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
- Music
- Kevin Murphy , Laurence "Larry" O'Keefe
- Lyrics
- Kevin Murphy , Laurence "Larry" O'Keefe
- 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
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Heathers is based on the 1989 film written by Daniel Waters. Back in 2010 a low-key reading was done of the script, but it wasn’t until 2013 that the show had its world premiere in Los Angeles, starring Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica, Ryan McCartan as JD, and Sarah Halford as Heather Chandler. In 2014, Heathers opened off-Broadway at New World Stages. It played its final performance there on August 4, 2014. Reviews were mostly positive, and like the film, Heathers the Musical quickly
to read the context for Heathers the Musical and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Our story begins in the fall of 1989, with a diary entry from our heroine, Veronica Sawyer. She laments the way that her fellow classmates treat each other, preferring to remember their kindergarten days when everyone was kind to each other. She impatiently waits for her acceptance letters from Harvard, Duke, or Brown, when she can escape to the ivory towers of collegiate life. In order to survive her senior year, Veronica dreams of being above it all: solid teflon, like the
to read the plot for Heathers the Musical and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
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
Scenes
Key Terms
A version of a work modified from another medium or language, making it suitable for a new performance context.
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.
The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect, essential in vocal and orchestral performance.
A staple of musical theatre where the protagonist expresses a deep personal desire, setting the emotional tone for the narrative.
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.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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