'Death Becomes Her' Broadway musical in development for Kristin Chenoweth

Gordon Cox
Updated

“Death Becomes Her” is becoming a musical, with Universal Theatrical Group developing a stage adaptation of the 1992 Robert Zemeckis film and Broadway favorite Kristin Chenoweth attached to play one of the leads.

Chenoweth, the Tony and Emmy winner who originated the role of Glinda in “Wicked” and has appeared in TV series including “American Gods,” has signed for the role played by Meryl Streep in film, which also starred Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. Written by screenwriters Martin Donovan and David Koepp, the dark comedy-fantasy follows a fading actress (to be played by Chenoweth) whose quest to regain her youth has unexpectedly macabre consequences.

Universal has been in the Broadway game for years, most notably as a major partner in long-running smash “Wicked” as well as “Billy Elliot” and “Bring It On.” More recently the studio has seemed to step up its activities, with UTG’s adaptation of “Holiday Inn” playing last season at the Roundabout and a new musical about the Bee Gees on the way.

No creative team for the stage version of “Death Becomes Her” has been set, nor has any production timeline been mapped out. In recent seasons, Chenoweth starred in the 2015 Broadway revival of “On the 20th Century,” and last year played a short run of her concert, “My Love Letter to Broadway,” at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater.

Universal Pictures president Jimmy Horowitz oversees UTG, with UTG vice president Chris Herzberger leading day-to-day activities.

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