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DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews

abcd12
#625DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 9:41am

AC126748 said: "Simard and Hilty are out of today’s matinee as well. Now that Tony voting has closed, why show up?"

So crazy. 

bpstar
#626DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 9:42am

They both were out for last Saturday's matinee, too. 

Owen22
#627DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 9:55am

I finally got around to seeing this.  It's a good enough show for two expert comedic actresses to kill, but otherwise...For the Gaze (Gays)?  Yep.  They took a film satire and turned it into a musical farce with a forgettable score (Ernest's second act number was the only good song, at least it was catchy).

Both actresses were in the show when I saw it Tuesday but Seibert (not even nominated so who cares) was not.  I may have enjoyed it a bit more with a third comic genius, as his understudy was not that good (though traditionally hotter, which made more sense why Madeline would steal him...)

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round2
#628DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 11:07am

I 100% understand that it's none of our business - AND I can't help but be very curious about why there seems to be unusually frequent absences of the leads in Death Becomes Her. It's a factor in my having not booked a ticket for it myself.

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binau
#629DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 11:15am

For Megan, I believe she is suffering from an injury. I don't think we know why Jennifer is often out, yet unless I missed it. 


"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022) "Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009) "Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000

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THDavis
#630DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 12:31pm

I’m surprised tickets are still sparse and expensive despite the two leading ladies being out on a Saturday.

Has anyone had success going to the box office for cheaper tickets when this happens? Or do they ever “expand” their general rush inventory?

MadsonMelo
#631DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 1:00pm

Because they are not a draw.

We love to talk about their abscences, but they are not a breaking point to 95% of the people that sees the show.

Jennifer Simard in particular has never lead one. I did a rush line 3 weeks ago and talked with 4 women standing in the line and they didn't know any of the leading ladies.

The show is the star.

I would say Michelle Williams absence would make more people being let down (after all she was in the most successfull girlband of this century) and even her is not a thing.

iluvtheatertrash
#632DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 3:57pm

Owen22 said: "I finally got around to seeing this. It's a good enough show for two expert comedic actresses to kill, but otherwise...For the Gaze (Gays)? Yep. They took a film satire and turned it into a musical farce with a forgettable score (Ernest's second act number was the only good song, at least it was catchy).

Both actresses were in the show when I saw it Tuesday but Seibert (not even nominated so who cares) was not. I may have enjoyed it a bit more with a third comic genius, as his understudy was not that good (though traditionally hotter, which made more sense why Madeline would steal him...)
"

1) She steals him because he is a plastic surgeon who can benefit her. Not for his looks.

2) Many people will care when a non-nominated performer is not in. A nomination is not everything, nor does it define who is good and who is not. 


"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

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TheatreFan4
#633DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 4:08pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "Owen22 said: "I finally got around to seeing this. It's a good enough show for two expert comedic actresses to kill, but otherwise...For the Gaze (Gays)? Yep. They took a film satire and turned it into a musical farce with a forgettable score (Ernest's second act number was the only good song, at least it was catchy).

Both actresses were in the show when I saw it Tuesday but Seibert (not even nominated so who cares) was not. I may have enjoyed it a bit more with a third comic genius, as his understudy was not that good (though traditionally hotter, which made more sense why Madeline would steal him...)
"

1) She steals him because he is a plastic surgeon who can benefit her. Not for his looks.

2) Many people will care when a non-nominated performer is not in. A nomination is not everything, nor does it define who is good and who is not.
"

Correction, she steals him to f*ck over Helen. Nothing to actually do with him. 

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SmokeyLady
#634DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 4:40pm

Owen22 said: "
Both actresses were in the show when I saw it Tuesday but Seibert (not even nominated so who cares) was not.”

Sieber elevates the whole thing .  Tony nominated or not.  The rest of the understudies are a mixed bag . 

Updated On: 6/7/25 at 04:40 PM

iluvtheatertrash
#635DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 5:59pm

TheatreFan4 said: "iluvtheatertrash said: "Owen22 said: "I finally got around to seeing this. It's a good enough show for two expert comedic actresses to kill, but otherwise...For the Gaze (Gays)? Yep. They took a film satire and turned it into a musical farce with a forgettable score (Ernest's second act number was the only good song, at least it was catchy).

Both actresses were in the show when I saw it Tuesday but Seibert (not even nominated so who cares) was not. I may have enjoyed it a bit more with a third comic genius, as his understudy was not that good (though traditionally hotter, which made more sense why Madeline would steal him...)
"

1) She steals him because he is a plastic surgeon who can benefit her. Not for his looks.

2) Many people will care when a non-nominated performer is not in. A nomination is not everything, nor does it define who is good and who is not.
"

Correction, she steals him to f*ck over Helen. Nothing to actually do with him.
"

I have always interpreted it to be more than that, even with the film. Regardless, it has nothing to do with the appearance, nor do I think it’s a decent thing to sit and compare people’s work based on their appearances. 🤷‍♂️ 


"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

MemorableUserName
#636DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 7:30pm

Simard out of the evening show as well. Nothing on BroadwayDirect or Dee Roscioli's Instagram about Hilty being out/Dee being on, so seems like Hilty will most likely be on.

WldKingdomHM Profile Photo
WldKingdomHM
#637DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 7:37pm

MemorableUserName said: "Simard out of the evening show as well. Nothing on BroadwayDirect or Dee Roscioli's Instagram about Hilty being out/Dee being on, so seems like Hilty will most likely be on."

I’m exhausted with Jenn being out all the time 

hayden6
#638DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 8:28pm

WldKingdomHM said: "MemorableUserName said: "Simard out of the evening show as well. Nothing on BroadwayDirect or Dee Roscioli's Instagram about Hilty being out/Dee being on, so seems like Hilty will most likely be on."

I’m exhausted with Jenn being out all the time
"

Why is it affecting you so? sad

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ACL2006
#639DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/7/25 at 10:36pm

Natalie is outstanding as Helen. I love Simard, but it shouldn't be that disappointing if Natalie is on. Only a matter of time before the show opts to have Roscioli and Ellis as the Wed/Sat matinee alternates.


A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.

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east side story
#640DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/8/25 at 7:54am

WldKingdomHM said: I’m exhausted with Jenn being out all the time"

I suspect being the lead in a show is a much heavier lift than being a featured character who comes and goes, while stealing the show on occasion. Perhaps Simard is better placed in the latter moving forward because these absences are something else.

 

MemorableUserName
#641DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/8/25 at 11:24pm

It felt like some of the other lead actresses who took off yesterday or today were doing so to rest up for their performances tonight, but given that they did a number without Jennifer, that can't be the reason she missed the last three. I hope she's okay. (Maybe they specifically chose a song she wasn't in because they knew this was a possibility? Because doing a song one of your Tony nominated leads isn't in is...interesting.)

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AC126748
#642DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 1:44pm

Surprise, surprise: they’re both out tonight. 


"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

MemorableUserName
#643DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 1:47pm

The leads are both out tonight; Roscioli and Ellis on. That means Simard's has been out since Friday, so she may not have been available Sunday anyway and that song really was a good choice. I do hope everything's okay.

Updated On: 6/10/25 at 01:47 PM

abcd12
#644DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 1:50pm

At this point, it’s a given that everything is “okay.” No one is dying.  

I’m sorry, not to be unsympathetic, but the two of them need to either show up to their JOBS or the production needs to announce a formal schedule. I don’t understand how this has gone on for so long. 

Sh*t like this makes me miss Michael Riedel, I fear. 

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WldKingdomHM
#645DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 1:56pm

Oh my goodness ! Insane ! Megan and Jenn are not at all doing it for the gaze

Updated On: 6/10/25 at 01:56 PM

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SmokeyLady
#646DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 2:30pm

Maybe they will announce an official alternate schedule now.  Their names are still above the title.  So until that also changes; you are entitled to a refund or an adjustment in price of your tickets.  

edmondj5
#647DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 3:42pm

I haven't actually tracked this, but it seems they are both often out at the same time, no? I wonder how often that has actually happened / if any other show in recent memory has had a noticeable amount of performances without it's TWO leading stars on. 

JSquared2
#648DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 3:45pm

SmokeyLady said: "Maybe they will announce an official alternate schedule now. Their names are still above the title. So until that also changes; you are entitled to a refund or an adjustment in price of your tickets."

 

Refund or exchange -- yes -- "adjustment" in price, no.  There's no haggling involved in these situations.

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ACL2006
#649DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews
Posted: 6/10/25 at 3:50pm

Odds are they start calling out more since the Tony's are done and neither Hilty, Simard or the show won.


A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.


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