‘Death Becomes Her’ at Playhouse Square assessment: fatally enjoyable

North America, put together to giggle.

Having ended its Broadway run after roughly two years, the extremely entertaining stage musical adaptation of “Death Becomes Her” is in the midst of launching its first tour at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square — kicking off the latter’s 2026-27 KeyBank Broadway Series within the course of.

And it’s doing so with wall-to-wall jokes.

Not fitted to the little ones, “Death Becomes Her” is a wholly sassy, high-energy and go-for-broke tackle the 1992 black comedy fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. It tells the story of two girls determined to remain younger who get greater than they’d bargained for after ingesting a mysterious potion and the equally imperfect man caught in between them.

The largest identify within the tour’s forged is comedic display screen actor Ken Marino (“Role Models,” “We’re the Millers”), who portrays stated flawed fellow Ernest Menville, a distinguished plastic surgeon. However, whereas he’s as humorous as you’d count on, the present is powered by the forceful feminine tandem of stars Jackie Burns and Kristen Beth Williams. They’re terrific as finest frenemies Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp, respectively.

After the present’s dazzling opening quantity, “If You Want Perfection,” we’re launched to growing older actress Madeline within the extraordinarily enjoyable “For the Gaze.” It’s after a efficiency, and the star asks her loyal, put-upon assistant, Stefan (Michael Buchanan), if they will push a gathering with a Make-A-Wish child to subsequent week.

“Well …” he responds.

However, she has no intention of pushing aside her outdated buddy, Helen, a struggling creator, who attended that evening’s present.

“She’s known me since my first nose!” Madeline informs Stefan.

Helen has introduced her fiancé, Ernest, in whom Madeline takes a right away curiosity, inflicting the women’ numerous insecurities and jealousies to start to simmer. They boil over at a subsequent night collectively, throughout which Madeline manages to steal Ernest from Helen.

As time passes and each girls endure struggles, every makes the acquaintance of “influencer” Viola Von Horn (Nasia Thomas), who gives the aforementioned youth-giving concoction. (Just as within the film, she hilariously gives Madeline a warning AFTER the latter has swallowed the potion.)

The zany guide by Marco Pennette hits most of the main story beats from the movie, so in case you’ve seen it, you’ll know a lot of the wild stuff to comply with. We’ll depart those that’ve by no means grow to be accustomed to “Death: to seek out most of that out for themselves.

Let’s simply say Madeline and Helen’s friendship is one to die for — possibly greater than as soon as.

Pennette’s humorous writing pairs properly with the playful music and lyrics of Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. While they’ve composed songs that fall wanting enthralling on the present’s Broadway forged recording, they serve the present fairly properly, serving to to advance the story — and persevering with to fireplace jokes off left and proper.

In Cleveland, ‘Death Becomes Her’ songwriters speak musical store

As robust as Williams is, THE standout of the present is Burns, who’s finest identified for stints as Elphaba on Broadway and on tour and who carried out within the tour of “If/Then” that ran at Playhouse Square in 2016. She is a powerhouse as Madeline, touchdown each giggle line all through the two-act affair.

And relaxation assured, Marino will get his moments to shine, most notably in Ernest’s physical-comedy-heavy second-act quantity, “The Plan.” It is among the many joys of “Death Becomes Her.”

We may go on and on. The route and choreography by Christopher Gattelli are tight, the scenic design by Derek McLane is persistently eye-catching, and, on condition that it received a Tony Award in 2025, the costume design by Paul Tazewell is expectedly terrific.

New life for ‘Death Becomes Her’ musical begins at Playhouse Square

That was the present’s lone Tony win, after it was nominated in 9 classes — together with Best Musical — which, given the standard of this manufacturing, is a bit arduous to consider.

Well, maybe being practically snubbed turns into it.

If you’re feeling there could also be, um, a gap inside you that might be full of a colourful evening of dwell leisure, don’t lose your head — simply reserve your seats.

‘Death Becomes Her’

Continues by Oct. 3 at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. For tickets, $42 to $150, go to PlayhouseSquare.org or name 216-241-6000.