DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews - Page 11

[Kad]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:20pm

They also both just did Miscast on Monday, which of course is lovely and they were great, but...

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:23pm

Yeah, prioritizing everything else above their jobs is.....wild.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:25pm

At this point they should have Dee Roscioli do the Wednesday and Saturday matinees for Hilty and then either Natalie or Kaleigh should be the alternate for Simard for the same two shows.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:27pm

The Q&A last night that kept them at the theater late WAS part of their jobs, so...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:29pm

Also, I'm sure the physicality of the show is also taking a toll on the ensemble, too. All five swings were on last week (Kyle Brown was on vacation). Kristine Covillo got called back to cover a track all last week and ended up doing a split track over the weekend.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:32pm

This is also the time of year I typically assume a lof of absences take place, right before Tony stuff kicks into full gear. Now and right after the awards, when people just collapse from exhaustion. 

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:35pm

Jordan Catalano said: "This is also the time of year I typically assume a lof of absences take place, right before Tony stuff kicks into full gear. Now and right after the awards, when people just collapse from exhaustion."

This isn't a new phenomenon though. They both started missing performances around Christmas and have been out frequently since then. Probably a week hasn't gone by where they both did all eight shows, and pretty much every matinee you're guaranteed to get at least one cover. (Both Hilty and Simard are out of today's matinee.) As others have pointed out, it's not a great look when they are doing lots of events and showing up at stuff like Miscast but not their own scheduled performances.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:41pm

No, you're absolutely right. I was just talking in general about this time of year. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:44pm

AC126748 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "This is also the time of year I typically assume a lof of absences take place, right before Tony stuff kicks into full gear. Now and right after the awards, when people just collapse from exhaustion."

This isn't a new phenomenon though. They both started missing performances around Christmas and have been out frequently since then. Probably a week hasn't gone by where they both did all eight shows, and pretty much every matinee you're guaranteed to get at least one cover. (Both Hilty and Simard are out of today's matinee.) As others have pointed out, it's not a great look when they are doing lots of events and showing up at stuff like Miscast but not their own scheduled performances."

Well...yes. We know. Honestly curious...what did you think people have been talking about for the last dozen posts?

 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 12:58pm

Madeline and Helen are not small roles whatsoever. I don't blame Megan and Jennifer for needing to call out, but I do think the show really needs to start having scheduled alternate performances.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 1:11pm

The only thing demanding on that stage are the costume changes, Michelle trying to walk around in her first dress and that final song that went on and on 

[60'splayoff]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 1:53pm

I'm sorry but both women are using their full vocal registers, climbing stairs, rolling on the ground, swinging shovels... all in heels! To say the roles aren't demanding is ludicrous.

I'm a big fan of the show and so sad to see it slowly being crossed off people's potential best musical lists. For what it's worth, I've seen the show 4 times and 3/4 of those times they were both on- one was a Wed matinee!

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 2:31pm

I know I will get pushback here, but I think some people are giving actors too much of a pass.  How many times are you allowed to 'call out' on your job without being spoken to.  I know that an actor should not be performing if they do not feel well, but I can't help thinking that some people don't seem to feel that showing up is important.  

I have been pretty fortunate in 60(!!!) years of theatregoing.  I can probably list the performers who missed performances that I attended for the first 50 of those years.  Even in the past 10, there have not been a lot, but there were a lot more than the prior 50.

Carol Channing missed one performance in her life, Ethel Merman was known for not missing performances...Hell, Yul Brynner died a few weeks after the final TKAI run, and he prided himself in never missing performances...and there are a lot of others. 

If I remember correctly, more recently, Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe announced a couple of performances months in advance that they would not be appearing in, and neither ever missed a scheduled performance.  They would be considered 'troopers' in the old days.  On the other hand, in recent years, I have purchased tickets to see some other folks multiple times, and still never managed to see them.  

I think that Covid is an obvious exception to this concern, as well as illness, but c'mon, some of these peole can't be sick that often.

[hayden6]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 3:02pm

Megan & Jennifer are seasoned Broadway veterans & currently in the conversation for Tony noms. I feel sure that these decisions to call out aren't being made lightly or out of laziness. Diminishing the work that goes into performing these roles or comparing them to other actors (who were performing completely different roles) feels snotty to me. It's unfortunate they've needed to be out -- they're both delivering phenomenal performances and it's a bummer that people are missing them. For the record, I've seen it 5 times; I saw Natalie go on for Jennifer once, and Megan has been in each time.

I think they deserve more grace & respect, especially since we don't know the full story.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 3:16pm

The demands on actors and risks of not being aware of your surroundings when unwell on stage are far larger now versus then. You're also clouded by decades of rose tinted glasses when looking back at the "Good Ole days". I am sure there were performances where actors sounded like absolute dog **** and shouldn't have been performing and yet they were. Lest we forget how common being a chain smoker was in those days. 

So YES less people missed performances back then, but was the performance they stuck it out to give always good? I doubt it. If you had actors performing horribly today because they insisted on performing despite being unwell they'd never hear the end of it online. Different time and different worlds. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 5:49pm

Simard is out again tonight. So far, Hilty is supposed to be back.

[Showface]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 8:22pm

Let's also keep in mind that people are getting sick now more than ever. Not saying that's the reason behind every absence, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is behind a majority of them. 

"Post"-Covid, immune systems are shot, and we have fifty-leven different viruses floating around New York right now. Sometimes illness takes days to recover from, other times it can be quicker. Actors also have children to attend to who may also fall ill.

We really don't now what's going on, and I'm hesitant to just chalk it up to actors being lazy now compared to the days of yore, especially since as a whole, we should be recognizing now that we shouldn't expect people to sacrifice themselves for work-- onstage, off stage, in the theatre, on set, or in an office. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 9:04pm

there's no other show on Broadway currently where the two leads are calling out as frequently as Hilty & Simard are.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/9/25 at 10:41pm

TheatreFan4 said: "The demands on actors and risks of not being aware of your surroundings when unwell on stage are far larger now versus then. You're also clouded by decades of rose tinted glasses when looking back at the "Good Ole days". I am sure there were performances where actors sounded like absolute dog **** and shouldn't have been performing and yet they were. Lest we forget how common being a chain smoker was in those days.

So YES less people missed performances back then, but was the performance they stuck it out to give always good? I doubt it. If you had actors performing horribly today because they insisted on performing despite being unwell they'd never hear the end of it online. Different time and different worlds."

In what other recent shows have leading performers called out even half as much as they have?  Re the rose colored glasses issue, I have definitely seen some performances where the performer was not 100%.  In my experience, the audience sensed that, and it was there rooting for them.  

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/10/25 at 12:50am

I have tons of compassion for performers especially post-Covid. It’s insane how much stuff is going around and how it affects the voice. 
 

However I’ve attempted to see this show four times and not once have both leads been in. I think it’s a problem and producers need to look at an alternate schedule to give these women some respite. 
 

Reminds me when I tried 6 times to see Olivo in WSS to no avail and three times to see her in In The Heights to no avail. If you have a chronically ill star or stars producers need a game plan. 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/10/25 at 10:44am

Unluckily for me, Hilty and Simard were both out at Wednesday's matinee. Kaleigh Cronin went on as Madeline, and Natalie Charle Ellis went on as Helen. Good as they were, Hilty & Simard's star power might've livened it up more. Thumbs up, though, for Christopher Sieber and Michelle Williams, and the show's campy gusto.

In my many years of theatergoing, I guess I've been so lucky. This is the first time I've seen a Broadway show without BOTH of its leads. Ah, well. Every day a little ''Death.''

Updated On: 4/10/25 at 10:44 AM

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 4/10/25 at 1:58pm

Has anyone been to a Saturday matinee? Were the ladies been in or is just Wednesdays ?

Updated On: 4/10/25 at 01:58 PM

[broadway86]

Posted: 4/10/25 at 2:00pm

I feel both bad and fortunate, I went to a last-minute matinee a couple weeks ago and both of them were in. Sounds like that is a very rare occurrence. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/10/25 at 4:05pm

 I have tons of compassion for performers especially post-Covid. It’s insane how much stuff is going around and how it affects the voice. 
 
However I’ve attempted to see this show four times and not once have both leads been in. I think it’s a problem and producers need to look at an alternate schedule to give these women some respite. 

I agree, there are a lot of things going around right now but it's not like they are sick for a few days and then doing 8 shows a week. They have constantly (since December) called out of either the matinee or the evening show on two show days. It seems like they are picking and choosing when they go on and other things come first. They need alternates because having it be a rare occurrence that both leads are in a show is ridiculous. 

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 4/10/25 at 7:02pm

Jarethan said: "TheatreFan4 said: "The demands on actors and risks of not being aware of your surroundings when unwell on stage are far larger now versus then. You're also clouded by decades of rose tinted glasses when looking back at the "Good Ole days". I am sure there were performances where actors sounded like absolute dog **** and shouldn't have been performing and yet they were. Lest we forget how common being a chain smoker was in those days.

So YES less people missed performances back then, but was the performance they stuck it out to give always good? I doubt it. If you had actors performing horribly today because they insisted on performing despite being unwell they'd never hear the end of it online. Different time and different worlds."

In what other recent shows have leading performers called out even half as much as they have? Re the rose colored glasses issue, I have definitely seen some performances where the performer was not 100%. In my experience, the audience sensed that, and it was there rooting for them."

Megan Hilty almost never leaves the stage in this show, and when she is, she's changing costumes, so I fully understand her calling out. I also think it seems exaggerated compared to other stars because there's two very demanding leading roles, as opposed to one, so when one or both call out it seems more noticable. And also because the good folks at understudies.org have certain shows, by their own admission, that they have more data on than others - one of the risks of crowd-sourcing data for 40 shows. in my own experience, I saw a performance of Oh Mary where Tony Macht was out and it hasn't been noted on their site. It's not infallible.