Review Roundup: DEATH BECOMES HER Launches North American Tour

The North American Tour of Death Becomes Her is now underway, having launched at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. Read the reviews below!

Leading the company are Jackie Burns (Madeline Ashton), Kristen Beth Williams (Helen Sharp), Ken Marino (Ernest Menville), Nasia Thomas (Viola Van Horn), Louis A. Williams Jr. (Chagall), Michael Buchanan (Stefan), and Gail Bennett (Standby for Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp), with 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.

Madeline Ashton is the most beautiful actress (just ask her) ever to grace the stage and screen. Helen Sharp is the long-suffering author (just ask her) who lives in her shadow. They have always been the best of frenemies… until Madeline steals Helen’s fiancé away. As Helen plots revenge and Madeline clings to her rapidly fading star, their world is suddenly turned upside down by Viola Van Horn, a mysterious woman with a secret that’s to die for.  After one sip of Viola’s magical potion, Madeline and Helen begin a new era of life (and death) with their youth and beauty restored…and a grudge to last eternity. See it now and laugh for eternity.

Mark Meszoros, The News-Herald: Pennette’s humorous writing pairs nicely with the playful music and lyrics of Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. While they have composed songs that fall short of enthralling on the show’s Broadway cast recording, they serve the show quite well, helping to advance the story — and continuing to fire jokes off left and right.

Joey Morona, Cleveland.com: 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.

Gwendolyn Kocher, Scene: The show promises a feast for the eyes the moment you step into the theater. An electric purple curtain, underlit by designer Justin Townsend with dramatic shadows, drapes around a gilded pedestal. When that curtain rises, a lively, eleven-piece band led by conductor Matt Doebler plays as the audience is introduced to the character Viola Van Horn, played by an icy, sexy Nasia Thomas. Fans of the cult classic welcome her with uproarious applause before Thomas even begins to sing, although her shimmering outfit and, later, her powerhouse vocals, prove to be well worth lauding.

Average Rating: 86.7%

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