Leading Actress Exiting Her Show After 2-Year Run

A Tony-nominated actress is officially leaving her show after a two-year run.

PEOPLE reports that Megan Hilty has set her final performance in Broadway’s Death Becomes Her.

Hilty originated the role of Madeline Ashton in the show’s 2024 Chicago premiere and its Broadway run. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, her second Tony nomination. In 2016, Hilty was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Noises Off. As for Death Becomes Her, Hilty had been attached to the musical since it was in early development in 2023.

In June, she said it was “the most challenging and rewarding role” she has “ever taken on.” Hilty had to step away for four weeks to recover “from a vocal injury that only time can heal” and was back to business as usual the following month. After she officially takes her final bow on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, Broadway favorite Betsy Wolfe will take on the role of Madeline beginning Friday, Jan. 16 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

Death Becomes Her is based on Robert Zemeckis’ 1992 Universal Pictures dark comedy and has gotten 33 nominations across the 2024-25 theater season. The musical features an original score by Tony nominees Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, and has a book by Tony nominee Marco Pennett. Tony winner Christopher Gattelli directed and choreographed the show. After making its world premiere in May 2024 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Death Becomes Her moved to Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre that November.

Per Playbill, in Death Becomes Her, “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.”

Also starring in Death Becomes Her alongside Hilty are three-time Tony nominee Jennifer Simard, two-time Tony nominee Christopher Sieber, and Grammy winner Michelle Williams. The cast also features Taurean Everett, Josh Lamon, Marija Abney, Sarita Colón, Kaleigh Cronin, Alexa De Baar, Natalie Charle Ellis, Michael Graceffa, Neil Haskell, Ximone Rose, Bethany Ann Tesarck, Mitch Tobin, Sir Brock Warren, Bud Weber, Ryan Worsing, Warren Yang, Kyle Brown, Kristine Covillo, Alex Hartmanm, Lakota Knuckle, McKinley Knuckle, Johanna Moise, Justin O’Brien, Amy Quanbeck and Dee Roscioli.