Megan Hilty Takes Leave of Absence from Broadway's Death Becomes Her Due to Vocal Injury

Published: June 11, 2025

Megan Hilty, 44, is taking a break from her role as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her due to a vocal injury. The actress revealed on Instagram that she will be "stepping away" for 3-4 weeks while she recovers "from a vocal injury that only time can heal."

Hilty recently performed a number from the musical, "For the Gaze," live at the 78th Tony Awards, where she was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical. However, she lost to Sunset Blvd. star Nicole Scherzinger.

In her Instagram post, Hilty wrote, "It's hard for me to admit I am human, particularly because performers are often asked to push through and pretend that we're not. I am so fortunate to work with the best producers, company, & stage managers, who don't subscribe to that way of thinking and fully support me and my fellow cast mates when our bodies tell us it's time for a break."

Hilty also encouraged her fans to research and understand how vocal cords work, saying, "What we do with our teeny tiny vocal cords is nothing short of a Herculean task - one that most people take for granted and very few actually understand."

She added, "We are athletes. And just like a professional basketball player, we are going to get injured from time to time - not because we aren't good at our jobs, it simply comes with the territory because of the extraordinary demands we put on our bodies."

Hilty's role will be filled brilliantly during her absence, and she promised to return to the stage soon, saying, "I'll be counting the seconds until I can meet you back at the Lunt-Fontanne."

Death Becomes Her" is a musical adaptation of the 1992 comedy film starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. The production costars Michelle Williams, Christopher Sieber, Taurean Everett, Josh Lamon, and more.

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