Initial casting has been announced for the Chicago premiere of the new stage musical adaptation of Death Becomes Her. Performances are scheduled for April 30-June 2, 2024, at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. The show's official website domain, DeathBecomesHerBroadway.com, seems to imply that the show is at least aiming for the Main Stem.

Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard, who starred in an April reading of Death Becomes Her, will again lead the cast as Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp, respectively, fierce rivals who take a magic potion to obtain eternal youth only to find it has some gnarly side effects. The original film, directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Martin Donovan and David Koepp, starred Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, and was an early pioneer in using CGI to achieve those effects, which include Streep's head turned completely backwards and a gaping hole in Hawn's stomach.

Hilty and Simard's casting was announced via Instagram.

Based on the 1992 film, the work features a book by TV writer-producer Marco Pennette and music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. Tony winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies) is directing and choreographing.

Joining Hilty and Simard in the April reading were Christopher Sieber as Ernest Menville, Nicole Scherzinger as Viola Van Horn, and Kevin Smith Kirkwood as Zander Medly, along with Marissa Rosen, Nikki Kimbrough, Ellyn Marie Marsh, Abigail Stephenson, Evan Harrington, Josh Lamon, Austin Ku, and Mike Millan. No additional Chicago casting has been announced.

The production will also have set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Justin Townsend, sound design by Peter Hylenski, and illusions by Paul Kieve. The creative team also includes music supervisor Mary-Mitchell Campbell, music director Ted Arthur, and general manager 321 Theatrical Management. Casting is by Tara Rubin casting.

The project has been in the works since at least 2017, when Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth was attached to star. Chenoweth's involvement pre-dates this current creative team.

Universal Theatrical Group produces. UTG Vice President of Creative Development and Production Lowe Cunningham oversees on behalf of UTG.

Click here for ticket information for the Chicago production.