DEATH BECOMES HER Reviews - Page 4

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/28/24 at 11:42am

Kaleigh Cronin will be on as Madeline; Natalie Charle Ellis will make her debut as Helen.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/28/24 at 5:14pm

MemorableUserName said: "Megan and Jennifer are both out for the matinee today, 12/28. Evening show to be determined."

 

Any word on tonight's performance?

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/28/24 at 7:19pm

I still haven't seen or heard anything but at this point I'm kind of assuming Hilty and Simard will be back, or else they simply don't know. If it turns out they're out, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they may not know definitively since they've been pretty upfront about the changes. Before the matinee, and when Sieber was out last week, there was a banner on BroadwayDirect saying they/he would be out very early in the day.

Nice of the production to go out of their way to spotlight the understudies. 

Updated On: 12/28/24 at 07:19 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/28/24 at 7:52pm

ACL2006 said: "MemorableUserName said: "Megan and Jennifer are both out for the matinee today, 12/28. Evening show to be determined."



Any word on tonight's performance?"

Jennifer is back not sure about Megan

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/28/24 at 8:08pm

"in “Company”, in addition to my role, I understudied a talented newcomer." 😂 IYKYK

(if you don't...she was Patti's Joanne understudy.)

Updated On: 12/28/24 at 08:08 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/28/24 at 8:39pm

It's funny about Simard and covering Patti in Company because she was never listed in the Playbill as covering Joanne until the day she actually went on for Patti. Probably pre-COVID, she was just an emergency cover and wouldn't be listed, but then after they reopened and COVID rocked Broadway in the Winter of 2022, she ended going on several times and finally got listed as a Joanne cover.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/29/24 at 10:06am

Per BroadwayDirect, Hilty is out of the matinee today, 12/29.

3:40pm edit: Also out of the evening show.

Updated On: 12/29/24 at 10:06 AM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 1/4/25 at 9:29am

What Jesse Green said: two musical comedy goddesses breathe some life into a show that sags after the first 30 minutes, and never recovers.

The audience last night tells me this show will do well for a while- tons of tourists and a surprising (to me at least) amount of love for Michelle Williams, whose every entrance received sustained applause. Her voice is in incredible shape, even though her stiffness is particularly unsuited for this bubbly show. 

Simard and especially Hilty are phenomenal- I can see another wry, belty actress doing OK as Helen Sharp but I really cant imagine anyone else pulling off what Hilty does here. Shes perfect (though hard to understand her lyrics at times, often because of the nonstop laughter). The writing is sharp and quick at a frenetic pace- until it just isnt; about halfway through the first act its like the writers room gave up, except for whoever was responsible for Josh Lamon's jokes (which were killer all the way through). The Second Act was brutal-- the story was already told and they had no way to wrap it up.  Cant remember ever seeing a show that opened so strong and then just fell apart like this.

The physical work by Madeline's stunt double was impressive, and everyone looked/sounded great. Kinda strange that the show focuses on the pratfalls of a non-existent concept (living forever) as opposed to the pressing real life issue of our societys obsession with our looks- though I guess exploring this latter topic would be awkward given the naked and gorgeous ensemble. 

We spent $ to sit front mezz, but the very first rows of the rear mezz were half the price and would have been fine.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/4/25 at 6:50pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: Kinda strange that the show focuses on the pratfalls of a non-existent concept (living forever) as opposed to the pressing real life issue of our societys obsession with our looks- though I guess exploring this latter topic would be awkward given the naked and gorgeous ensemble."

Nobody would want to see a musical of Death Becomes Her to tell them being vain is bad. Like... even without saying, it already does say that...

[raddersons]

Posted: 1/5/25 at 12:53am

At tonight’s show Hilty was in for Act 1 but at intermission there was a switch to the understudy for Act 2, who was excellent. Simard was in both acts.

The show is quite a riot, with quick banter and witty lyrics. These songs… do they even have structure? I had no idea where any of them were going or what to expect next. 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 1/7/25 at 7:11pm

Going to the show Sunday and it seems like an understudy (Amy Quanbeck) will be on for Hilty (I’m assuming). Has anyone seen her? Seems like the Death ladies have missed a bunch of shows, no?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/7/25 at 9:12pm

Jennifer has only missed the one hasn't she?

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 1/7/25 at 9:29pm

Yes, the matinee on the 28th. Hilty is the one who's missed several--the early preview, both shows on the 28th and 29th, both shows on the 5th, and then today.

Kaleigh Cronin and Natalie Charle Ellis are the only Madeline and Helen understudies; Quanbeck is a swing, so I doubt she'd be going on for Hilty. If she has designated dates, I would imagine she's covering the ensemble track for someone else (who may be going on for Madeline or Helen, or not).

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/7/25 at 9:41pm

I got lotto for the matinee tomorrow and I wouldn’t mind seeing Cronin or Ellis if Hilty is still under the weather.

With the Broadway Bug going around, I’m affording grace to all the performers because it’s not like any of them want to be sick or miss shows.

Example: Alyse Alan Louis had to step away from the final two performances of TEETH because her voice gave out completely and she was devastated, although the company brought her out during curtain call to get her accolades. (Kyra Kennedy was excellent btw).

As long as the understudy shows up and does the role to the best of their ability, you’ll get no qualms from me (unless they do an absolutely heinous job - like Seth Stewart as Lafayette-bad)

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 12:01pm

Today’s matinee has been cancelled due to illness in the cast. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 12:15pm

Word has it Simard and Williams were both going to be out today, and Hilty was still to be determined. Wonder if they'll be able to proceed with the evening.

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 12:30pm

The word I got from an usher friend.

Hilty is still out, Simard is sick, Ellis (one of the covers) has laryngitis. Williams was a toss-up.

A perfect storm. Hope everyone is okay.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 1:02pm

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 1:05pm

I feel like everyone is sick right now.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 3:36pm

Curious if they’re having an emergency rehearsal with someone right now who can fill in and that’s why they haven’t cancelled the evening performance as well? Ericka Hunter Yang was originally supposed to be with the show during the out of town tryout, but had to back out pretty late into rehearsals because she found out she was pregnant. Wouldn’t be shocked if she could be filling in as an emergency cover.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 1/8/25 at 5:43pm

Tonight's show has been cancelled.

From Reddit: 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 1/12/25 at 6:20pm

Have now seen it, and had a good time, but it’s just good. Like Nicole in Sunset, a show with an oddly similar message, the woman are really what make it worth seeing. Are the songs meant to be pastiches or if that’s just accidental (Siebert’s number in act two felt like “Trouble” and when Hilty opened the show, it sounded like “Popular). Costumes and sets were top-notch and jokes were funny. Enjoyed it; I just wouldn’t say it was fantastic.

[broadwaydreamer24601]

Posted: 1/15/25 at 2:49pm

How is Natalie as Helen? Has anyone seen her or seen any reviews? Have tickets for tonight and she's on...(love to understudies and Natalie!! Just a huge Jen fan)

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 1/15/25 at 2:55pm

Sorry if I missed this from any earlier posts, but does anyone know of prescheduled vacation dates for either of the two leading ladies? My in-laws want to come see the show and I'd like to make sure I don't buy tickets for a date that Hilty or Simard will definitely be out (obviously barring any illness or injury).

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 7:55pm

honeslty surprised they haven't added more swings for this show yet. Megan was once again out this weekend and Simard was out tonight. Plus Michelle Williams has been out lately for a few shows. Please add more coverage already!!