Hilty & Simard to lead DEATH BECOMES HER in Chicago spring 2024; Broadway in the fall- Page 5

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:21am

jacobsnchz14 said: "Christopher Sieber will play Ernest Menville

https://x.com/DeathBecomesBwy/status/1764671576992055705?s=20"

That's some perfect casting. He and Simard were great together in Company.

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:23am

ColorTheHours048 said: "Michelle T. Williams has been on Broadway in Aida, Chicago,and Once on This Island. She also toured with The Color Purple and Fela. She has the credentials, if that’s what you mean."

 

Thanks for the info! I only know her as part of Destiny's child group, which was basically Beyonce 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:47am

Have to think they’ll announce Kevin Smith Kirkwood with the ensemble and swings sooner rather than later. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:51am

Here’s hoping DEATH BECOMES HER: The Musical (V.1) hits it out of the park in Chicago from the get-go and not need a full revamp before Broadway. A top notch cast doesn’t guarantee an excellent show so it’s up to the creative team to whip up an excellent show that eventually showcase the stellar cast. As seen countless times before, a top notch cast can’t salvage a crappy show.  

[Kad]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:55am

EDSOSLO858 said: "Have to think they’ll announce Kevin Smith Kirkwood with the ensemble and swings sooner rather than later."

They announced the full ensemble today and he was not included.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:57am

Full cast is on the website:

https://deathbecomesher.com/

[DaveyG]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:09am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Here’s hoping DEATH BECOMES HER: The Musical (V.1) hits it out of the park in Chicago from the get-go and not need a full revamp before Broadway. A top notch cast doesn’t guarantee an excellent show so it’s up to the creative team to whip up an excellent show that eventually showcase thestellar cast. As seen countless times before, a top notch cast can’t salvage a crappy show."

Talented cast, but not a ticket-seller in the bunch. 

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:11am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Here’s hoping DEATH BECOMES HER: The Musical (V.1) hits it out of the park in Chicago from the get-go and not need a full revamp before Broadway. A top notch cast doesn’t guarantee an excellent show so it’s up to the creative team to whip up an excellent show that eventually showcase thestellar cast. As seen countless times before, a top notch cast can’t salvage a crappy show."

That's true! But I'm more intrigued how they're gonna deal with all the special and practical effects the movie had. There's a lot of time jumps in the movie, you have young Helen, Madeline & Ernest, an overweight Helen, an older Madeline & Ernest. And not to mention Madeline becoming young, the hole in Helen's body or Madeline's spinning head. Unless they decide to avoid most of the story from the movie, and just make a plain boring musical about 2 old rivals fighting for the same man while discovering the elixir to eternal life. I hope this does not disappoint me, I'm a huge Death becomes her fan but this is a very ambitious project to adapt into a musical.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:12am

DaveyG said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "Here’s hoping DEATH BECOMES HER: The Musical (V.1) hits it out of the park in Chicago from the get-go and not need a full revamp before Broadway. A top notch cast doesn’t guarantee an excellent show so it’s up to the creative team to whip up an excellent show that eventually showcase thestellar cast. As seen countless times before, a top notch cast can’t salvage a crappy show."

Talented cast, but not a ticket-seller in the bunch."

The main selling point of this is obviously the title, so what does it matter if there aren't household names in it?

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:16am

She was dreadful in Aida. Not impressed by this casting at all.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:24am

Kad said: "The main selling point of this is obviously the title, so what does it matter if there aren't household names in it?"

I assume they are hoping the show itself takes off in a way that it can be the star, due to the production and the written material. Like Kinky Boots or Matilda did. It's a good concept for a musical, but as far as movie-musical adaptations go, this title is close to meaningless. Remember how well the musical adaptations of GROUNDHOG DAY and MRS. DOUBTFIRE and ROCKY sold? 😜

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:35am

Dolly80 said: "She was dreadful in Aida. Not impressed by this casting at all."

Yes, she's very wooden as an actress. But, this is just an out of town tryout, so I doubt we're looking at the supporting cast for when it comes to Broadway. I hope it's not the disaster that The Devil Wears Prada was (WOOF) and they can bring it here next season. 

 

[DaveyG]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:41am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Kad said: "The main selling point of this is obviously the title, so what does it matter if there aren't household names in it?"

I assume they are hoping the show itself takes off in a way that it can be the star, due to the production and the written material. Like Kinky Boots or Matilda did.It's a good concept for a musical, but as far as movie-musical adaptations go, this title is close to meaningless. Remember how well the musical adaptations of GROUNDHOG DAY and MRS. DOUBTFIRE and ROCKY sold? 😜"

Also, we're no longer in a world where a show has much time to slowly build when the weekly running costs are most likely over $900,000 with a capitalization of 20+ million dollars. 

Updated On: 3/4/24 at 11:41 AM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:55am

The presence of Hilty and Williams indicates that they might have been offering the roles out to bigger names and these are who they landed on. While those two are probably making more than, like, Eden in Lempicka, they're not making Redmayne money.

[RW3]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 12:45pm

Dolly80 said: "She was dreadful in Aida. Not impressed by this casting at all.

When did you see her in Aida, 2003 or 2016?

Also, Williams is from the Chicago area. 

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 1:12pm

Sorry to see Alyssa is not actually involved with this. I was looking forward to her in the role. Hopefully she has more roles in the pipeline.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 2:19pm

I was going to see it regardless but the casting has me excited! Former Destiny’s Child in a brand new musical? I’m sold!

[The Rural Juror]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 2:22pm

Sieber is an obvious choice for this, and I'm excited to see it in May! No intended slight to her, but Michelle Williams seems very much like a placeholder to me, and they would go with a bigger "name" for Broadway. Obviously Scherzinger was intended for the role, but Sunset put the kibosh on that.

Hilty and Simard are perfect for these roles, beautiful actresses who can sing and are HILARIOUS. I can't imagine any bigger "names" they would stick with this unless it was like Anne Hathaway or Lady Gaga, neither of which would happen. Hilty is a pretty big name in terms of Broadway stars, given her Wicked and Smash history.  

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 5:20pm

RW3 said: "Dolly80 said: "She was dreadful in Aida. Not impressed by this casting at all.

When did you see her in Aida, 2003 or 2016?

Also, Williams is from the Chicago area.

"

2003. 
clearly everyone else they asked said no.

[RW3]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 7:06pm

Michelle posted a video to her IG that mentioned her going to Chicago and then Broadway. So, as of right now, it looks she is locked in. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 7:19pm

I heard some ramblings they want the majestic 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 7:26pm

Have they announced the design team yet? Curious who is doing the set for this.

Edit: Found it! It’s Derek McLane. I’ve been a big fan of his designs in the past, so I trust it’ll be marvelous.

Updated On: 3/4/24 at 07:26 PM

[Ke3]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 9:40pm

I have zero faith this will be any good. I'm just here for a belt fest and in that sense Michelle is a perfect for me. Don't care if she can act her way out of a paper bag, the lady can sing. I still don't think that role calls for expansion but we'll see. I'm hoping Hilty gets soprano moments. Madeline Ashton is a character where you could milk both sides of her voice.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 10:41pm

i have no idea if Michelle Williams can act in or out of a paper bag, but it seems silly to base that opinion on how she handled a beast of a role like Aida 25 years ago. A smaller, lighter part might be perfect for her, and we know she can sing it. And she's somewhat of a Name. Seems like a coup for this production.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 3/4/24 at 11:27pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Have they announced the design team yet? Curious who is doing the set for this.

Edit: Found it! It’s Derek McLane. I’ve been a big fan of his designs in the past, so I trust it’ll be marvelous."

Ugh I thought I couldn’t have been more excited for this. YESSSS