Universal Theatrical Group is thrilled to announce the full cast for the first year of the multi-year North American Tour of DEATH BECOMES HER, launching at Playhouse Square with performances September 12–October 3, 2026, as part of the KeyBank Broadway Series.
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).
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.
Lowe Cunningham, producer of Death Becomes Her and Senior Vice President, Head of Creative & Strategy at Universal Theatrical Group, said, “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. 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.”
Biographies
JACKIE BURNS (Madeline Ashton). From her iconic Elphaba in Wicked to her hysterical Celine Dion in Titanique, Jackie Burns is ready to do it for the gays once again! Other favorite leading ladies: If/Then (National Tour), Burlesque (U.K. premiere), and Revolutions (Goodman Theatre.)
KRISTIN BETH WILLIAMS (Helen Sharp). West End/Broadway: Top Hat; Hello Dolly; Pippin; Nice Work…; Anything Goes; Promises, Promises, Paradise Square. National Tours: A Gentleman’s Guide… (Sibella – 1st National); 101 Dalmatians. Regional: 42nd St (Dorothy Brock), Kiss Me Kate (Lilli/Kate), My Fair Lady (Eliza), Million Dollar Quartet (Dyanne), Shrek (Fiona). Proud AEA Member. BFA University of Oklahoma. Faculty at Northern Michigan University. Favorite roles to date: wife to Jimmy and mom to Jake! @kbdubsnyc
KEN MARINO (Ernest Menville) is an actor, writer, director best known for roles on Running Point, The Other Two, Party Down, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Veronica Mars, Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models and the celebrated sketch comedy show, The State. For Dee Dee who unlocked my love of the theater.
NASIA THOMAS (Viola Van Horn). Select credits: The Last Five Years, SIX, Caroline or Change, Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful:The Carole King Musical. Encores Jelly’s Last Jam. Digital Theatre: OOTB’s The Last Five Years. TV/Film: “Magic Time” (upcoming), “The 4400”, “Harlem”. GSA MT ‘11, Elon MT ’15 @nasiathomas
LOUIS A. WILLIAMS JR (Chagall). STL native. Off-Broadway: Romy and Michele. Film/TV: The Last Show Girl, The Prom, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. Regional: Awakening (Wynn), Musical Theatre West, Gateway PH, Ogunquit PH, Moonlight AMPH, The Muny. Webster University (BFA), The Ailey School, DTH, Krupinski Academy of Dance. Thanks to GTA, Family, and Peggy! @thelouiswilliamsjr
MICHAEL BUCHANAN (Stefan). Broadway: Cry Baby, The Addams Family. Off Broadway/New York: Fat Camp, Play it Cool, The Golden Apple (Encores!) National Tours/Regional: The Book of Mormon, Cry Baby, Unrinetown (Bobby Strong-Jeff Award Winner), Mame (Kennedy Center), The Pirates of Penzance (Guthrie), Hair, West Side Story. Insta:@michaelwbuchanan
GAIL BENNETT (Standby for Broadway: Anastasia (Tsarina/Lily u/s). Tours: Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins u/s 150+ performances), Sound of Music (Elsa). Vegas/Hollywood Bowl: The Producers. Dozens of Regional Leading Ladies. TV: Tales of the City, SVU, AFLAC. IRNE/Carbonell Nominee.@gailbennettacts
ALICIA ALBRIGHT (Swing). Broadway – Disney’s Frozen (OBC/Swing), Wicked (DC/Swing). Touring/ Regional- Frozen, Wicked, A Chorus Line, Barnum, Jesus Christ Superstar, All Shook Up, Seven Brides…. and more. Grateful for her family, friends and amazing husband Eric. @aliciaalbright
BRYN PURVIS (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her national tour debut! Regional: The Bodyguard (Engeman Theater) The Boy From Oz (Stages St. Louis) Legally Blonde (Lexington Theatre Company) Summer! (NCL) BFA CCM. All my love to Frankie, Vixen, The Mine, and family. Siempre Viva!
CALVIN COOPER (Ensemble). Broadway: Mrs. Doubtfire (Original Broadway Cast). National Tour: Finding Neverland. Other credits include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
CANDACE JANIN WASHINGTON (Ensemble) is thrilled to be an Immortal with Death Becomes Her! Credits include SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical Cast (1st National Tour), Norwegian Prima as Disco/Diva Donna, Dance Captain, and Swing, L.A. Clippers Spirit, and Disneyland Park-Swing.
CAROLINE KANE (Ensemble). Jazzed to be here! Broadway- Water for Elephants (OBC), New York City Center. Credits include- Goodspeed, The Alliance, Shakespeare Theater Co, Sacramento, & Pittsburgh CLO. Love to fam, and Scooter. Otterbein BFA.
IAN LIBERTO (Swing). Broadway: Smash, New York New York, Hello Dolly! Chaplin, How To Succeed In Business…, Billy Elliot, Promises Promises. National Tours: Mrs. Doubtfire, The Book of Mormon, Evita, A Chorus Line, Thoroughly Modern Millie. BFA from Millikin University. Love to Kasey.
JORDAN VASQUEZ (Ensemble) is excited to be joining Death Becomes Her after touring with Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Chicago. A proud Illinois native and graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, he would absolutely take the potion. Follow along at @iamjordan_official.
KARMA JENKINS (Ensemble). Tours/Regional: La Cage (New York City Centers), Cabaret (The Old Globe), The Wiz (MUNY), West Side Story (5th Ave Theatre) Broadway At Music Circus, Theatre Under The Stars, The Grand Ole Opry TV/Film: “Elsbeth”, “Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Smile 2,” “The last O.G,” “Ghost: Power Book II.” Love to my family, Agents at CESD & TRC Casting! IG: @Karmanoelle TikTok: @karmajenkins
MCKINLEY KNUCKLE (Swing) is thrilled to be apart of the Death Becomes Her first national tour. Credits include Broadway’s Death Becomes Her, Miss Saigon (First National Tour), Hairspray (The Muny), Art on Ice (European Tour), NBC Upfronts (Radio city Music Hall), and Stratford Festival’s Spamalot and Frankenstein Revived.
NICK CORTAZZO (Ensemble, Luciano, Doctor, u/s Chagall)- Tours: Hadestown, Hairspray (Link Larkin). Regional: Little Mermaid (Paper Mill), Grease (NSMT, Fulton, TBTS), Mary Poppins (5th Avenue), Hairspray (Casa Mañana), Kinky Boots (PCLO). Endless love to the DBH team, Kevin and TRC, CTG/CLA, and his family. @ncortazzo
SAVANNAH COOPER (Swing) is thrilled to be making her National Tour debut! After Midnight (5th Avenue), Little Shop…(Great Lakes Theater), WHITE NOISE (Netflix). LOVE to my family, BWMT, DESOD, DBH team, and Henderson Hogan. For mom! @savvy_sc
TIKI HOPSON (Ensemble) is an Atlanta native and is honored to be joining the First National Tour of Death Becomes Her! Broadway: Hell’s Kitchen (OBC) Tour: Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (OTC) SMU Dance Program (Pony Up!) Daniel Hoff Agency.
TYLER JIMENEZ (Ensemble) is titillated to live forever in DBH! National Tours: Disney’s Frozen, Joseph…Dreamcoat. Regional: Geva Theater, Syracuse Stage, Alabama Shakespeare Festival. TV:73rd annual Tony Awards. BFA Syracuse University.ILYMT.IG:@Tylerbo10
Death Becomes Her 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.
Death Becomes Her features scenic design by two-time Tony Award winner Derek McLane, costume design by Tony Award and Academy Award winner Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Tony Award winner Justin Townsend, sound design by Tony Award winner Peter Hylenski, hair and wig design by two-time Drama Desk Award winner Charles LaPointe, make-up design by Joe Dulude II, fight direction by Drama Desk Award winner Cha Ramos, with music supervision by Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by three-time Tony Award winner Doug Besterman, music direction by Matt Doebler, dance & music arrangements by Tony Award nominee Sam Davis, vocal arrangements by Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Julia Mattison & Noel Carey, music coordination by Kristy Norter, casting by The TRC Company, and general management by 321 Theatrical Management. Marcia Goldberg serves as Executive Producer.
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.
Following a critically acclaimed pre-Broadway engagement at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre in May–June 2024, Death Becomes Her opened on Broadway on November 21, 2024, playing 20 months, more than 650 performances, and selling over 900,000 tickets at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre before closing on June 28, 2026.
Death Becomes Her was the most nominated show of the 2024–2025 season with 34 total nominations, including 12 Outer Critics’ Circle Award nominations, five Drama Desk Award nominations, four Drama League Award nominations, two Chita Rivera Award nominations, 10 Tony Award nominations, and one GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.
Death Becomes Her became a viral sensation on social media following the release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording, which has been streamed more than nine million times. Jennifer Simard’s performance of “Hit Me” peaked at #2 on the TikTok Viral Chart and #13 on the TikTok 50 Chart, with more than 491,000 creator uses and over 2.7 billion views. “Let’s Run Away Together” has also inspired more than 10,000 TikTok videos.
Death Becomes Her is produced by Universal Theatrical Group (UTG), overseen by Jimmy Horowitz, Chairman of Business Affairs and Operations, NBCUniversal, and led by Lowe Cunningham, SVP, Head of Creative & Strategy, Universal Theatrical Group. Death Becomes Her is based on the Universal Pictures 1992 film, written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan, directed by Robert Zemeckis.
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