Broadway In Chicago and Universal Theatrical Group announced today the world-premiere Chicago production of the drop-dead hilarious new musical comedy, DEATH BECOMES HER starring Tony Award nominee Megan Hilty as “Madeline Ashton,” and Tony Award nominee Jennifer Simard as “Helen Sharp.”
DEATH BECOMES HER will play a pre-Broadway engagement in Spring 2024 at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL) from April 30 – June 2, 2024 and will be part of the upcoming season subscription package, to be announced in full on September 6.
DEATH BECOMES HER features an original score by Noel Carey and Julia Mattison, a book by Marco Pennette, and music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell. DEATH BECOMES HER will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli.
Madeline Ashton is the most beautiful actress (just ask her) ever to grace the stage and screen. Helen Sharp is the long-suffering author (just ask her) who lives in her shadow. They have always been the best of frenemies… until Madeline steals Helen’s fiancé away. As Helen plots revenge and Madeline clings to her rapidly fading star, their world is suddenly turned upside down by Viola Van Horn, a mysterious woman with a secret that’s to die for. After one sip of Viola’s magical potion, Madeline and Helen begin a new era of life (and death) with their youth and beauty restored… and a grudge to last eternity.
Starring Tony Award nominees Megan Hilty (Wicked, Smash) and Jennifer Simard (Company, Disaster), Death Becomes Her, based on the classic 1992 film, is a drop-dead hilarious new musical comedy about friendship, love, and burying the hatchet…again, and again, and again.
The design team for DEATH BECOMES HER includes Derek McLane (Sets), Paul Tazewell (Costumes), Justin Townsend (Lights), Peter Hylenski (Sound), and Paul Kieve (Illusions).
DEATH BECOMES HER is produced by Universal Theatrical Group (UTG), overseen by Jimmy Horowitz (Chairman of Business Affairs and Operations, NBCUniversal), and led by Chris Herzberger (Senior Vice President, Universal Theatrical Group). UTG’s Vice President of Creative Development and Production, Lowe Cunningham, oversees on behalf of UTG.
DEATH BECOMES HER is based on the Universal Pictures film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan. For more information visit: DeathBecomesHerBroadway.com.
TICKET INFORMATION
Current Broadway In Chicago subscribers can renew starting tomorrow, September 6, by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or calling (312) 977-1717. New subscriptions will go on sale to the public on October 4. DEATH BECOMES HER individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. Group tickets for 10 or more are on sale now by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
MEGAN HILTY (Madeline Ashton) is an American singer and actor, most recognizable for her portrayal of Ivy Lynn in NBC's musical drama “Smash.” A Tony nominee, she is a dynamic performer both on stage and on screen. Hilty starred in “Patsy & Loretta” on Lifetime, for which she was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress. Hilty's television credits include Hulu's “Difficult People,” the final season of CBS's “The Good Wife,” as well as “The Good Fight” for CBS All Access. On stage, she is known for her Broadway performances as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked, Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5: The Musical, and her Tony Award-nominated role as Brooke Ashton in Noises Off. Megan is married to singer/songwriter Brian Gallagher and they have two children.
JENNIFER SIMARD (Helen Sharp) is a two-time Tony Award®, five-time Drama Desk Award, three-time Drama League Award, and Lucille Lortel Award nominee. She is also a co-host of the Broadway Podcast Network’s “The Fabulous Invalid.” Broadway credits include: Once Upon A One More Time (Stepmother), Company (Sarah, Tony® nomination), Mean Girls (Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George), Disaster! (Sister Mary Downey, Tony® nomination); Hello, Dolly! (Ernestina); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (opposite Mo Rocca); and the companies of Sister Act and Shrek the Musical. Off-Broadway credits include the original companies of Forbidden Broadway: SVU, The Thing About Men, and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. Film credits include "Somewhere in Queens," “The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas,” “Wish You Were Dead,” and “Sisters.” Television credits include: “GIRLS5EVA,” “The Good Wife,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “The King of Queens”, and “Younger.” See more at her website www.jennifersimard.com and follow her on Twitter @simardjennifer and Instagram @thejennifersimard
CREATIVE BIOGRAPHIES
NOEL CAREY (Music & Lyrics) is a writer, composer, and actor, having performed in the original National Tour of Murder For Two (Marcus) and regional productions of Million Dollar Quartet (Jerry Lee Lewis). He and writing partner Julia Mattison have created Off-Broadway musicals for Audible (Is Anyone Alive Out There? at the Minetta Lane Theater) and Olay (Road to Glow at New World Stages), for which they also wrote a campaign of musical commercials. The two also collaborated on Noel and Julia’s Wayward Brainchildren at Joe’s Pub, and Ruby Manger! The Farewell Engagement at 54 Below. Together they co-created and starred in the award-winning web series Brooklyn Sound, which took home several laurels at the New York Television Festival, as well as the 2016 Streamy Award for Best Indie Web Series. As a pianist and singer, he performs regularly at The Lemon Squeeze in the Hudson Valley, and his album The Good Grief Sessions is available to listen now on Spotify. He also performs with the award-winning sketch group, Dinner For One. He is a proud member of the BMI Workshop (2013 Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre) and a graduate of Emerson College (Howard Waldman Award).
JULIA MATTISON (Music & Lyrics) is a New York-based writer, composer, actor, and musical comedian. She has appeared on Broadway (Godspell), television (“Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “The Late Show”), and film (How To Be Single - blink and you'll miss her!), and has written book, music, and lyrics for a variety of creative projects. She and her writing partner Noel Carey debuted their original musical comedy Is Anyone Alive Out There? for Audible at the Minetta Lane Theater in New York. Together they also co-wrote multiple musical commercials for Olay, including “I Can’t Wait To Wash My Face,” which garnered millions of views online and aired on the MTV VMA’s, as well as the one-night-only Olay Live! musical starring Ana Gasteyer. Julia and Noel also created and wrote the hit web series Brooklyn Sound, which was nominated for a Webby Award for Best Comedy, won a Streamy Award for Best Indie, and received multiple awards at the New York Television Festival, including a Development Deal with Comedy Central and a Best Actress win for Julia. More recently, Julia wrote, directed, and starred in her debut short film Stomach People, which was EP'd by Michael Showalter. As a musical comedian, Julia and her other collaborator Joel Waggoner created the viral holiday sensation “Joel & Julia’s Advent Carolndar” (@adventcarolndar on Instagram) where they’ve written and shared 25 brand new carols every December for three years running. Joel and Julia were featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition, and recently released their hour-long holiday variety special, Joel and Julia’s Haunted Holiday Singalong! Julia has written and performed multiple original shows in New York over the years, at Joe’s Pub (Noel and Julia’s Wayward Brainchildren), Chelsea Music Hall (Advent Carolndar Live!), and Feinstein’s/54 Below (Ruby Manger: A Farewell Engagement), among others. Julia is represented by Namoff & Co and WME.
MARCO PENNETTE (Book) began his writing career while still a student at NYU when he sold his first TV script to the sitcom “Kate & Allie.” He also wrote for such series as “Dear John,” “The Golden Palace,” “Dave’s World,” “Samantha Who?” “Desperate Housewives,” and spent seven years on the series,
“Mom.” He was the show runner for “Ugly Betty” (Golden Globe and Peabody Award winner) and created the series “Caroline In The City” and “B Positive.” For the theater Marco contributed to the Off-Broadway play, Motherhood: Outloud. He also adapted the movie 17 Again for the stage and provided additional material for the 2015 Broadway revival of On the Twentieth Century.
CHRISTOPHER GATTELLI (Director/Choreographer) is an acclaimed director & choreographer. He received the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his choreography of Disney’s Newsies and won the Joe A. Callaway Award for Altar Boyz. He has also won the Lucille Lortel Award for Dogfight, Altar Boyz, and Bat Boy: The Musical. As a director/choreographer, his production of Silence! The Musical was included in Time Magazine’s list of Top 10 Theater, and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas premiered at The New Victory Theater in collaboration with the Jim Henson Company. Broadway credits include My Fair Lady (Tony, OCC nominations), Spongebob Squarepants (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC nominations), The King and I (Tony, OCC nominations), South Pacific (Tony, OCC nominations), The Cher Show (OCC nominations), and many others. His work in London includes The King and I (Olivier nomination), and he choreographed My Fair Lady at the Sydney Opera House, directed by Julie Andrews. On film, Gattelli’s work includes Hail, Caesar!, Isn’t It Romantic, and the live captures of Newsies and The King and I. His animated feature The Monkey King released on Netflix in 2023, and his work will next appear in Wonka, directed by Paul King and starring Timothée Chalamet and Olivia Colman. In television, his choreography of the series “Schmigadoon!” (Apple) earned him Emmy nominations in 2022 and 2023. He has also choreographed for the shows “Miracle Workers” (Hulu), and “Bupkis” (Paramount).
ABOUT UNIVERSAL THEATRICAL GROUP
Universal Theatrical Group (UTG) is the live theater division of the world-famous motion picture studio. UTG, which oversees both Universal Stage Productions and DreamWorks Theatricals, is currently represented by the record-breaking musical phenomenon Wicked, soon celebrating its 20th smash-hit year on Broadway. Wicked has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide, making it one of the most successful theatrical ventures of all time. In 2008, Universal's musical adaptation of Billy Elliot opened on Broadway and went on to win ten Tony Awards including Best Musical. Universal also produced the Tony-nominated Broadway productions of Bring It On: The Musical and Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn with Roundabout Theatre Company. DreamWorks Theatricals, which became part of UTG in 2016, was formed to develop live entertainment inspired by the studio's acclaimed library of animated films, including the Tony-winning musical adaptation of Shrek and the West End production of The Prince of Egypt.
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 23 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop, including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago
● #broadwayinchicago