her, the new musical adapted from the camp 1992 horror-comedy film that starred Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis, is springing to life at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on October 23. The show stars Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber and former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams.

Conceited actress Madeline Ashton (Hilton) and author Helen Sharp (Simard) are the best of frenemies until Madeline steals Helen's fiancé Ernest (Sieber). Things take a turn for the supernatural when the mysterious Viola Van Horn (Williams) proffers a magic potion that promises eternal youth and beauty.

As fans of the riotous, effects-heavy directed movie will remember, the story involves plenty of grotesquely comical violence, culminating in an absurdly over-the-top brawl.

The musical features an original score by Noel Carey and Julia Mattison and a book by Marco Pennette. Christopher Gattelli directs and choreographs the production, which completed its pre-Broadway engagement at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre earlier in the year.

The creative team includes scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Justin Townsend, sound design by Peter Hylenski, hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe, make-up design by Joe Dulude II, fight direction by Cha Ramos, illusions by Tim Clothier, with music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, dance and incidental music arrangements by Sam Davis and music direction by Ben Cohn.

The show is the second stage adaptation of a Robert Zemeckis film to make it to Broadway in as many years, after Back to the Future. Forrest Gump: The Musical, anyone?