All the songs in 'Death Becomes Her' on Broadway

Catchy original tunes by Broadway-debut songwriters Julia Mattison and Noel Carey give the stage adaptation of the cult classic 1992 film a new heartbeat.

Everything old is new again. So it goes for two aging women who discover a secret (and perhaps sinister) source of eternal life in the new Broadway musical Death Becomes Her. The show at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is based on the 1992 cult classic film that won an Oscar for its visual effects.

The musical has its own very special effects. Chief among them are Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard starring as Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp (Mad and Hel, to each other), longtime frenemies played on screen by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn.

On stage, the show written by Marco Pennette has turned up fresh laughs as well its own distinct heartbeat, thanks to a batch of tuneful earworms by Broadway-debut songwriters Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. The catchy opening number will stay in your head for days — maybe forever.

Get to know more about the music in the show, and then get tickets to hear them come alive. Mild spoilers for Death Becomes Her follow.

Get Death Becomes Her tickets now.

“If You Want Perfection”

This tangy curtain-raiser gets straight to what powers the plot: Mystery woman Viola van Horn (Michelle Williams) possesses a potion that grants eternal youth. “If you want perfection, take a sip and drink it in,” Viola, surrounded by her posse of Immortals, sings directly to the audience. “Kill your old complexion, welcome to your brand new skin.” We’re in!

“For the Gaze”

Mad’s first big number shines a cheeky spotlight on the limitless lengths she’ll go to attract the attention of others. “Everything I do is for the gaze,” she sings. And, yes, the fact that “gaze” sounds like “gays” is totally intentional, catering to the Death Becomes Her film's large LGBTQ+ fanbase.

“That Was Then, This Is Now”

Aspiring writer Helen has been upstaged by her nearest and dearest frenemy Madeline for over 20 years. But now that Helen has a man in her life, Ernest Menville (Christopher Sieber) — who's a cosmetic surgeon, no less — the tables have turned.

“I’m through with her petty scheming,” Hel declares. “I no longer wake up screaming.” Just wait.

“Tell Me, Ernest”

The past is present, as we know. Madeline wastes no time putting the moves on Helen’s beloved. “So tell me, Ernest,” she teases, “what would you do to me?” She’s presumably referring to professional nips and tucks, but she’s really after his bedside manner.

“Madeline Ashton’s Intimate Wedding Extravaganza”

Spoiler alert: Madeline wins Ernest away from Helen. Her marriage to the good doctor comes complete with a dancing bridal party, an Italian opera divo, and product sponsors that change from performance to performance.

“Madeline”

Losing Ernest and falling victim to Madeline — again — drives Helen around the bend. In a hospital, a haggard, half-dazed Helen obsesses about the best friend who’s her worst enemy. “Madeline needs to go far away. Madeline needs to be dead,” Helen concludes. The fatal wake-up call snaps her back to reality.

“I See Me”

Fans of the movie will recognize this song as a holdover from the film — but with a twist. On screen, Madeline trills “I see me, actress, woman, star, and lover” while starring in a Broadway musical version of Tennessee Williams's Sweet Bird of Youth.

In the Death Becomes Her musical, Madeline performs the catchy tune in a revitalizing cream commercial. How the mighty have fallen.

“’Til Death”

Ten years after tying the knot with Madeline, Ernest takes stock of the state of his marriage. He’s biding his time until his days are over.

“Tell Me, Ernest (reprise)”

Now a published author and somehow at the peak of her youth and beauty, Helen has the upper hand as the signs of aging are bearing down on Madeline. This time, Helen seizes the chance to sweet-talk Ernest.

“Falling Apart”

Helen’s miraculous glow-up sends Madeline into a tailspin in which she goes from envy to self-recrimination to, finally, steely resolve. “Wrinkled, wrinkled little star, remind them who the f-ck you are," she sings. “Madeline Ashton will not fall apart.”

“Siempre Viva”

Viola’s elixir could be the glue to hold Mad together. At her lair, Madeline listens as the priestess of eternal youth and her minions tempt her to take a gulp from the shimmering potion that promises immortality. The song title means “always alive.”

“Let’s Run Away Together”

Hel-bent (not a typo) on reuniting and relocating with Ernest, Helen devises a scheme to get Madeline out of the way permanently. Best-laid plans can go awry, especially when immortality is in the mix.

“Confrontation”

As the first act ends, the rivalry between Madeline and Helen comes to a crashing crescendo with a killer duet built around a dramatic staircase incident directly from the movie. “This ends today,” they sing in unison. “I’ll die before I let you disrespect me.” Yes, that’s foreshadowing.

“Don’t Say I Didn’t (Warn You)”

Capitalizing on a famous line from the movie – “Now a warning?” – Viola delivers this ditty. “Don’t waste your time in pretending there will be some happy ending,” she purrs.

“Hit Me”

After getting blasted by a shotgun just like in the film, Helen, who also drank the elixir, squares off with Madeline. “Hit me like you mean it, do what you will, you still can’t kill me.” Turns out immortality comes with privileges – and problems.

“The Plan”

Driven to drink because he’s got two living dead women on his hands, Ernest formulates a strategy requiring his powers of reconstruction to cope. “Paint the corpses, that’s the plan,” he belts while hitting the bottle.

“Live to Serve”

A plot twist brings Madeline, Helen, and Ernest to Viola’s spooky mansion, where she and the Immortals revel in their eternal lives: “Serve to live, live to serve, get the body you deserve.” Words to live – forever – by.

“Siempre Viva (reprise)”

At this point, Viola tempts Ernest with the promise of eternal life, but the notion of living forever gives him pause.

“The Chase”

Ernest tries to escape, which leads to an elaborate production number dreamed up by director/choreographer Christopher Gattelli.

“’Til Death (reprise)”

Ernest must decide whether he’d rather die or drink the potion that would make him immortal. “I just wasn’t made for eternity,” he sings.

“Alive Forever”

Helen and Madeline come to the conclusion that they’re each other’s person. Wherever they go, they’re going go through it together. In their big and brassy 11 o’clock number they reassure each other, “We can face eternity, just you and me.”

“Finale”

“I’d give it all to have an ending,” sings Madeline. “I’d give it all to say good-bye,” Helen agrees. Faustian bargains come with a price, and the payment plan lasts forever, the show reminds in the end.

Get Death Becomes Her tickets now.

Photo credit: Death Becomes Her on Broadway. (Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)