DEATH BECOMES HER Will Launch First National Tour at Playhouse Square This September

The first national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy Death Becomes Her will launch at Playhouse Square this September. Jackie Burns, Kristen Beth Williams, Ken Marino, Nasia Thomas, Louis A. Williams Jr., Michael Buchanan, and Gail Bennett will star in the production.

Playhouse Square will launch the first national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy Death Becomes Her with performances September 12 through October 3, 2026, as part of the KeyBank Broadway Series.

The production has announced its principal cast, led by Jackie Burns as Madeline Ashton, Kristen Beth Williams as Helen Sharp, Ken Marino as Ernest Menville, Nasia Thomas as Viola Van Horn, Louis A. Williams Jr. as Chagall, Michael Buchanan as Stefan, and Gail Bennett as the standby for Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp.

Joining the company are Calvin Cooper, Nick Cortazzo, Tiki Hopson, Karma Jenkins, Tyler Jimenez, Caroline Kane, Bryn Purvis, Jordan Vasquez, and Candace Janin Washington, with swings Ian Liberto, McKinley Knuckle, Alicia Albright, and Savannah Cooper.

"It has been such a joy bringing Death Becomes Her to life on stage, and I'm beyond thrilled to be embraced as we have by Broadway audiences," said producer Lowe Cunningham. "On behalf of the entire creative team and company, we are so proud that we will be able to share this musical and entertain audiences with laughter across the country for years to come with this tour."

About the Musical

Based on the beloved film, Death Becomes Her follows glamorous actress Madeline Ashton and her longtime rival Helen Sharp, whose bitter feud takes a supernatural turn after they encounter the mysterious Viola Van Horn and her youth-restoring potion. Their quest for eternal beauty leads to outrageous consequences in the musical comedy.

The production features direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli, a book by Marco Pennette, and an original score by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey.

Following its pre-Broadway engagement in Chicago, Death Becomes Her opened on Broadway in November 2024, where it played more than 650 performances, sold over 900,000 tickets, and concluded its run in June 2026. The musical earned 10 Tony Award nominations and received a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

Tickets

Need more Cleveland Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...