DEATH BECOMES HER Previews- Page 4

[itsahopi]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 10:47am

pablitonizer said: "itsahopi said: "ACL2006 said: "Menken Fan said: "MemorableUserName said: "Here's a photo from last night's Playbill

"

I saw Natalie CharleEllis go on for Jen Simard in the Chicago run, and she was just as magnificent as Jen."

these are the same covers that the show had for the Chicago run. Natalie went on for Jen plus Michelle Williams missed plenty of shows in Chicago. So it's hard to believe that one of the four leads were sick and the u/s wasn't ready. I smell something elsehappened and the producers are using the "sick" card as the cancellation reason."

call me crazy, but perhaps there might not be some deep conspiracy here. people have mentioned the show has changed, and the Chicago run was months ago. perhaps (capable as they are) the understudies aren’t prepped to go on with short notice, into a different show in a new theatre on day two. I commend the producers, as it is far too often thecase that we celebrate throwing on standbys and understudies without notice (Lempicka most recently). canceling the show over abusing an understudy is something producers aren’t known to do, so I think we should be celebrating this instead of looking for sinister motivation.

"

I understand the show just started previews.But isn't the understudies'job to go on stage with short and long-term notices? I'm curiously asking! We are sure Hilty and Simard get along really well, right? I love them both but they're very strong female Broadway stars!"

I need you to look inward and ask yourself why you see two incredible and beloved Broadway leading ladies headlining a new musical and immediately question if they’re getting along. 

 

 

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 10:51am

I'd assume they're rehearsing the u/s(Natalie?) today to go on tonight and possibly tomorrow. 

[Showface]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 11:25am

Would there be an announcement made at any point this afternoon confirming who (if anyone) is out tonight or any other way to find out? 

Considering reselling my Orchestra ticket if Megan Hilty is out tonight and going another time because I was really looking forward to her performance, specifically.

I might end up going anyway and getting rush tickets to another performance that she’s in, but I’m just weighing my options…

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 11:44am

ACL2006 said: "I'd assume they're rehearsing the u/s(Natalie?) today to go on tonight and possibly tomorrow."

And it should be noted that if Natalie is going on tonight that one of the swings needs to learn her track. So Natalie may be familiar with the role but it's unlikely one of the swings knew Natalie's track.

[luvbrdway]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 12:26pm

Those who have seen it, what rating would you give this show in terms of language, innuendo? PG, PG13, R? 

Updated On: 10/25/24 at 12:26 PM

[ChiDoc]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 12:38pm

luvbrdway said: "Those who have seen it, what rating would you give this show in terms of language, innuendo? PG, PG13, R?"

In Chicago, the innuendo was very strong (the "come" joke legitimately caused a school group to walk out).  It would be a hard PG-13 at minimum, and of course it's always up to the individual, but I'd guess the MPAA would rate this one at an R with the language and sexual jokes.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 1:36pm

ACL2006 said: "Menken Fan said: "MemorableUserName said: "Here's a photo from last night's Playbill

"

I saw Natalie CharleEllis go on for Jen Simard in the Chicago run, and she was just as magnificent as Jen."

plus Michelle Williams missed plenty of shows in Chicago."

Well this is a straight up lie. Williams didn’t miss a single performance in Chicago.

Updated On: 10/25/24 at 01:36 PM

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 1:56pm

Wouldn't it make sense if Natalie was first cover for Helen and second cover for Madeline, and Kaleigh Cronin was the reverse? Pretty rare to have one person be the first cover for two roles when it's the same pair of understudies covering both performers. Or am I reading too much into this?

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 2:14pm

ChairinMain said: "Or am I reading too much into this?"

Their names are just listed in alphabetical order.

[jpbran]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 2:26pm

“We are writing to notify you that Megan Hilty will not be appearing in this evening's performance (Friday, October 25, 2024 at 8:00 PM). Tonight’s performance will go on as scheduled, starring Kaleigh Cronin as Madeline Ashton. We hope you will join us at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, but should you elect to request a refund, please reply to this email before 8:00 PM today, Friday, October 25.”

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 2:35pm

jpbran said: "“We are writing to notify you thatMegan Hiltywill not be appearing inthis evening's performance (Friday, October 25, 2024 at 8:00 PM).Tonight’s performance will go on as scheduled,starring Kaleigh Cronin as Madeline Ashton. We hope you will join us at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, but should you elect to request a refund, please reply to this emailbefore8:00 PMtoday, Friday, October 25.”"

I knew it seemed suspicious when I heard she only signed 3 Playbills at stage door after first preview and was rushed out by security. Perhaps a positive COVID test came back late?

Break legs, Kaleigh!

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 4:48pm

Anyone who went to the first performance able to take a picture of the credit page of the playbill? Specifically wondering who’s listed as producers.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 6:48pm

Lovely.

https://www.instagram.com/meganhilty/p/DBkDCSSS8a6/

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 7:25pm

Well said, Megan!

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 9:43pm

Such a classy and accurate message from Megan.

[Skip23]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 11:23pm

My God....2 1/2 hours of plastic surgery and "look" jokes.  Maybe OK for an Act, but this falls apart in the Second Act cause there's nowhere to go.  Except eternity, which this dragged on into.

 

Songwriters again don't know when to end a song.  Jason Robert Brown school of songwriting. 

 

And can these Broadway shows find a good Sound Designer and technician or teach the cast to enunciate?!!  These lyrics are Hamiltonian.  And I lost half of them.

 

 Death Becomes Boredom Becomes Sleep

 

 

 

 

[phantom1978]

Posted: 10/25/24 at 11:28pm

Are they going to offer refunds each night Hilty is out sick?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 12:54am

Yes they are offering refunds to anyone who wants one due to Hiltys absence.  Still a sold out wildly responsive audience. Kaleigh was sensational. She actually resembled Streep in her blonde wig and physicality. She crushed it. You’d never know it was her first show. She and Simard has terrific chemistry. 
 

As for the show, I found it to be a ton of fun. The lyrics are really funny and I had no issues with understanding them. The cast had great diction and the sound was great. Will I ever listen to the cast recording? Probably not, but in the context of the show the songs were fun. 
 

The changes to the movie made sense. I will say I don’t think they had the standby costumes ready. Either that or the Helen/Madeline understudies don’t get elaborate costumes. Simards dresses were far more ornate than Cronins. Hers looked plain while Simard looked blinged out. 
 

Overall the audience seemed to love it. Wild applause and laughter. The staging looks luxe and it feels like you see the money you are spending used on stage (unlike Oh Mary). 
 

If you have the chance to see Kaleigh definitely go. I can imagine just how incredible Hilty is but her understudy was delightful. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 7:42am

I'd assume Hitly is out tonight just as a precaution. They're dark Sunday before resuming performances on Monday.

[BJR]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 8:50am

Bettyboy72 said: "The staging looks luxe and it feels like you see the money you are spending used on stage (unlike Oh Mary)."

Oh Mary is very deliberately designed that way. Dots talked about how in the process of their design they were so anxious folks wouldn't get the joke, that they are doing all the cheap/bad/old school scenic motifs, from no 90 degree corners in the rooms to black masking curtains outside a window.

TBH when I saw it Off-Bway my initial impression was just that the budget was small, until I saw the design team in the Playbill. Then, knowing their usual gorgeous work, I got the joke.

[BarnabyTucker]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 9:55am

There are some understudy performances that have stuck with me:

Andrea Goss as Sally Bowles

Alison Cimmet as The Princess Puffer

Stephanie Umoh as Trina (second cover AND went on at the last minute in early previews with book in hand and brought the house down during "I'm Breaking Down". )

And I am happy to add Kaleigh Cronin as Madeline Ashton to that list.  She was simply sensational and her chemistry with Simard was off the charts. 

I loved the show itself; the jokes pack a punch and it's just a really fun night at the theatre.  The songs are serviceable and that's fine within the context of the show.  I was with a big group of non-theater goers and they were all bowled over by it.  Audiences are going to eat this up.

Definitely my new "what should me and the wife see for our annual Broadway date night?" pick. 

 

Updated On: 10/26/24 at 09:55 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 10:16am

Last night’s curtain call with Kaleigh:

 

[Marlothom]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 2:07pm

One minor issue in Chicago was how abruptly the assistant disappears - have they worked out some explanation for this or is he now more present in Act 2? 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 2:59pm

On Wednesday, after Ernest repaired the women but before they came out, Ernest fired the assistant, who sang a brief number about being free and cashing in once his NDA expires. Is that different from Chicago?

Updated On: 10/26/24 at 02:59 PM

[Marlothom]

Posted: 10/26/24 at 3:18pm

yes! that is entirely brand new.  In Chicago he was nowhere to be found in Act 2.  Glad he has a proper exit (and a little song!).