'Death Becomes Her' review: National tour debuts with killer performances, campy spectacle

Entertainment‘Death Becomes Her’ review: Hit musical’s tour launch is a killer good time at Playhouse SquareMegan Hilty and Jennifer Simard starred in the original Broadway production of "Death Becomes Her." The musical launched its first national tour with an all-new cast in Cleveland earlier this month and plays the KeyBank State Theatre in Playhouse Square through Oct. 3. (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)Matthew MurphyCLEVELAND, Ohio -- If it’s been a minute since you’ve seen “Death Becomes Her” (the movie), didn’t like it or never saw it at all, don’t let that get in the way of seeing “Death Becomes Her” (the musical). The production, which launched its first national tour at Playhouse Square and plays there through Oct. 3, is a singular experience. Powered by a quartet of stellar performances, it’s everything you love about musical theater dialed up to an 11.The show was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2025, winning one for Akron native Paul Tazewell’s costume design. It is, of course, based on the 1992 special-effects-heavy dark comedy from “Back to the Future” director Robert Zemeckis. Starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis and Isabella Rossellini, the film was somewhat of a critical and box office disappointment. If anyone had told you it would become a hit musical 30 years later, you’d think they were crazy.Yet here we are.The story centers on a pair of longtime frenemies. Madeline Ashton (Jackie Burns) is a self-absorbed actress and a “two-time Oscar nominee,” she constantly reminds anyone within earshot. Demure Helen Sharp (Kristen Beth Williams) is an aspiring novelist whose life pales in comparison to Madeline’s except in one way: a doting fiancé in the form of plastic surgeon Ernest Menville (Ken Marino). Recognizing that he can provide her with everything she desires — love, attention and a nip and tuck whenever a boob or a butt cheek starts to sag — Madeline moves in on Ernest. The betrayal sends Helen over the edge.Cut to 10 years later. Helen is suddenly a glamorous best-selling author, while Madeline has gone from ingenue to ingen-who, losing roles to younger actresses. Madeline seeks out the mysterious Viola Van Horn (Nasia Thomas), who offers her a magical potion that can make her look young again. Meanwhile, Helen tries to convince Ernest, trapped in a miserable marriage, to kill Madeline. One of the women falls (or is pushed?) down a flight of stairs and — yada, yada, yada — it becomes clear that Madeline and Helen are both immortal.Like the movie that preceded it, “Death Becomes Her” is a big-budget spectacle. That extravagance is on display from the jump, when director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli invites the audience into Viola’s gothic lair, where a fabulous squad of the undead dances up a storm in costumes festooned with enough sequins to make you reach for the sunglasses. And that’s just the opening number. Scenic designer Derek McLane’s elaborate sets and Tazewell’s spectacular gowns pull you into a world that moves from the glitz of Broadway to the opulence of Hollywood. Tim Clothier’s effects — including Madeline’s severed head and a basketball-sized bullet hole in Helen’s stomach — help sell the outlandish story.Indeed, “Death Becomes Her,” with a book by Marco Pennette, is not a serious affair. That much is evident in the film’s famous staircase scene. Re-created here in overdramatic slow motion with a deliberately obvious body double, it’s as hilarious as it is technically impressive.I also appreciated the randomness of it all. Like, why exactly do Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli show up in one of Madeline’s numbers? And what do you mean there are multiple dance breaks that seemingly exist only so that Viola’s fierce minions can strut and pose like they’re in a Madonna music video?Presiding over this campy romp are Burns as Madeline and Williams as Helen. Both are gifted comedians, equally adept at landing a punchline as they are with the physical stuff. Their singing voices — this is a musical, after all — bring their characters’ wants and insecurities to the forefront, with Burns’ tremendous range and control on full display and Williams showing off her beautiful tone. Their chemistry is the show’s superpower as Madeline and Helen trade insults and try to kill each other.Elsewhere, Thomas is the epitome of temptation, a devil in a sexy dress with a powerful singing voice, even if Viola feels underdeveloped. But it’s Marino, best known for his work in film and television (“Wet Hot American Summer,” “Dawson’s Creek”), who is the revelation. Starring in his first musical, Marino proves to be inspired casting as Ernest, who — surprise! — ends up being its most sympathetic character.His performance of “The Plan” in Act II is a tour de force of comic acting, with some pretty good singing to boot, as Ernest finally finds the cojones to get out from under the thumb of both women. Still, the fact that it might be the most memorable number in Julia Mattison and Noel Carey’s score says something. While its nearly two dozen songs effectively advance the story, they’re another reminder of just how elusive the modern musical theater banger has become.In many ways, the show is the anti-“Wicked.” Madeline and Helen are two forces of nature, but they don’t learn from their mistakes, become friends or change each other for good. Let’s be real: it’s funnier that way. “Death Becomes Her” isn’t trying to change your life. It just wants to entertain you for a couple of hours. Like youth and beauty, the feeling may be fleeting. But while it lasts, it’s a hell of a good time.“Death Becomes Her” is playing through Oct. 3 at the KeyBank State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Tickets are $42-$150 and available at playhousesquare.org.Cleveland Play House, Cleveland State University expand partnership with focus on studentsRadio on the Lake Theatre unveils 2026-27 season featuring ‘War of the Worlds,’ ‘Casablanca’From Death Becomes Her to TLC and Erykah Badu: 23 things to do this weekendJoey Morona walked into the offices of the OG cleveland.com in the fall of 1998 with a rudimentary knowledge of HTML and a dream. In the time since, he has interviewed the likes of Alicia Keys, James Gunn,...