Video: DEATH BECOMES HER Celebrates Opening Night

I get to make 1,500 people laugh eight times a week

That is the coolest thing in the world. And I'm so happy about it

Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World. The new musical Death Becomes her has come to Broadway

and we're here on opening night to celebrate with the company, led by Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Seber, and Michelle Williams

Welcome home. How does it feel? It feels correct. I feel very comfortable in my skin

really ready for this beautiful opportunity that I've been gifted. What's made this so special? You've worked on some incredible shows, but what about this one is so

special? I knew from the first reading that it was really a winner. If I may say so, if I may

be as bold to say this, I feel like we're a female producers, a female led producers. It just

feels so right. We have the best creative team in the business, and it's an honor to say

these words by Marco Panette and to sing this music by Julia and Noel and to have this directing team

and this leadership by Universal. Sharing the stage with Megan. Let's start with that

Every time I talk to anyone of my friends who've seen it, they comment on our

incredible chemistry and I couldn't agree more and I'm happy to report that that is backstage as well

We've become very good friends. We always have each other's back. We talk, we listen, we're generous

There's no competition. There's no room for that. We pride ourselves on being gals, gals, and I think the audience senses that

Laughter is my favorite elixir It keeps me young And art is a way to heal people souls And comedy is a beautiful way to do that

I feel so good. I mean, it's been three years since I've been here, about four, actually almost five now

actually, with the pandemic and everything. So this is my first opening night in a long time

And I'm so grateful, but I'm grateful because I feel Broadway is back now

You know, people are coming back. That's fantastic. Plus, we have one of the funniest shows, if not the funniest show on Broadway right now

And I get to play with two of the most powerful musical comedy stars ever

And I'm in, I get to watch it every night. I mean, I'm more than grateful

And also, I get to make 1,500 people laugh eight times a week. That is the coolest thing in the world

And I'm so happy about it. But it must feel so great from the second you must hear the roar of the crowd before you even start the show

Yeah. When you hear that, even when your lights go to half, and the audience goes crazy

It's like the coolest feeling because you know you're doing something right. Or they've heard that we're doing something right

and they can't wait to see what we're doing right. I just love to watch the three of you up there make magic

That's magic. It's absolutely. And I learned, too. I think many have said you. It's like there's the lead follower

Get out of the way. I just get out of the way. Just get out of the way. I mean, you know, I'll just stand there

I'll be a talking set piece. It's fine. It's fine. But I'm grateful I get to be there

What's made this so special for you? You worked on some amazing pieces toward all over the world

What's made this so special with working on debt becomes her? Finally being able to originate and build a role myself, of course, with the help of Team

Gatelli that been pretty cool Just sharing the stage with this company what it means to you Oh a masterclass I think I said that to you all before Even with the amazing ensemble

masterclass, they lift me up every single night. Even if I feel like my posture is a little pedestrian

I'm like, oh, there's Mikey. I better raise my shoulders. It's the time of my life

It's not every day that you get a writer like Marco and, you know, Julia, Noel writing you literal comic gold

and Gateli just like helping you along the way, it's so much fun. So what's made this so special for you

Really, you know, part of it is being back with Megan. We did Wicked like 18 years ago

Being back with Chris, who was, you know, one of my besties at prom, and getting to just have this experience, getting to be with Jen again

Like, it's just, it's a dream come true, you know? I just want people to walk away feeling great and proud of the work that we've put in

and the sleepless nights that we've had. And I just really want everyone to enjoy themselves

What's made it special is that I was in it from the beginning

it's beginning processes, and the development of the character, the development of my position in the show

has been a dream come true. What an incredible cast. It must be so great for you to watch them

like, bring your words to life on stage. Yeah, and they're so talented

They don't just bring them to life. I mean, they build on them. And that's the secret

Like, I know some actors that get a laugh with hello, you know, that's what these guys do

So they made me look good and I credit them. So standing here on your opening night purple carpet here at the Lentfontein, what's going through your head

Um I mean like I said it it has been the dream and I know everyone says that my mom who not with us anymore was my biggest supporter And she took me to see Peter Pan here when I was 10 years old

So that's what I'm thinking of a little bit. Who would have thought? So I kind of feel her with me tonight, and it's kind of full circle moment for me

What's going through my mind is that the first time I ever went to New York, I was about like 14 years old and I stayed a block away

And I probably walked right on these steps without thinking a beat of it. And if I could tell that kid that in like 20 years he was going to write a Broadway show

he'd probably slap me in the face and think I was crazy. But it's a crazy surreal moment, and I'm so grateful for it

What's made this so special for you with working on this and creating this musical for Broadway

I'll tell you, you know, it's obviously a big show, but they let us be so ourselves and so individual

And even though, and Universal has been so great in letting us be free with our comedic instinct

and what we want to bring to the stage, they've really let us be ourselves

What's it been like for you, like, going into the Lunt and seeing the joy this show brings

I mean, right when the lights go down. It's everything to me. I was saying I remember seeing the producer's original cast

when I was on a family trip when I was a kid, and I remember the electric laughter shared in that space

and I was so addicted to it. I knew I was like, I just have to be a part of whatever this is

that energy is. And so to be here and to know that we built something that we're feeling this communal laughter is like very healing

It's very, it's so essential. I think a laugh is some of the best needed energy that we can get

And so, especially as, you know, as the world is, you want to close the doors and have a good time

And it's a really joyful thing in there that I feel so lucky to be a part of