Broadway Buzz: New ‘Death Becomes Her’ Musical Poster Channels the Iconic Film Vibes

Broadway’s upcoming musical adaptation of Death Becomes Her is stirring up excitement with new promo art that’s a total throwback to the film’s legendary poster — think twisted heads and vanishing midriffs! The ghoulish artwork, created by Franz Szony, features stars Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard looking a bit… well, discombobulated, in the best possible way.

The show, set to start previews on October 23 with an official opening on November 21 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, stars Hilty as Madeline Ashton and Simard as Helen Sharp — two fierce rivals who chase eternal youth through a magic potion with some seriously sketchy side effects. Rounding out the main cast are Christopher Sieber as Ernest Menville and Michelle Williams as Viola Van Horn, all reprising their roles from the show’s Chicago pre-Broadway run earlier this year.

The ensemble features a stellar lineup including Marija Abney, Lauren Celentano, Sarita Colon, Kaleigh Cronin, Natalie Charle Ellis, Taurean Everett, Michael Graceffa, Neil Haskell, Kolton Krouse, Josh Lamon, Sarah Meahl, Ximone Rose, Sir Brock Warren, Bud Weber, Ryan Worsing, and Warren Yang. Plus, swings Kyle Brown, Lakota Knuckle, Johanna Moise, and Amy Quanbeck will be stepping in to keep the show running smoothly. Casting is handled by Tara Rubin Casting.

The musical boasts a book by Marco Pennette, adapted from the original screenplay by Martin Donovan and David Koepp, with tunes by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. Tony winner Christopher Gattelli is both directing and choreographing, bringing his signature flair to the production.

Behind the scenes, the creative team includes scenic design by Derek McLane, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Justin Townsend, sound by Peter Hylenski, hair and wigs by Charles J. LaPointe, and makeup by Joe Dulude II. The team also features fight direction by Thomas Schall, music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, dance and incidental music arrangements by Sam Davis, and music direction by Ben Cohn, with Rachel Sterner as the production stage manager.

Fans of the 1992 film directed by Robert Zemeckis will remember its groundbreaking use of CGI, like Meryl Streep’s head turned completely backwards and a literal hole through Goldie Hawn’s character. This musical version has been in the works for a while, with rumors swirling since at least 2017 when Kristin Chenoweth was initially attached to star with a different creative team.