Overview

Synopsis

Based on the cult classic film of the same name, Heathers is the story of Veronica Sawyer, a senior at the fictional Westerberg High. Veronica longs to be cool like the clique of it-girls that runs Westerberg: the unaffected, unattainable Heathers. Unfortunately, in addition to awesome levels of popularity, the Heathers are also cruel, choosing to mock and bully their kingdom into submission. When Veronica uses her skills as a forger to get the Heathers out of detention, she impresses their leader Heather Chandler— so much so that they agree to let her into their exclusive club. At first Veronica is thrilled—until she finds out that being one of the Heathers means bullying the same kids she used to call friends. Meanwhile, Veronica finds herself attracted to a mysterious newcomer at school named Jason Dean (JD). When an innocent drink mixup results in the accidental poisoning of Heather Chandler, JD convinces Veronica to stage Heather’s suicide. The results are so successful that Veronica and JD, exhilarated with their newfound power, resolve to rid Westerberg of the cruelly popular elite forever. With raw, edgy, and culturally relevant numbers like “Beautiful,” “Candy Store,” and “Yo Girl,” Heathers is fast becoming a fan favorite among community theaters and high schoolers everywhere.

Show Information

Based on the Play/Book/Film
Based on the 1989 film Heathers
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
2014
Genres
Dark Comedy
Settings
Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
sherwood, ohio, 1989
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Some Dance
Licensor
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

JD (Jason Dean)

Lead

Male

Tenor

Veronica Sawyer

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Heather Chandler

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Heather McNamara

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Heather Duke

Supporting

Female

Alto

Martha Dunstock

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Ram Sweeney

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Kurt Kelley

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Ms. Fleming/ Veronica’s Mom

Featured

Female

Soprano

Ram’s Dad/Big Bud Dean/ Coach Ripper

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Kurt’s Dad/ Veronica’s Dad/ Principal Gowan

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Songs

Act One

  • Beautiful - Veronica and Students
  • Candy Store - Heather Chandler, Heather Duke, and Heather McNamara (the Heathers)
  • Fight For Me - Veronica and Students
  • Candy Store Playoff - the Heathers
  • Freeze Your Brain - JD
  • Big Fun - Ram, Kurt, Veronica, the Heathers, and Students
  • Dead Girl Walking - Veronica and JD
  • *Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare - Heather Chandler and Students
  • The Me Inside of Me - Heather Chandler, Veronica, Cops, Ms. Fleming, and Company
  • Blue - Heather McNamara, Heather Duke, Kurt, and Ram
  • Blue Reprise - Heather McNamara, Heather Duke, Kurt, Ram, and Students
  • ~Blue Playoff - Students
  • Our Love Is God - Veronica and JD

Act Two

  • ~Prom or Hell?- Veronica
  • My Dead Gay Son- Ram’s Dad, Kurt’s Dad, and Mourners
  • Seventeen- Veronica and JD
  • Shine A Light- Ms. Fleming and Students
  • Lifeboat- Heather McNamara
  • Shine A Light Reprise- Heather Duke and Students
  • ~Hey, Yo Westerberg- Heather McNamara and Students
  • Kindergarten Boyfriend- Martha
  • Yo Girl- Heather Chandler, Ram and Kurt
  • Meant To Be Yours- JD and Students
  • Dead Girl Walking Reprise- Veronica, JD, and Students
  • I Am Damaged- Veronica and JD
  • Seventeen Reprise- Veronica, Martha, Heather McNamara, and Company

~Not featured on the world premiere cast recording.

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

    An adaptation is a reworking of a story from one medium or cultural context into another, such as turning a novel into a play or updating a classic play’s setting. Adaptations often reinterpret themes, characters, and style for new audiences. They can range from faithful recreations to bold reimaginings.

    An anti-hero is a central character who lacks traditional heroic qualities such as morality, bravery, or idealism. Often flawed and complex, anti-heroes appear frequently in modern drama and literature.

    A powerful singing technique that uses chest voice in higher pitches, common in musical theatre for dramatic emphasis.

    A passionate, niche audience devoted to a specific play or performance style, often regardless of mainstream popularity.

    In music, harmony occurs when two or more notes are sung or played at the same time, creating chords that enrich the sound. In musical theatre, harmony is often used in duets, trios, or ensemble numbers to heighten emotion and texture. It can reinforce unity, tension, or contrast between characters.

    An “I Want Song” is a number, usually placed early in a musical, where a main character expresses their deepest desire or ambition. This song sets the character’s journey in motion and gives the audience a clear emotional stake in the story. It has become one of the most recognizable and enduring conventions of musical theatre structur

    A vocal technique where one syllable is sung across several notes, common in gospel, R&B, and musical theatre.

    Smaller New York theatres producing innovative and experimental works, often stepping stones to Broadway.

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