Hilty & Simard to lead DEATH BECOMES HER in Chicago spring 2024; Broadway in the fall- Page 13

[ColdClimateDude]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 1:30am

Well, the Viola number is at the top of the show because when they stunt cast it (which they can and I'm sure will), the audience will see the "BIG" name right at the start.  I agree the role is underwritten and wonder how it will evolve; that being said, I loved the vocals Williams is bringing.  Also, I've seen it twice now, and one night, Williams wore shoes in the opening of Act 2, and then when I saw it this weekend, she was barefoot.  I noticed the first night she had trouble getting up the stairs in those high heels at the end...so they must still be figuring out that costume.

A large chunk was also consolidated between Thursday's show and the Sunday matinee after the wedding and before Madeline's commercial shoot. Sieber had a song interspersed with a decade of their marriage going by, and that was either truncated and sang in front of a curtain or taken out all together.  

Also

 

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I hope they figure out a way to explain why Stefan just vanishes without any kind of fanfare.  He last appears helping to open Helen's invitation (which Madeline somehow figures out is an invite to her book party without ever reading the invite or being told what it's for) and then is never heard from again.

 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 6:42am

Death Becomes Her is fast and funny. The leading ladies are giving Charles Busch worthy drag performances. The sexy chorus is Broadway Bares ready. The show is true to the spirit of the film without slavishly imitating it.

Unfortunately, it carries over the film’s weaknesses. It is utterly heartless. There’s no attempt to flesh out the central relationships. Who are these people? What do they want? Madeline’s a familiar type. But Helen’s a different person each time we meet her. By act two she’s settled into a second Madeline. Doctor Menville has no personality or goals beyond pursing, and then running from, the women.

The temptation of youth lacks allure here. Madeline wants adulation, yet the potion would force her to hide away as sexy furniture in Viola’s mansion. She’s told she’ll revitalize her career for “10 more years” before this. But there’s no “Part of Your World” moment where she wrestles with her decision.

The score is all patter numbers. The lyrics are full of jokes and exposition. I couldn’t retain any of the melodies because I was trying to absorb all the words. I had a similar reaction to A Gentleman’s Guide. That score grew on me with a few listens to the cast album. But it also had a few ballads. A few attempts to examine the protagonists’ motivations. The songs here have no interest in presenting anyone as more than a cartoon.

Another show I’d compare it to is Little Me. Ethan Mordden described Little Me as a show that “never takes any of its characters or their needs seriously.” I leave that show feeling empty, as I did this one. But Little Me also has some catchy melodies. Death Becomes Her needs a few.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 7:01am

The song "All for the Gaze (Gays)" bothers me. For one, it lets Hilty be upstaged. It keeps her in the wings too long for costume changes. Then asks us to drool over the stripping chorus boys. Madeline's desperate for attention and our eyes should be on her. 

Two, should this show be all for the gays? I've avoided rewatching the film prior to the show. But I've listened to several podcasts where women break down the feminist and social messages in the story. They've discussed how much more powerful it could have been with an all-female creative team. This one is closer to Vampire Lesbians of Sodom. An amusing sketch that goes on too long.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 7:59am

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh and tonight's sponsor was - "Brought to you by Taco Bell - Think Outside the Bun!""

I love that this is changing every night. 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 8:33am

In Tuesday night’s GAZE number, one of the dancers did not participate in the number’s butt reveal. Was there a problem getting into the costume? Though Mr Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple got cheeky, Mr Orange did not.

An added line for Helen: “I have a wedding dress to fit into.”

Unclear why a sound effect of cooing doves was added at the end of the wedding scene. Did the falling, frozen doves drink from a potioned birdbath?

An axed line for Madeline: “And let’s get this bottom up, too” 

An axed line for Edward: “I’ve gone from Doctors Without Borders to Doctors without morals.”

Lighting designer Justin Townsend has added more hypnotic purples and saturated pinks to the potion scenes.

The Ensemble sings more hushed words during SIEMPRE VIVA.

And again, the lowering curtain landed atop Viola’s mansion door - twice. Helen purred “if only there was some strapping young man to help us” as a stagehand quickly corrected the moment.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 8:52am

Balcony Club, one of the dancers last night was wearing considerably more clothes than others during the mansion scenes as well. I wondered if he was a swing that they hadn't fitted for a custom leotard yet?

EDIT: I suppose this could also be so that they can quick change into other roles in adjacent scenes.

Updated On: 5/8/24 at 08:52 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 8:56am

“And again, the lowering curtain landed atop Viola’s mansion door - twice. Helen purred “if only there was some strapping young man to help us” as a stagehand quickly corrected the moment.”


The first time it happened was really very funny. The second time I thought “Oh this must be a ‘bit’ they’re doing”. I guess it’s not?

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:03am

Jordan thanks for the great review. Do you think they fix Act two or just be another show that doesn’t listen to feedback and open on Broadway without changes. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:12am

I hope they do. Reading through this thread it seems that they’re really working on things every day, so I have hope! 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:15am

Oh another thing I didn’t get - the “fat Elvis” at the party at the end. If the potion makes you the best and most beautiful version of yourself, why is this version of Elvis there?

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:33am

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh another thing I didn’t get - the “fat Elvis” at the party at the end. If the potion makes you the best and most beautiful version of yourself, why is this version of Elvis there?"

I had the same thought, but by that scene, I had stopped questioning all the silly illogical plot holes. 

[inception]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:56am

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh another thing I didn’t get - the “fat Elvis” at the party at the end. If the potion makes you the best and most beautiful version of yourself, why is this version of Elvis there?"

Good question. I watched the film this past weekend for the first time since the 90's. In the film Elvis is dressed like he did in the 70's, but he's not obese.  The film also gives us Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, & Jim Morrison.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:58am

Maybe they can have Amy Winehouse or something in this - someone else instantly recognizable.

Updated On: 5/8/24 at 09:58 AM

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 10:04am

MrsSallyAdams said: "Balcony Club, one of the dancers last night was wearing considerably more clothes than others during the mansion scenes as well. I wondered if he was a swing that they hadn't fitted for a custom leotard yet?"

Though swing Amy Quanbeck filled in for Gabriella Enriquez in the Ensemble last night, the gentleman wearing more fabric has been there for several performances.  

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 11:12am

Jordan Catalano said: "Maybe they can have Amy Winehouse or something in this - someone else instantly recognizable."

My deepest desire during this whole scene was to have a Marilyn there, Madeline running into the Marilyn, and Madeline/Megan saying something along the lines of "It's like looking in a mirror" or "If that's what she looks like now, let me be that star." Just something stupid and meta for the Smash of it all. lmao. Even during "Gaze" some of Megan's cadences were SO reminiscent of her Marilyn and it was delicious.

[Observation]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 12:11pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Maybe they can have Amy Winehouse or something in this - someone else instantly recognizable."

My deepest desire during this whole scene was to have a Marilyn there, Madeline running into the Marilyn, and Madeline/Megan saying something along the lines of "It's like looking in a mirror" or "If that's what she looks like now, let me be that star." Just something stupid and meta for the Smash of it all. lmao. Even during "Gaze" some of Megan's cadences were SO reminiscent of her Marilyn and it was delicious."

Yes to during "Gaze" I kept thinking "No one can deliver a double entendre quite like Megan Hilty!" I was getting glimpses of "The National Pastime" 

[ColdClimateDude]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 4:15pm

Bud Weber and Neil Haskell are both wearing trousers instead of full-body leotards when they are part of Viola's crew.  

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 4:39pm

How do the songs compare to both the musical inventiveness and overall zaniness of Julia's work with Advent Carolndar?

[TheWindAndTheRain]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 8:37pm

I was at the show last night and had an absolute BLAST. There is definitely work that needs to be done structurally, but I found it so refreshing to see a big musical comedy with really funny jokes that are actually character-driven and not random one-liners (looking at you, Robert Horn). Hilty is a comic revelation and it is wonderful to finally see Simard in the Leading Lady role she so rightfully deserves. Sieber is a comic master as always, and I hope they find a way to expand Josh Lamon’s role as Stefan, because he was really missed in Act 2.

I did have one question about the ending:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

In earlier performances, Did Viola emerge from the giant grave center stage to deliver her final line? Last night, she just walked in from upstage, but that grave looked like it was supposed to open so I kept expecting some sort of grand reveal, and that would definitely be a great last moment of stage magic, like the opening of Act 2 (which I thought was the best- staged number in the show, as well as Williams’ strongest moment.)

 

[Observation]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 8:54pm

TheWindAndTheRain said: "I was at the show last night and had an absolute BLAST. There is definitely work that needs to be done structurally, butI found it so refreshing to see a big musical comedy with really funny jokes that are actually character-driven and not random one-liners (looking at you, Robert Horn). Hilty is a comic revelation and it is wonderful to finally see Simard in the Leading Lady role she so rightfully deserves. Sieber is a comic master as always, and I hope they find a way to expand Josh Lamon’s role as Stefan, because he was really missed in Act 2.

I did have one question about the ending:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

In earlier performances, Did Viola emerge from the giant grave center stage to deliver her final line? Last night, she just walked in from upstage, but that grave looked like it was supposed to open so I kept expecting some sort of grand reveal, and that would definitely be a great last moment of stage magic, like the opening of Act 2 (which I thought was the best- staged number in the show, as well as Williams’ strongest moment.)

"

In response to the spoiler (without spoiling myself) there is no grand reveal. What you saw is what I saw both times. I was anticipating a bit of stage magic at that moment as well. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:34pm

In response to the ending:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

I also had wished the large angel grave opened up (almost like the vial container does) to reveal Viola delivering her last lyric. Also, there HAS to be a way to implement the signature ending of the film in there with the two women collapsing down the stairs and breaking into pieces and then having Helen deliver the “Did you remember where you parked the car?” Like instead of a giant statue center stage in the graveyard, it’s a mausoleum (so there are still steps) and do a switcheroo where Madeline and Helen go inside, have dummies/mannequins/puppets trip over the steps and fall to pieces, then a voice over of the final line. It enhances the finality of their fate that they’re “doomed” to live this way that just walking offstage together doesn’t.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:50pm

Intermission. THERE’S FROSTING!!!!!!

Tonights sponsor - “Kit Kat. Gimme a break!”

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 10:41pm

A rewatch of the film gives me a greater appreciation of Marco Pennette's libretto. It makes some smart tweaks to the plot and adds some great gags. Most importantly the musical likes the leading ladies far more than the film does. 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 11:40pm

Second night in the same theatre as Jordan. Is there anything better? 

One of Stephan's lines moved back to the original: "Should I set out the cardboard cutout" has returned, replacing the attempt of "should I tell her you ate bad clams."

One of Viola's lines has been axed: "The sordid topic of coin"

One of Madeline's GREAT lines was axed: "Isn't that right, Mr Softie."

I liked the revised scene transition late in Act 1 with Ernest crossing the lip of the stage while reading aloud from Helen's book.

Updated On: 5/8/24 at 11:40 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 11:48pm

BalconyClub said: "Second night in the same theatre as Jordan. Is there anything better?

Awwwww. <3 <3 <3

 

Well I'm glad I got to check this out a couple times before heading back tomorrow morning and REALLY glad my last night here they gave me the frosting. It's as if they read here and wanted to treat me. lol