Death Becomes Her is a musical, with a book by Marco Pennette and music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. It is based on the 1992 film of the same name directed by Robert Zemeckis. It made its world premiere in May 2024 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, and moved to Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in November 2024.
The original Chicago and Broadway productions received critical acclaim by theatre critics, for its score, book, production design, stunts, special effects, and humor with both Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard receiving universal praise for their comedic timing, chemistry, and performances. It received a leading 10 nominations at the 78th Tony Awards and won for Best Costume Design in a Musical.
Synopsis Act I The show opens with Viola Van Horn and her group of immortals sharing "a secret you would die for" by offering the audience a magic potion that grants eternal beauty and perfection ("If You Want Perfection").
Vain and self-absorbed actress Madeline Ashton performs in the Broadway show Me! Me! Me! ("For the Gaze"). She is visited by her old friend and struggling writer Helen Sharp, whom she frequently belittles and insults for her own amusement. However, Helen has one-upped Madeline by revealing she is engaged to famed plastic surgeon, Ernest Menville, and relishes the opportunity to get back at her frenemy ("That Was Then, This is Now").
Madeline invites the two over to her home, where she seduces Ernest ("Tell Me, Ernest"), steals him from Helen and ends up marrying him ("Madeline Ashton's Intimate Wedding Extravaganza"), with Ernest promising during the wedding to stay "til death do us part" ("Ernest's Real Vows"). Helen has a psychotic break and is forcibly committed to a mental hospital, where she obsesses over killing Madeline ("Madeline").
Ten years later, Madeline and Ernest remain unhappily married. Madeline has begun to age visibly, costing her acting jobs ("(I See) Me!"), while Ernest copes with his regrets by drinking ("Til Death"). The couple are invited to the publication of Helen's debut novel, and upon arrival, Madeline is given Viola Van Horn’s business card by a mysterious waiter named Chagall. Helen appears, having become mysteriously young, successful, and beautiful. She further humiliates Madeline by mocking her age and her recent embarrassing film roles, and openly flirts with Ernest ("Tell Me, Ernest (Reprise)").
Madeline has a panic attack in the parking lot and vows not to let her career and image "fall apart" before she visits Viola at her home ("Falling Apart"). Viola offers Madeline the potion on the condition that she vanish from the public eye after ten years to keep its existence a secret. She takes the potion, becoming young and beautiful again. Viola leaves Madeline with a warning: "take care of your body" ("Siempre Viva").
Back at Ernest and Madeline's home, Helen breaks in and rekindles her relationship with Ernest, and the two plan to run away together by murdering Madeline ("Let's Run Away Together"). Upon Madeline's return, she and Helen get into a fight, which results in Madeline falling down the stairs and breaking her neck. As Helen devises a new plan to report the death as an accident, Madeline suddenly reanimates, accusing Helen of pushing her intentionally. As they stare at Madeline, seemingly alive but with a twisted neck, Viola appears onstage and taunts that she has "a secret you would die for" ("Confrontation").
Act II
Ernest and Helen frantically drive Madeline to the hospital, where it is confirmed that she is clinically dead, yet still alive. The sequence is intercut with Viola appearing on the stage, addressing the audience and admonishing Madeline for ignoring her warning ("Don't Say I Didn't (Warn You)").
Returning home, Madeline realizes Helen has taken the potion as well and shoots her with a shotgun, leaving a massive hole in her torso. Their bickering leads to further violence and more injuries: Helen is impaled by an umbrella, and Madeline is decapitated before Ernest stops them ("Hit Me"). The two women coerce Ernest to use his surgical skills to repair their bodies, and he agrees on the condition that he be allowed to leave afterward. Drunk and delirious, Ernest plans to fix them with glue, clay, and spray paint ("The Plan"). He also fires Stefan, Madeline's long-suffering assistant, to prevent him from discovering their immortality ("Stefan's Turn").
Madeline and Helen realize they'll need Ernest for maintenance and plot to drug him and have him drink the potion so he can become immortal too. After knocking Ernest out, they take him to Viola's, where she is hosting a ball with the other immortals ("Live to Serve"). Ernest awakens, and Viola tempts him with the potion, but he refuses and escapes ("Siempre Viva (Reprise)" / "The Chase"). Madeline and Helen chase Ernest to the roof, and when he declares that he would rather die than have to spend eternity with them, Viola pushes him off to his apparent death ("Til Death (Reprise)").
Helen despondently realizes she's doomed to outlive all of her friends and family and be alone forever. Madeline, finally apologizing for her actions, tells her that they can fix one another and can be each other's "person" ("Alive Forever"). The two drop their rivalry, embrace, and head home.
Fifty years later, while visiting their own gravesites, Madeline and Helen run into an elderly Ernest, who had survived the fall, fell in love with his nurse, married her, and had children and grandchildren ("Fifty Years Later"). As Ernest and his wife leave, Helen and Madeline momentarily lament that they will never have an "ending" of their own before exiting the cemetery together, while Viola suddenly appears once more and taunts the audience to "[not] say [she] didn't warn [them]" ("The End").
Musical numbers Broadway Run Act I If You Want Perfection — Viola, Immortals For the Gaze — Madeline, Ensemble That Was Then, This is Now — Helen Tell Me, Ernest — Madeline, Helen, Ernest Madeline Ashton's Intimate Wedding Extravaganza — Ernest, Madeline, Luciano, Ensemble Ernest's Real Vows - Ernest Madeline — Helen (I See) Me! — Madeline, Ensemble* Till Death — Ernest Tell Me, Ernest (Reprise) — Helen Falling Apart — Madeline Siempre Viva — Viola, Immortals Let's Run Away Together — Helen, Ernest Confrontation — Madeline, Helen, Ernest, Viola Act II Entr'acte Don't Say I Didn't (Warn You) — Viola, Immortals Hit Me — Helen, Madeline The Plan — Ernest, Ensemble Stefan's Turn — Stefan Live to Serve — Chagall, Immortals Siempre Viva (Reprise) — Viola, Madeline, Helen The Chase — Immortals Till Death (Reprise) — Ernest, Madeline, Helen Alive Forever — Helen, Madeline Fifty Years Later — Ernest, Madeline, Helen The End — Helen, Madeline, Ensemble
Chicago Run Act I
Prelude — Viola, Ensemble For the Gaze —Madeline, Ensemble That Was Then, This is Now — Helen, Ernest Tell Me, Ernest — Madeline, Helen, Ernest The Vows — Ensemble Madeline — Helen (I See) Me! — Madeline, Ensemble* Till Death — Ernest Tell Me, Ernest (Reprise) — Helen, Ernest Madeline's Lament — Madeline Siempre Viva — Viola, Madeline, Ensemble Let's Run Away Together — Helen, Ernest Disrespect Me (The Stairs) — Madeline, Helen Let's Run Away Together (Reprise) — Helen, Ernest, Madeline, Viola Act II
Don't Say I Didn't Warn You — Viola, Ensemble Hit Me Like You Mean It — Helen, Madeline, Ernest Ernest Menville — Ernest, Ensemble Siempre Viva (Reprise) — Viola, Madeline, Helen, Ernest Goodbye Forever — Ernest, Helen, Madeline That Was Then, This is Now (Reprise I) — Helen, Madeline Alive Forever - Helen, Madeline Gone (The Procession) — Ensemble That Was Then, This is Now (Reprise II) — Ernest Finale — Helen, Madeline
Adapted from the original song by Geoffrey Aymar, David Koepp, and Martin Donovan included in the 1992 film
Development In December 2017, a Broadway musical adaptation of Death Becomes Her was reported to be in development, with Kristin Chenoweth tapped to star. The book is written by Marco Pennette and has an original score by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey.
Notably, the character of Lisle von Rhuman, originally portrayed by Isabella Rossellini in the film, was changed to Viola Van Horn, portrayed by Michelle Williams. When asked about the decision making behind the change, Williams said she did not know what caused the change, but stated that there were some plot elements in the production that may hint at the reason.
Penette's book included elements of the film that were cut before its premiere, including a scene with Madeline being sent to a morgue and a modified version of the original ending to the film.
Production history
Chicago (2024) In September 2023 it was announced that the musical was produced by Broadway In Chicago, Universal Theatrical Group, 321 Theatrical Management, and was directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli. The production featured set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Justin Townsend, sound design by Peter Hylenski, illusions by Rob Lake, hair and makeup by Charles LaPointe and Joe Dulude II.
The musical ran at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago from April 30 to June 2, 2024. The cast featured Megan Hilty as Madeline, Jennifer Simard as Helen, Christopher Sieber as Ernest and Michelle Williams as Viola Van Horn, a character originally named Lisle von Rhuman.
Broadway (2024-26) In May 2024, the producers announced their plans to have the musical begin performances at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on October 23 of that year, with an official opening scheduled for November 21. Joining the producing team for the Broadway transfer were Marc Platt (in his first stage producing collaboration with Universal since Wicked), Debra Martin Chase, Jason Blum, James Wan and Steven Spielberg alongside his wife Kate Capshaw. Hilty, Simard, Sieber and Williams reprised their roles. On January 16, 2026, Betsy Wolfe joined the cast as Madeline Ashton replacing Megan Hilty.de Forest, Jonah Anything for the Vlog! Betsy Wolfe to Take Viewers Behind the Violet Curtain of Death Becomes Her on Broadway Broadway.com, January 13, 2026
The show played its final Broadway performance on June 28, 2026, after 27 previews and 666 regular performances.
North American tour (2026) A North American tour of the Broadway production launched in the fall of 2026 in Cleveland. The cast for the tour features Jackie Burns as Madeline Ashton, Kristen Beth Williams as Helen Sharp, Ken Marino as Ernest, Nasia Thomas as Viola, Louis A. Williams Jr. as Chagall and Michael Buchanan as Stefan.
Cast and characters CharacterChicagoBroadwayNorth American Tour2024-20262026Madeline AshtonMegan HiltyJackie BurnsHelen SharpJennifer SimardKristen Beth WilliamsErnest MenvilleChristopher SieberKen MarinoViola Van HornMichelle WilliamsNasia ThomasChagall Taurean EverettLouis A. Williams Jr.StefanJosh Lamon Michael Buchanan
Notable replacements Broadway 2026 Madeline Ashton: Betsy WolfeCulwell-Block, Logan Betsy Wolfe Joins Death Becomes Her on Broadway Beginning January 16 Playbill, January 16, 2026
North American 2026 Tour In July 2026, Death Becomes Her announced the cast of its North American Tour. Starring Jackie Burns as Madeline Ashton, Kristen Beth Williams as Helen Sharp, and Ken Marino as Ernest Menville, with Nasia Thomas leading the Immortals as the mysterious Viola Van Horn.https://deathbecomesher.com/cast/ https://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/Death-Becomes-Her-335947/current-cast
Critical response
Chicago production