Heathers: The Musical, based on the cult-classic 1989 film, is a darkly comedic take on high school drama. When nobody Veronica Sawyer is accepted into the cool clique (consisting of three girls named Heather), at first she's thrilled to be popular, go to parties, and feel beautiful—but she can't stomach the cruelty the Heathers dole out. She finds connection with outsider JD, a cynical, well-read new student who's not afraid of violence. Before long, people are dying and Veronica is caught up in an increasingly complex web of lies and hypocrisy. How many people will die before she can find a way to put things right?
The stage musical is a little different from the film; it starts with an earlier, more innocent Veronica and streamlines by combining some side characters. The musical can't quite capture the particular weirdness of the film and so leans instead into style, color, and lots of high belting (very popular in modern musical theater). But both the film and the musical depict a heightened version of reality, a place where nothing seems to exist outside of high school, and high school itself only seems to exist to uphold the social structures within. It’s this touch of the surreal that I think allows us to view the difficult topics in the story from a little distance and to enjoy this cynical take on teen life.
There are quite a few difficult and potentially triggering topics in the show, and I appreciated that Ashland Productions was upfront in the advertising for the show and in pre-show announcements with content warnings (and sensory warnings). I also really appreciated director Megan Roddy’s director’s note, which offered some potential lessons to take away from the show. For a show where a lot of bad things happen and justice isn’t totally served at the end, I thought it was very valuable to offer up something positive to take away from the story. It was also gratifying to see that Ashland had a violence and intimacy choreographer working on Heathers. I know not every theater can afford to hire professionals to help with fight scenes or intimacy, but it is so important that these scenes are performed safely.
Heathers: The Musical dabbles in high-stakes drama and playful silliness, sometimes at the same time. The song "Blue," for example, is a very goofy song in a very serious scene. (In the updated professional version of the show, "Blue" has been replaced for that reason.) I liked the choice Roddy made with the end of this number; after the song, there was a tableau of Veronica surrounded by football players Kurt and Ram, and there was no sound except for Veronica's breathing. The juxtaposition of the silly song with the reminder of what's at stake in this scene was striking. Musically, this show demands a lot from its leads, and I have to give kudos to music director (and band leader) Jack Johnston for the fact that everyone was able to meet those demands, and no one sounded like they were damaging their voice in the process.
Brad Camitsch designed the set, which seemed straightforward but had a lot of little variations that made for some interesting uses of the space. I think I recognized the cemetery trees from Shrek but I’m not complaining; they worked just as well here. Jacob Lee Hofer, lighting designer, set the mood very effectively. What is it about overhead lighting that's so ominous? “Lifeboat” was a particularly nice moment of lighting, isolating Heather McNamara and turning everyone else into the faceless figures of her nightmare. From costumer Ahnika Lexvold, I particularly loved the subtle differences between the three Heathers’ looks. Heather Chandler, in red, is most of all in control and her outfit was perfectly coordinated; Heather McNamara, the cheerleader, had playful accents; ambitious Heather Duke wore a more business-like jacket and skirt. Among the other students, the retro costumes were put together with care, with different influences showing a variety of high school "types" (including a prep, a New Wave rocker, and a stoner).
Lewis Youngren both performed in and choreographed the show. As choreographer, he used elements of pop and musical theater for fun numbers like "Candy Store" and "Big Fun," while "Seventeen" featured a lovely contemporary dance that used a lot of subtlety and felt very fresh. Mason Tyer, assisted by Heather Ashley, choreographed the violence and the intimacy scenes. The first fight scene, a slow-motion fight with a cafeteria tray, was funny and entertaining, and the final struggle between Veronica and JD was more realistic and very tense.
Courtney Klein showed a lot of range as Veronica; she started out overflowing with exuberance and gradually took on more and more darkness. The change was very interesting to watch, especially in the emotionally complex scene where Veronica puts on a cruel act to save her own skin. Klein nailed all of the vocal riffs and the high belts, particularly impressive in a difficult song like "Dead Girl Walking." As JD, Tyler Eliason sounded very smooth in "Freeze Your Brain," and the contrast in his physical and vocal performance by the point of "Meant to Be Yours" demonstrated excellent character work. JD is a character who is good at lying about who he is and what he feels, and Eliason brought that out very well.
The three actresses playing the Heathers made a great team, excelling at the choreography and the harmonies in numbers like "Candy Store." As Heather Chandler, Brooklyn Schwiesow exuded control and attitude, and as a ghost was a fun foil to Veronica. As Heather Duke, Bre Churchill was cruel and power-hungry, but I can't forget the moment she came in before "Blue," rearranging her clothes after an encounter she didn't want but couldn't avoid. Heather Duke can't replicate Heather Chandler's control, and there is something very harsh about what that does to her. On another note, I can honestly say I've never seen someone do a sinister body roll before, but Churchill really made it work. As Heather McNamara, Lily Cornwell gave an emotional performance of vulnerability in "Lifeboat."
Cullen Wiley and Quinn Forrest Masterson as Kurt and Ram were sometimes dopey and sometimes sinister, and the sharpness with which they could switch made them seem even more menacing. The pair worked well together and made a great dance team in "Blue." Angie Flake performed the character of Martha well, and created a strong emotional moment with "Kindergarten Boyfriend" even though some of the lyrics in the song are strange. I also found her last line of the show to be really interesting; after being overly naïve the whole show, she asks Veronica, "Are there any happy endings?" It's a small moment, but I thought Flake brought something very compelling to it: a combination of knowledge, pain, and yet still a hint of the optimism she's always had.
As all of the dads, Chris Klekamp and Lewis Youngren brought a lot of little details to their multiple roles. Most of the parents in this show feel dangerous; as Ram and Kurt's fathers, Klekamp and Youngren were loud homophobes, quick to lash out even at their own children. As JD's father, Klekamp was quieter but even more alarming. In the second act, though, Klekamp and Youngren were very fun in "My Dead Gay Son"; Klekamp brought strong Oklahoma vibes with his classic music theater sound and Youngren's emotional 180 underlined the strangeness and satire of the scene. Mack Armbruster played the eccentric and misguided Ms. Flemming to a T. Her performance of "Shine a Light" was appropriately over-the-top, and her intensity and extended eye contact when she confronted an audience member was hilarious.
The Heathers ensemble embodied a nice variety of characters, and the large-group dance numbers were particularly engaging because of the character work that each actor brought to it. The featured dancers did a lovely job being expressive in the smaller movements of "Seventeen," and then my jaw literally dropped when Katie Gellerman pirouetted into the splits. Another ensemble moment that surprised me was when I noticed two actors holding up another actor (he was standing on their knees). This was a nice way to get a variety of levels during a group scene, but the actors were frozen in that position for a whole song and I'm impressed that they were able to do it!
For practical (ticket-selling) reasons, the most popular musicals in community theater are family-appropriate shows with big casts. I like those musicals as much as the next person, but it's nice every once in a while to see a show with some bite. Ashland Productions' Heathers is one of those shows, and it's one that I'll be thinking about for a while.
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