PicksInSix Review: Death Becomes Her - Broadway in Chicago

“Death Becomes Her” - Masterful Musical Macabomedy!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The world premiere of the rollicking new musical “Death Becomes Her” opened Sunday at the Cadillac Palace Theatre combining an all-star cast with eye-popping special effects for a high-flying, side-splitting show. The book by Marco Pennette, with an original score by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, is remarkably true to the absurd 1992 film directed by Robert Zemeckis starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis and Isabella Rossellini about the search for immortality.

The new show is a masterful musical macabomedy with an unmatched, award-winning creative team led by director/choreographer Christopher Gattelli with music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and an equally outstanding cast starring Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard and Christopher Sieber as the love triangle in the sights of the mystical temptress Viola Van Horn played by Michelle Williams who promises physical perfection and “Siempre Viva” (forever life) for a not-so-small fee and some stringent strings attached.  

At the heart of the storyline is the embattled relationship between the aging actress Madeline Ashton (Hilty) and struggling author Helen Sharp (Simard) who have been competing for the other’s riches all their lives. Everything Helen has Madeline wants which includes her doctor fiancé Ernest (Sieber) who is an easy mark for the wily starlet. The two are married which spirals Helen into a nervous breakdown.

Seven years pass and while Madeline and Ernest are trapped in an unhappy, loveless marriage, Helen emerges as a youthful, successful author seeking revenge for all of the misery Madeline has wrought. As she begins to plot with Ernest to put her out of the way so the two can live happily ever after, Madeline returns from her own meeting with Viola and the two face off, well, to the death. And that’s just the beginning of Ernest’s problems to keep the two looking fresh and fit in their forever lives.

At its best, the Mattison/Carey score—with magnificent orchestrations by Doug Besterman and dance and incidental music arrangements by Sam Davis all under the music direction of Ben Cohn—is terrific as evidenced by the electrifying crowd-pleaser “For The Gaze,” showcasing Hilty and the ensemble in the show within the show. Individually, Simard’s vocal and versatile comic abilities are on full display from the tortured, outcast in “Madeline” and “Falling Apart” to vengeful ex-lover who stands up for what she believes is rightfully hers. Williams’s stoic Viola, and the cast of immortals who surround her, delivers the soaring anthems “If You Want Perfection” and “I Warned You” in high style.  Sieber shines throughout as someone we can root for in “Till Death” and “The Plan” but it is the musical duel of Hilty and Simard evidenced in “Confrontation,” “Hit Me” and “Alive Forever” that propel the show forward to life ever after.

Derek McLane robust scenic design with Justin Townsend’s dazzling lighting provides the perfect backdrop for an array of magnificent costumes by Paul Tazewell. Peter Hylenski’s sound and Rob Lake spellbinding illusions  make the Broadway-bound “Death Becomes Her” a visual feast for the senses. Previews begin in October with opening scheduled for November 21, 2024, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, but you can see it now at the Cadillac through June 2.

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman, 2024

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
presents
World Premiere
DEATH BECOMES HER
Cadillac Palace Theatre
through June 2, 2024

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BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

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PICKSINSIX Review: MURDER FOR TWO

‘MURDER’ is a “Perfectly Lovely Surprise!”

The (usual) Suspects... You already know judging from the title that "Murder for Two" - now playing at the Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire - involves at least one murder which occurs as the surprise birthday party for mystery novelist Arthur Whitney is about to begin. Early on we meet The (usual) Suspects including the victim’s wife, a prima ballerina, a wheel-chair bound psychiatrist, a feisty old couple, a demur wanna-be caper-cracker, a fireman, and a 12-member boys choir, of which all but three are elsewhere.

Strap yourself in... Officer Marcus Moscowicz, who is vying for a promotion to detective, is quickly on the scene with his partner Lou and determines that everyone has a motive. What is unusual about The Suspects, is that they are all played by one actor. In case you are thinking that there is no way all this can possibly happen in the course of 90 minutes, strap yourself in for a comic tour de force directed by Scott Weinstein. 

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Rollicking madcap musical mystery... This two-hander – which is more like a 26-hander, not counting two more thrown in for good measure along the way – originated in New York at Second Stage Theatre, had its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare (2011 Jeff Award for Best Musical) then again to New York and a national tour. With book and music by Joe Kinosian and book and lyrics by Kellen Blair, Murder for Two is a rollicking madcap musical mystery sendup energized in the Marriott production by the stellar performances of Noel Carey and Jason Grimm - a pair of amazingly gifted actors and musicians with superb comic instincts – who work terrifically well together.

Seasoned flair... Protocol says that the plot will not be revealed, so this ‘Murder’ is, and will remain, as one of the many tuneful songs confesses, a “Perfectly Lovely Surprise!” Carey brings a seasoned flair and single-minded energy to Moscowicz, a role that he has played on national tour. Weinstein has expertly matched Carey with the explosive Grimm, whose out-of-body, split-second transformations appear effortless. When the two are not trading verbal banter at breakneck speed, they accompany each other on the grand piano – often both at the same time – under the artful musical direction of Matt Desitchman.

Stage set perfectly... All of the mayhem is staged in the round on an exquisite Scott Davis multi-level interior set that has more than a few special features allowing the story to ingeniously unfold so that every seat is the best in the house. With sound design by Robert E. Gilmartin, lighting by Jesse Klug, costumes by Emily Arnold and music supervision by Patti Garwood, the stage is set perfectly for a non-stop evening of entertainment.

Funny business... Things get started right away so if your head is buried in your program or you are running late, you may miss some of the funny business. There is plenty of convenient free and low-cost valet parking and many dining options in the area to help make Murder for Two a not-to-be-missed summertime treat.

PHOTOS|Liz Lauren

MARRIOTT THEATRE
Presents
MURDER FOR TWO
through August 26th
10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire
(847)634-0200
WEBSITE

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